Chala June
Bed Stuy, Brooklyn
Chala June is equal parts amazing model and amazing food writer. They recently left their Bon Appétit staff writing position to try step into a freelance position, a journey that has lead them to contribute pieces to well known magazines like Cherry Bomb and become involved within the cannabis food scene/discourse throughout New York City. We were lucky enough to shoot photos of Chala June at All Night Skate, one of Chala’s favorite bars. All Night Skate is a queer space with a bright interior and insane cocktail list to wake you up out of NYC’s current hazy days.
What’s your full name and where are you from?
I’m Chala June, I’m 27 years old, and I grew up in Silver Spring, MD just outside DC. I’ve been a loud and proud New Yorker since 2018.
What is your title and where do you work?
As of this April I am a self-employed storyteller! After two years as the associate print editor for Bon Appétit, I decided to take a risk and step out from the editing shadows so that I could dedicate more time to my writing. This year, for me, has been all about investing my time and my energy back into myself and the communities that I want to build and support.
Was food a big part of your upbringing?
Food was a huge part of my upbringing! My dad was a Congolese immigrant and my mom’s a Black Midwesterner with Southern roots, so I come from two long and storied culinary lineages. Growing up in the suburbs of DC, I was also constantly exposed to incredible cuisines from around the world, and those international influences are still a big part of how I cook and eat. I was also completely obsessed with the Food Network from an early age, and will always owe so much of my passion for food to pioneering food shows like Iron Chef and Good Eats.
What are your earliest memories of dining out?
One of my earliest dining memories is from when I was about 4 or 5 years old. My parents took my siblings and I to this huge Chinese place called Bamboo Buffet and I think it was my first time at an all-you-can-eat restaurant so my mind was blown. What actually made the experience so memorable was my dad giving my siblings and I “chicken wings” to try that turned out to be frogs legs. My sisters were definitely skeeved out, but they really do taste like chicken! That had to be the first moment I realized that the most unexpected things can sometimes be the most delicious.
If you could give a piece of advice to someone who wanted to pursue your career, what would it be?
The biggest piece of advice I could give to anyone pursuing a career in food media is to attend whatever food events you can meet as many folks as possible! Building a strong network is the foundation of success in media, and I got some of my first assignments from editors I met just by going to industry events and talking to folks about my passion for food. You never know–the person you’re chatting with in line for vegan kebabs could be an editor or writer or recipe developer looking to collaborate with someone new and exciting (aka you)!
What is the best dish you have had this year?
I’m blessed with a career where I get to eat a lot of mind-blowing food, but the most memorable dish I’ve had so far this year was a whole grilled spiny lobster from a beachside pop-up in Costa Rica. Maybe it was so memorable because we were dining with the Caribbean Sea serenading us and our toes in the sand, but that lobster was so fresh and tender that I will be thinking about it probably for the rest of my life.
What is your favorite place to go out and eat at and what are you ordering?
My absolute favorite place to grab a meal in the neighborhood right now is Macosa Trattoria on Tompkins Ave. It’s a super rustic Italian kitchen with a lot of soul that comes through in the food. I try to order something different every time since they do a lot of seasonal specials, but the house-made pappardelle with oxtail ragu is not to be missed–especially with a glass of whatever fabulous red wine the bar is pouring.
Is anything new and exciting coming up for you?
As a freshly minted freelancer, every day is new and exciting! I do have a few thrilling projects that will be coming out this June for Pride Month, so be sure to follow me on IG (@chala.gram) to stay in the loop.
