Most Hamiltonians associate the weekend-long street festival, Supercrawl, with live entertainment and art installations. Flying above James Street North were giant colourful flags reading “deviate”, “subvert” and “resist” with the word “exist” on the back of each. Attracting vistors from blocks away, Flags asks what it means to exist within the twenty-first century, specifically as a queer person in Hamilton.
Adrienne Crossman is a professor of studio arts at McMaster University, but their journey began after finishing a master’s degree thesis at the University of Windsor. Their thesis project consisted of 15 small felt pennant flags, each a different colour representing queer and trans flags with words like “exist”, “postgender” and “neither/both” across the front.
“I’m subverting the medium of these little pennants that are often used for tourism or celebrating sports and I put words like “failure,” “deviate” or “resist”. That was a larger series . . . the one that said “failure” specifically was like an anti-varsity flag or celebrating this idea of failure or positivity of queerness,” said Crossman.
A year later and Crossman became a full-time professor at McMaster. Although they had previously visited Hamilton and recently moved for work, they had never exhibited any work in the city. They had an idea that would not have been possible without the festival backing their work.
“I’ve just been thinking a lot more about how to have more of an impact with my work. I’ve never done an outdoor installation before and I’ve never made work at this scale...It’s a new piece, new work, but also an evolution. It’s the second iteration of a similar concept. It also functions differently, there’s three flags, they’re much larger and they’re a different shape,” said Crossman.
“Flags” consisted of three different eight by five foot flags hanging from lamp posts. Crossman designed the colours, shapes and lettering, but hit the barrier that they cannot sew. They hired a seamstress to help with the task of putting together the large flags in order to debut in Hamilton for the weekend-long festival.
The queer community in Hamilton has had a turbulent history. Hamilton was home to one of Canada’s most recent bathhouse raids in 2004.
The raid created an uproar within the LGBT community. Questions of safety arose and led to a decline in queer spaces throughout the city. Currently, no designated queer space exists; however, many local businesses are welcoming.
Recent homophobic protests have put members of the Hamilton queer community on edge, leaving many to wonder about safety, a question that seems to be prevalent across many communities across the globe. Crossman hopes that their work continues the conversation on the path to resisting the oppression that faces the LGBT community not just in Hamilton but across the country.
“It’s just the continuation of a conversation. So the text reads “subvert”, “deviate” and “resist” as forms of resisting oppression but on the back where it says resist it more speaks to the fact that existing as a queer person, a visibly queer person or anybody that doesn’t suit the way that people might perceive as normal – just existing itself is a form of resistance which I think can be a very radical sentiment,” said Crossman.
Although three large, brightly coloured flags may look inviting during Supercrawl weekend, they hold deep meaning.
“A lot of my work has a trojan horse approach where you make something that looks fun but can spark or start a dialogue about something that is a little more serious,” said Crossman.
For Crossman and many within the queer community, “Flags” is just the beginning of continuing dialogue against oppression faced daily by Hamiltonians and others around the world. Although Supercrawl is Hamilton’s premiere arts and culture event, they engage with contemporary social issues to ensure they are bringing a new perspective to the city.
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Mental illness touches everyone. For artist Ahmed Elfatih, intimate memories of his own life created the foundations for his art. From Sept. 7 to 16, Elfatih’s art pieces took over the walls of the Hamilton Audio Visual Node (HAVN) on 26 Barton Street East for “Mixed Matter”. This unique exhibit displayed Elfatih’s struggles leading up to his immigration from Omdurman, Sudan to Hamilton, Ontario. With a focus on his personal experiences with mental illness, each of his paintings tell a different memory from his life.
“These paintings are actual events; actual things that happened to me,” said Elfatih.
Elfatih’s mother was one of the main reasons why Elfatih was able to come to Canada. For five years, she worked to bring her family to this new country. Suitingly, all of Elfatih’s paintings are dedicated to his mother.
Elfatih started making art as early as six years old when his sister began teaching him how to draw characters such as Mickey Mouse. With the support of his dad, Elfatih eventually picked up art as a way to cope with his mood swings.
“When I’m happy, I paint. When I’m sad, I paint. It’s actually a healing method for me,” said Elfatih.
“Mixed Matter” is an art show that highlights all the struggles Elfatih faced in the process of coming to Hamilton. Elfatih noted that most of his difficulties in Omdurman revolved around managing mental illness. He continues to paint because he hopes to start a cause or campaign to use art and music to heal. Art is how he kept his happiness and energy.
Elfatih’s compositions contain unique figures and scenery that may not make sense to the mind at first. But that’s a lot like what feelings look like - sometimes when you try to depict them, they just don’t make sense. They are beautiful, chaotic and tragic in their own ways.
Feelings are exactly what Elfatih wants people to get from his exhibit. He wants his art to touch the human mind and heart; to see if others can relate to his work.
“I feel comfort when I find out that other people also go through those issues. What I’m trying to get is feelings. I want people to [leave the exhibit] with experience … That was what I was aiming for,” Elfatih remarked.
Elfatih notes that “Bell’s Curse” is one of his favourite pieces he’s done. “Bell’s Curse” depicts Elfatih in front of a patterned royal purple background. On the right side of his face, his features seem normal; if not a bit down-turned. On the left, his features blossom in different directions; almost as if they are sprouting out of his face and growing in their own way.
What could be the story behind this painting? Recently, Elfatih was diagnosed with Bell’s palsy, a temporary weakness or paralysis of the facial muscles. As a child, this was something he had experienced temporarily.. Four months ago; however, it stayed. Elfatih says that the painting represents him. What he takes from this painting is that flaws are beautiful and that you should be proud of them.
“God hand picks you to have [flaws] … especially if it’s visual, it’s like hey, I’m gonna put this little gift on you; this pearl on you,” he said.
As you go through the exhibit, you can see both the hurt and the healing that Elfatih has gone through. This is evident in each individual brushstroke, caption and story that his paintings retell.
Mental and physical illnesses are difficult. His paintings depict that clearly. But sometimes, some good can come from the pain and struggle.
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By Rya Buckley, Contributor
Hamilton’s trademark multi-arts festival, Supercrawl, has grown to attract artists, entrepreneurs and audiences from across the globe. As a result, a local artist taking the stage of this event has become particularly special. Last weekend, aspiring 17-year-old Hamiltonian R&B singer-songwriter, Neena Rose, performed on all three days of the festival.
Having released a flurry of singles over the last 12 months, Rose has been generating a major buzz on the Canadian music scene. Her singles, including the recent release “(You A) Machine Gun”, are snapshots of her debut EP called 333, which is set to come out later this year.
Rose’s recent buzz has been years in the making. She recorded her first original song, “Rock N Roll Lullaby” at the age of 12. In 2013, Rose performed for Oprah Winfrey and a crowd of 14,000 when the media mogul came to Copps Coliseum (now FirstOntario Centre). While the early success has been rewarding, Rose mentioned that she had fallen in love with music years before she began gaining recognition.
“[T]he first memory I have of singing and realizing I even liked to sing was … at an anniversary party … for one of my aunts when I was maybe four. There was a pianist … and then she’s like ‘Hey, do you want to sing something … I’ll play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and you sing.’ I’m like ‘OK.’ So I got up there and I sang in front of all my extended family and everybody’s like ‘Oh my God, she can actually hold a tune,’” Rose recalled.
A couple years after the discovery of her talent, Rose’s mother put Rose in singing lessons. Rose remembers writing her first song around the age of five or six. She started to consider music as a career when she was 12 years old and attending a youth summer program. It was during this program that Rose recorded her first song. Attracted to both the creative process of songwriting and the ability to make a living by doing what she loved, Rose began to pursue music professionally.
Amidst her budding career, Rose is finishing up high school. She hopes to go to university for business and perhaps also major in music. She continues to immerse herself in both the business and creative sides of the music industry.
Earlier this year, Rose was the youngest Canadian to participate in California Copyright Conference’s “Young Guns – Innovative and Thriving in the New World Music Order” panel. The California Copyright Conference facilitates discussions of copyright-related issues in music and entertainment. Rose was brought in to give her perspective as an up-and-coming artist navigating the industry.
Rose is drawn to the systematic nature of the music business. She understands the importance of being an artist with a coherent brand. Her passion for both the creative and business sides of being a professional singer will likely serve as an asset as she continues her career.
“I love when there’s something I can follow, like a pattern. And so like there’s tricks and stuff as with everything, but I like that you can learn how to actually function in an industry, in a business and make it work and still do the things you love,” said Rose.
For Rose, singing, and especially song writing, is an outlet. She pulls from everyday happenings in her life when she is making music. She hopes to one day be able to write songs for other artists as well.
In all the music that she creates, Rose wants her audiences to feel empowered. From her debut single, “Games”, where she stated that she doesn’t want to be pushed around, to the more recent single, “Mannequin”, where she encourages listeners to be themselves, Rose spreads messages of positivity and self-love through her work.
Performing at Supercrawl last weekend is full circle for this Hamilton native, who attended the festival when she was younger. She has seen the festival grow over the years and is honoured to have been a part of its lineup.
“I’m definitely inspired by people in my own hometown pursuing their dreams … [The Hamilton art scene] is booming. It’s definitely really prevalent. There’s so many things that are happening in Hamilton that people don’t even know about,” Rose said.
And just like her city, Neena Rose is blooming too.
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Visitors to this year’s Supercrawl festival likely left with strong memories of “Macro dose”, an installation featuring sonic vibrations and three towering, lit-up mushrooms sprouting from mattresses. Sean Procyk, the artist behind it all, peeled back the many layers of this exhibit.
“I had this idea of doing a surreal experience for viewers, so kind of like giant mushrooms in an Alice in Wonderland type setting. There was a big challenge in how I was going to have these giant mushrooms growing out of the street, so a lot of time was spent thinking about what kind of object I would want mushrooms to grow out of without it being arbitrary,” said Procyk.
Mattresses turned out to be Procyk’s missing puzzle piece. He was inspired by the displacement of Hamilton residents, which has been partly due to an influx of newcomers, development projects and overall gentrification. After a neighbour mentioned seeing several mattresses on their street, Procyk reflected on how mattresses are often left behind when people relocate. He paired this idea with his interest in mycology.
Glue lamination process for the mushroom caps. Photo c/o Sean Procyk.
“I started thinking about how mushrooms grow off of the refuse of the forest. Then I began imagining giant mushrooms feeding off of the refuse of human society, mattresses being part of the refuse. Then I thought about how, in the field of mycology, when you try to grow a particular type of mushroom species on some kind of substrate like grains or straw, which is the food that they feed off of, the term they use is you want to colonize the substrate. So there is a bit of a tie-in . . . I was just pulling language from that field and imagining colonizing these mattress with a particular kind of mushroom,” said Procyk.
As part of his interest in autonomous food production, Procyk grows his own oyster and shiitake mushrooms. Through this process, he learned that the “colonization” in mycology refers to sterilizing a growing medium, such as straw, inoculating it with the preferred mycelium and growing a monoculture. Sterilization removes all undesirable microbes and bacteria, improving the chances that the preferred mycelial culture will prevail. Through “Macro dose”, Procyk cleverly connected colonization in mycology to the colonization that still occurs across North America and the rest of the world.
Photo c/o Sean Procyk
To build “Macro dose”, Procyk collected, soaked and shaped Black Locust wood into mushroom caps in his very own backyard. The use of this particular tree was deliberate. As Procyk said, Black Locust has an extremely high rot resistance, burns efficiently at high temperatures, and could be a renewable source of heat energy. Unfortunately, it has been labelled an invasive species in Canada. Procyk suspects that this is because Black Locust’s growth patterns make it suboptimal for mass wood production.
“All this said, it brings to light the question of who makes decisions about what species are labelled invasive and what species are given privilege. In the lumber industry . . . it appears as it is those that support capitalist process that are given priority,” explained Procyk.
The relationships between the elements of “Macro dose” and real-world concepts complete a dreamlike narrative. For example, knowing that the resin of Black Locust glows a subtle green under UV light, Procyk made his mushroom caps glow an eerie green to represent this “invasive” species.
To further elevate his installation, Procyk used speakers to release sonic vibrations that created an absorbing audio-tactile experience for visitors. The green lights of the mushroom caps subtly dimmed in and out in response to carefully programmed frequency changes in sound.
“I prefer to create a soundscape that is more abstracted, something that is not too literal and is more about the experience of listening. So, I work with frequencies on the lower end, those tend to be more subtle . . . and immersive, they move through your body . . . and it is quite [a] soothing effect,” said Procyk.
With a dedication to his self-sufficient process, Procyk worked with themes of displacement and colonization to take Supercrawl visitors to an alternate universe.
An earlier version of this article was incorrectly published with photos from another Supercrawl fashion show. The Sil apologizes for any confusion this may have caused.
By Emily O'Rourke, Contributor
What first launched as a makeshift runway along a James Street North sidewalk has grown into a crowd favourite at Supercrawl.
Supercrawl’s Fashion Zone has grown significantly over the years, officially becoming a dedicated part of the festival in 2014. Among the Fashion Zone’s team of designers, organizers and passionate creatives, co-owners of the Eye of Faith, Aaron Duarte and Paul Heaton, stand out.
Established in 2011 by Duarte and Heaton, the Eye of Faith is a multifaceted brand, focusing on promoting individuality and expression through the exploration of the “past, fusing into the present to help shape the future.” Initially purveying high quality unique vintage finds, the brand has since expanded into original one-of-a-kind garments created using primarily vintage textiles and materials.
Photo c/o Cyprian Estrada
For the past five years, Duarte and Heaton have played a significant role in organizing Supercrawl’s fashion zone. As designers first, the pair first took over the fashion zone in 2015 with their handmade collection, “Hollywood Babylon”. Since, they’ve taken four different shows to the stage. Among them was Tarot, their 2016 collection which included a dress made from two decks of the classic Raider-Waite cards, attached with a metal chain link. Duarte and Heaton are also involved in every single aspect of their show, from stage managing, sound mixing, modeling and MCing.
“Putting on a fashion show is a huge task, and so many people go into making these shows, so the fact that it continues to grow truly shows how important fashion in all its forms is beloved in our city,” said Duarte.
Photo c/o Cyprian Estrada
When they’re not running their own shows, the duo sit on the fashion committee where they oversee applications and actively seek out new talent for the shows to ensure the programming is relevant to the fabric of the Hamilton fashion scene. All programming is local and aims to showcase diversity in all its forms, never being afraid to push the envelope.
“Supercrawl is the epitome of fashion events in the city, hands down,” said Duarte. “For us designers, it is the equivalent to any major fashion week and designers work for months to conceive and create collections specifically for the festival. We are striving to help get [designers’] full vision off the ground however we can, really.”
“It is also a great jumpstart for new designers to get their name out to the public, who in turn come out to see the shows and find their next new favourite local designer, and every year, there are more and more,” said Duarte.
The pair were busy this year, with Heaton managing the stage while walking as a model in three local designers’ shows, including Vintage Soul Geek, Thrifty Designer and Blackbird Studios. Duarte took on the MC role once again, while coordinating music and mixing sound for all shows throughout the weekend.
Photo c/o Mike Skarvinko
As a staple weekend in the city comes to a close, Duarte shares that he wishes Supercrawl was every weekend. On what’s next, Duarte hopes to see more youth talent, avant-garde work and luxury designs.
“[Supercrawl] is the one weekend of the year that brings so many facets of our city together under one umbrella. It is primarily a celebration of the talent and vitality of the City of Hamilton,” said Duarte. “As artists, it is an important platform to showcase our work to a large audience which only continues to grow every year. It’s definitely a weekend that always seems to recharge the city’s unique energy”.
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What It Is:
Motel Restaurant (359 Barton St. East) takes your favourite brunch and lunch dishes and immerses you in the sweetly-pink ‘no-tell-motel’. From themed-cocktails to sweet and savoury plates, there is something to satisfy every palate.
The restaurant is easily noticeable due to its green painted exterior walls, which contrast the brick buildings surrounding the area. Once you step inside, you are instantly transported to the lobby and greeted by Chris Hewlett, the owner and host of Motel. A bright blue neon sign for vibrating beds, pink luggage all around and a long bar extending the length of the space creates an atmosphere that removes you from Barton Street East. On your way downstairs to the washrooms, you will see doors on either side of the hall with room numbers to make you feel as if you are about to check-in for the night.
A staple of Barton Village, Motel strives to bring a little bit of luxury to your busy week either through their daily drink specials or one of their specialty dishes like their champagne pancakes topped with edible gold-leaf.
How to get there from Campus:
For the most direct approach, take the 51 from campus towards Hamilton Go Centre. Walk to the east end of the platform and jump onto the 2. Continue to ride this bus for about 15 minutes and get off at Barton Street East and Emerald Street North. A short stroll to the north-east corner of the intersection will take you to the emerald-coloured building on your left.
For a quicker alternative, you could take the 10 from Main Street West and Emerson Street for an express ride to Main Street West and John Street South. Jump off the bus and head south towards Jackson Street East to wait for the 2 at the bus stop.
The Cost:
Entrees range in price from $16 to $19.75 and usually will require you to request a to-go box because the portions are quite large. On more than one occasion, a meal from Motel has lasted me both brunch and dinner. Sides are also available and they range from $3 to $7.50.
No great brunch can be had without a beverage to compliment. Motel offers a variety of hand-crafted espresso beverages and local freshly-squeezed juices from $4 to $6. If you’re looking for something spirituous, Motel offers a variety of “5 O’Clocktails” for $12. You can also upgrade to Motel-sized drinks for $2.50 or a flask to share with your party for $35.
Although the food is tasty and the atmosphere is inviting, I fully understand that this is not in the every-day student budget; however, Motel is great if you are looking to treat yourself after a hard week or need a go-to Hamilton spot to sit down and celebrate with friends.
What to get:
Every time I go to the restaurant, I typically have to tell Chris to come back to our table three or four times because I am so overwhelmed by the menu. I have learned that your choice will come down to whether you want something savoury or sweet for your breakfast-lunch combination. An added benefit is that Motel sources local ingredients, when they can, for their dishes.
If you are looking for a wow-factor or Instagramable moment, try the Champagne pancakes. They come with Devonshire cream, raspberry and pink champagne coulis topped with gold flakes. Fluffy pancakes topped with a light cream, fruity sauce and real gold makes for an incredible breakfast that seems as if it could only exist in a dream.
Looking for something savoury? Last time I went, Chris recommended the Loaded Breakfast Nacho Fries featuring a three cheese blend, crumbled bacon, tomato jam, jalapeno sour cream and two over-easy eggs served on a bed of crispy french fries. This may very well be my favourite item on the menu due in part to its sheer size but also because it tastes absolutely stunning.
Motel offers vegetarian options (including most of their sweet brunch options) as well as the I’m a Vegan which brings together marinated kale, quinoa, sweet potato, pecans and Brussel sprouts drizzled with a roasted vegetable vinaigrette.
Why It’s Great:
No matter what day of the week, you can expect Motel to be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., including most holidays. Some days are busier than others, but they will take your information and text you when your table is ready.
The space is a refreshing change from the typical restaurant environment. It immerses you in a different setting so far removed from Hamilton that you will forget what city you are eating in. The food will make you feel like a superstar (still really cannot get over the fact that you can eat gold on pancakes) and the staff are so inviting that you truly feel like a welcomed guest at staying at their motel.
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Isolated from the grey overtones of King Street West lies a splash of pink just east of Hess Street North. Walking into the space, you are immediately overwhelmed with the pleasant scent of freshly baked goodies. As your eyes gaze upon the pink shop, the show-stopping piece is the custom-made swing holding a hundred pounds of sprinkles. For Real Dough (256 King Street West) adds an escape from the downtown core by combining a bakery with the feel of a pop-up museum.
For owner Diana Smiarowski, the bakery was a chance for her to get a much needed change of pace.
“We came up with [an idea to] mix an element of fun while at the same time my boyfriend was craving cookie dough... We looked it up and saw places in the States but there was nowhere permanent here that you could go. We kind of mixed the two together and we wanted to bring a feeling of nostalgia. I know lots of people [ate cookie dough] and snuck it when they were little. Coming into a place like this with the clouds, the pink...it’s just meant to bring you back to your childhood. We just wanted it to be a happy, fun place to come,” said Smiarowski.
For Real Dough is an immersive experience in the heart of downtown Hamilton that meshes the feel of a pop-up with decadent edible cookie dough. Ranging in simple flavours like chocolate chip to more unique flavours such as cookie monster and dunkaroo. Select vegan and no gluten-added flavours are offered on the menu to ensure everybody is able to try the sweet treats For Real Dough has to offer. The bakery also boasts stuffed cookies, cookie dough paired with soft-serve ice cream and iced coffee served with cereal-flavoured milk with everything made in-house.
“It’s about bringing a sweet piece of childhood back. We try and bring some fun, creative flavours that you wouldn’t find anywhere around...We see Hamilton growing and we just wanted to bring something to help it grow,” said Smiarowski.
Raw cookie dough is normally not recommended for consumption due to the inclusion of raw eggs and flour. For Real Dough uses pasteurized eggs and heat-treats their flour to allow their cookie dough to be fully edible without the associated health concerns of its raw counterpart.
From conception to reality, the bakery was set to open its doors after a year and a half of planning and execution. With the giant spoons above the washroom, clouds hung above the tables, and neon signs mounted to the walls, the store was ready for its soft-launch in July 2019 with an unexpected turnout.
“It was wild! There is always a fear of starting a new business but it has been amazing, especially seeing people come in here happy. They’re just in such a good mood and it puts you in a good mood,” said Smiarowski.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B0ovNHMnwPr/
Although the bakery has a lot to offer, the menu is constantly changing with each week holding a new flavour in-store for customers. Basic flavours are kept; however, seasonal treats are swapped out to keep things fresh.
“Our number of flavours are always rotating and we are constantly trying to stay innovative. It’s a nice escape for people to just kind of forget what’s going on. They’re walking back into their childhood.” said Smiarowski.
To Smiarowski and her team, For Real Dough is more than just a cookie dough cafe. It is an experience for Hamiltonians to feel transported away from their busy lives. Put your head in the clouds and enjoy the atmosphere that has been created to ignite your childhood self.
For Real Dough is not only the perfect place for your next Instagram post but it also has sweet treats that allow you to relive your childhood years without having to leave the city. This cookie dough cafe is not going anywhere, anytime soon making it a beautifully pink addition to King Street West.
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By: Neda Pirouzmand
With just over a year since its introduction in February 2018, The Grind is in the process of expanding to accommodate up to 125 people.
Vice president (Finance) Alexandrea Johnston credits an engineering management 5B03 capstone project for the idea to increase The Grind’s capacity. Two McMaster engineering students led this project in direct partnership with the then vice president (Finance), Scott Robinson. They studied how busy The Grind is, what people were purchasing and the feasibility of an expansion. After synthesizing their research they found that 65 per cent of the time, The Grind operates at full capacity.
Upon consulting other student unions and contractors to estimate projected costs, the capstone proposal for expanding The Grind was submitted to the Student Representative Assembly and Executive Board.
Since receiving their approval, the proposal has progressed to the quote-allocation stage, which must be completed before any money can be spent. Johnston and her team hope to have the quote-allocation stage completed by July so that construction may begin as soon as possible.
“Currently, The Grind has 45 seats. The first phase of the proposed expansion will be able to accommodate approximately 40 more seats,” Johnston said. “After this first phase, there are plans to add additional seats in December. This would bring about another 40 seats, bringing the total seating capacity up to 125.”
The proposed floor plan involves extending The Grind into what has been TwelvEighty’s event space. However, the design plans are meant to be executed such that the extension of The Grind may still be used for events.
Along with these changes, Johnston revealed the possibility of adding various bagel melts onto The Grind’s menu this year. There are no current plans to expand the kitchen or the staff.
The proposed Grind expansion poses an opportunity to offset TwelvEighty’s budget deficit. “While both establishments share the same budget, The Grind operates with a 61 per cent profit margin,” said Johnston.
Johnston added that detailed financial statements comparing The Grind and TwelveEighty will be available in the fall on the McMaster Students Union website. This will be through the release of the 2018-2019 audit, a process that occurs every year to assess the financial status of the MSU.
While the audited statements from 2017-2018 do not include financial information on The Grind, they reveal that TwelveEighty ended the year at a deficit of $275 842 based on May 1 2017 to Apr. 30, 2018 data. This is drastically higher than TwelveEighty’s budget deficit of $178 050 from the previous year. A 48 per cent reduction in beer and liquor sales accounts for a large portion of the budget imbalance.
It is too soon to accurately estimate the impact of The Grind expansion. If the expansion is fully completed and The Grind continues to succeed, then this will be very telling as to the power of molding university establishments to suit changing student interests.
Rachel Katz often shares her cooking and baking with other people. After a time, people began to tell her that she should start a food blog. While Katz decided a blog would be too much to handle whilst being a full-time graduate student, she figured Instagram would be a manageable platform. So last summer while she was working one job and had relatively free evenings, she started her food Instagram, Fork in Progress.
On the account, Katz shares photos of the recipes that she’s tried. Unlike many other food accounts, her unfiltered photos project accessibility and make anyone scrolling feel like they could get in their kitchen and make the same meal.
The recipes that Katz tries are not necessarily easy, but she believes basic kitchen confidence can be applied to make more complicated recipes. She looks for recipes with very specific instructions that she can follow along with. She also looks for versatile recipes that she can add her own flavours to. In her captions, she highlights her innovations and provides tips.
One benefit to Instagram for her is the interactivity. It is easy for her followers to ask her questions and provide feedback. The platform also makes it possible for her to share step-by-step videos that break down the recipes into easier steps. This is to prove to people that anyone can learn how to cook delicious dishes.
“I was frustrated with a lot of students… saying ‘oh I have no time to cook’ or ‘I don't like cooking’… [But] food is so important, food is delicious and there's a kind of pride that you get from making your own food that you don't really get from anything else,” Katz said.
Katz understands how difficult balancing food with student life can be. The McMaster grad lived in residence in her first year where the meal plan limited the choice she had over what she ate. In her second year, she shared a six-person student house with a tiny kitchen. In both years, she didn’t feel like she had a fully functional space where she can cook her own meals.
For Katz, this resulted in patterns of disordered eating. In her second year, she committed to recognize these patterns in herself so she can create healthier eating habits. Preparing her own meals has been one tool in repairing Katz’s relationship with food.
In her third year, Katz moved into a two-person apartment with a nice kitchen. In her new kitchen, Katz explored cooking more. Working at the Silhouette also encouraged her as she began to regularly bake for the office. This practice allowed her to receive feedback on her food and grow as a baker.
“I don't use words like clean… or like detox, cleanse… [T]here are all of these other food bloggers out there who use those lines and a lot of recipe bloggers who have these crazy extravagant recipes. But there wasn't really anyone to fulfill the student niche for people who wanted to cook actual meals but didn't really know where to start,” Katz explained.
While developing a healthy relationship with food is important to Katz, food is also a tool that she uses in her relationships with others. Cooking is an activity that she likes to do with family and friends. Her food-related memories stretch all the way back to her childhood.
Katz grew up eating a lot of homemade meals. She is inspired by her mother, who is an accomplished home chef and baker. Not only does she adore the chocolate chip cookies that she grew up eating, but she also admires her mother’s diligence. Her mother can spend months trying to perfect a recipe.
Now an adult, Katz is making her own food memories, many of which include food she’s made for others. For her, cooking for people is a way of shaping their experiences for the better. By making a caramel corn cake for her partner’s birthday, she was able to make the day more memorable. When she makes her mother’s birthday cake this year, she will make that day more special.
However, as the name of her account indicates, Katz is still growing her skills in the kitchen. She wants her followers to continue learning, experimenting and trying new things.
“[H]aving a name that has associations of things that are not quite perfect, that I'm still learning but it doesn't mean that I don't know anything, I think… that embodies the mentality that I'm hoping I can encourage people to take with food and feeding themselves,” said Katz.
For this reason, Katz is not focused on monetizing Fork in Progress, as she and her followers operate within a student budget, she does not want to promote products that are inaccessible. While she would consider a column in a publication, she believes the account can only remain authentic by staying fairly small.
As long as she’s a student, Katz wants to continue spreading positive messages about food and cooking. She wants Fork in Progress to show students that they can make their own cakes and eat them too.
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By: Areej Ali
This past November marked the launch of “Tax-Free Tuesdays,” an initiative proposed by McMaster Students Union president Ikram Farah during the 2018 presidential election.
The pilot project, created in collaboration with McMaster Hospitality Services, entailed offering students a 13 per cent discount at La Piazza during the month of November.
Farah initially created the initiative in effort to promote food affordability on campus.
“Food insecurity is real. The MSU invests in the operations of the MSU Food Collective Centre to offer immediate food support to students,” said Farah in a Silhouette article about the project from November.
With the winter semester coming to an end, McMaster Hospitality Services director Chris Roberts has confirmed that “Tax-Free Tuesdays” project will not continue in the future.
The aim was to have increased traffic flow in La Piazza, which would offset the financial losses resulting from giving students the discount.
According to Roberts, La Piazza did not see increased traffic in November.
“The data clearly showed that our transactions on the Tax-Free Tuesdays were no different than previous Tuesdays ,which resulted in a significant loss in revenue over the course of the pilot,” said Roberts. “This indicates that students continued their usual habits regardless of the discount.”
He cites Union Market’s elimination of their boxed water, suggesting that McMaster Hospitality Services must continue to operate in a financially responsible manner.
As such, the “Tax-Free Tuesdays” project will likely not resurface next year.
When asked for her comment on McMaster Hospitality Services’ decision, Farah did not provide a response to The Silhouette.
There is a lack of clarity with respect to McMaster students’ feedback from the project, including whether or not they believe there was sufficient advertising from the MSU.
Farah and the MSU have also yet to publicly respond to Roberts’ comments and McMaster Hospitality Services’ decision.
“I believe there are other initiatives that we could look at that serve the needs of students who are financially challenged that will not affect our financials in a negative way,” said Roberts.
An example of one such initiative is Bridges Cafe’s new “Cards For Humanity” program, a pay it forward initiative through which students donate to other students.
According to Roberts, students can expect to see various food accessibility initiatives emerge, but “Tax-Free Tuesdays” will no longer be one of them.
