A Harlem-based Chef Is Bringing A Movement Of ‘Conscious Eating’ To The Inner City

Yucca chips, quinoa bao buns, rice milk hibiscus raspberry swirl and dragon fruit lemonade… not the typical menu items that you expect to see in a Harlem eatery.

“Communities that look like me do not typically provide healthy, wholesome food to their people,” says Beard Award-winning chef and owner of Field Trip Restaurant, Chef JJ Johnson.

“Big brands have been making big money within our communities for the past fifty years. I took a big risk on a concept that I call Conscious Eating in a corridor that has the highest unemployment rate in New York City.”

Conscious eating, according to Chef JJ, Is the practice of making educated nutritional choices and paying attention to what you eat. “People in our communities want to eat well,” he says.

And never has it been more important to consume healthy food.

Black neighbourhoods such as Harlem have some of the highest rates of non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes and hypertension.

Chef JJ believes that high rates of underlying conditions that are tied to severe cases of COVID-19 are due to the cumulative effects of less informed, financially driven decisions around food purchases.

Touting the mantra, “Rice is culture,” Chef JJ specializes in bowls that harness the staple that has been uniformly embraced by most cultures as a delicious, healthy source of nutrition.

“Most people are buying rice in the supermarket because they know it is going to last a long time,” he says. “The problem is that most supermarkets in Harlem don’t have good quality rice on their shelves. That’s why we also sell wild rice in quart containers and pint containers.”

Chef JJ knew that it would be a risk to bring his Conscious Eating movement to East Harlem, but with great risks come great rewards. Despite being open for less than a year, the ‘Conscious Eating’, ‘Rice is Culture’ movement of Field Trip Restaurant has really caught on.

Here are some of the drivers of Field Trip’s success:

Education

“In the beginning it was really hard for us, because people would say, why should I get rice from you when I can get it from the Chinese restaurant or Popeye’s for $2.99? The rice that my customers are typically accustomed to eating is not good for them,” says Chef JJ. “Our cashier, Kira who lives in the community, has done an incredible job of educating people about why what they put into their bodies, the quality of the food that they eat, is so important.”

Advocacy

“It’s harvested black, it’s made black and it’s also made by blacks… and guess who’s eating that bowl?” Chef JJ laughs, as he talks about his rice bowls and the mission behind his work.

Field Trip not only supports the community in its hiring decisions, but it also supports a community of farmers. “I support small rice farmers all over the country,” says Chef JJ.

Field Trip is also feeding front line workers during COVID-19. “People in our community are being hit harder and they need to eat the right way,” he says.

High-quality Ingredients

“If I can get locally grown, freshly milled rice, I will take it,” says Chef JJ, who has a personal preference for locally grown black rice. “Field Trip has been able to get really good quality local rice and pump it into the community,” he says. “Black rice is really high in vitamin B which is really important for diabetics, which of course is a critical issue within the African American community and especially with COVID-19.”

“Using sustainable products is also extremely important to us,” he continues. “Our rice bowls are paired with ethically sourced vegetables and proteins creating a flavourful experience that tastes good and is good for you!”

Engagement

“My goal is to be in everyone’s kitchen,” says Chef JJ.

In keeping with this objective, he recently partnered with CLEO TV, a lifestyle and entertainment network directed at millennial and Gen X women of colour. ‘Just Eats with Chef JJ’ is set in a trendy loft where Chef JJ cooks and entertains friends while teaching viewers how to make healthy and delicious meals.

“This just ain’t your momma’s kitchen,” he says. “We are gathered round a table with this really good food and people who are home with their families can get closer together as they watch.”

“After all, food is community.”