How I went from being a new mum on food stamps to an anonymous restaurant critic, worldwide

The act of care and service through food has been incredibly important to Besha Rodell throughout her life, from her first, euphoric experience of a fancy restaurant at age eight, to the aftermath of September 11.

Today Besha is the chief restaurant critic at The Age.

The thrill of a fancy restaurant first imprinted itself on her psyche when she was a girl, treated to dinner at Stephanie's iconic spot in Melbourne.

As a teenager, Besha was transplanted to her mother's native USA and got her first job in hospitality — and found her people — in North Carolina.

A stint in New York followed, where Besha witnessed September 11 in real time.

Eventually Besha started a family with her boyfriend, Ryan, in North Carolina and the family found they were living under the poverty line. 

They got by thanks to a government food voucher program.

Shortly after, Besha's blog posts, written for fun, gained traction and she was given her first assignment in food writing.

Further information

Hunger Like A Thirst is published by HardieGrant.

This episode was produced by Alice Moldovan. Conversations' Executive Producer is Nicola Harrison.

This episode covers food, restaurants, restaurant critic, Stephanie's, Stephanie Alexander, Narnia, Melbourne, North Carolina, 9/11, September 11, migrant, not fitting in, government cheese, hospo, acts of service, behind the pass, line cook, pastry chef, methadone, coming off methadone, heroin, addiction, loving an addict, New York Times, food reviewing.

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