Reality Bites with Anna Polonsky

Reality Bites is a feature series focused on the relationships people have with food, what kinds of cooking they’re inspired and sustained by, and the ingredients and tools that help them along the way.

A true food-lover, Anna Polonsky has spent much of her life tasting everything under the sun, and her career, supporting "those who use food as a beacon for change." Right now, that's through her strategy and design consultancy, Polonsky & Friends, and platform, The Deligram, which are both run out of the creative co-working space, OSTUDIO. You're most likely to find Anna there during the day—unless she's out sampling the neighborhood's Dominican eats for lunch. Read on as the French native digs into childhood summers spent on her family's farm, why she's bored by pretentious views on food, and the lively dream dinner guests she wishes she could host (Monet included).

What's your morning routine?

I like to wake up 2-3 hours before work to have time to myself. I'll start by checking my emails and the news on my phone (terrible, I know), will then do a quick yoga session at home, have coffee with my husband (we drink Panther Coffee, which he stocks at his cafe OCAFE), and, at last, I’ll walk to the studio, which is something I really value both mentally and physically.

Tell us a little bit about your background and how you got into food.

It all started with my dad! He’s an incredible cook, but also product-obsessed and a true historian of restaurants and food. Growing up, he would always take me to markets and bistros, and I would see him become every vendor and chef's new best friend in the blink of an eye. Meanwhile, my mom's family was made up of farmers in Auvergne, so I used to spend summers at the farm, surrounded by cows and tasting all of the terroir.

what did you eat growing up?

I was lucky to grow up in a country where good ingredients don't cost a fortune. While the lack of diversity can be disappointing in France's food culture, the access to terroir and seasonal products that have a lot of taste makes it easy to eat meals that are delicious, nutritious, and unfussy — from a simple tomato salad to a great piece of cheese on fresh bread or a roasted chicken.

what is your relationship to food and How is it related to community, culture, and ancestry for you?

Food is part of my life on every level; it is my personal passion, my work, a forever bond with my family, the indirect reason I met my husband, and a tool to take care of myself and others. That being said, I think food shouldn’t be too sacred either; it has to be for everyone, and a canvas for more meaningful purposes rather than an end in itself.

Food, for me, should never be about performance. Instead, it should be used as a connector — a way to be in touch with one's roots, one's community, or just nature. In my case, food is the #1 conduit to learn and transmit (hi)stories; be it about my own culture (both French and Jewish) or about people I admire (via the work I do with Polonsky & Friends or via The Deligram, which I co-founded with Teddy Wolff). Food is the ultimate common denominator, a unifying factor. It saddens or bores me when people make it snobby.

How would you describe your diet and relationship to eating?

A real French omnivore. I like to eat absolutely everything. No diet here — so long as it's well-sourced or cooked with love, I don't discriminate. Of course, I try to balance what I eat through the week, but it's all big picture. I never want to feel bad meal to meal, and I certainly want to try everything at least once!

what does a typical day of eating look like for you?

Morning: I'm not big on breakfast, but if I eat, my go-to is yogurt (I love White Moustache or La Fermière in the US) with granola (currently enjoying some from Winner and my friend Sanaë), and fruit in any form (fresh, in jam, etc.).

Afternoon: If I don't bring leftovers to the office, I'll go for a Dominican chicken noodle soup down the street at Sajhoma Restaurant 3 or Mi Sabor Cafe, get pho at Little Mo, or eat a wholesome bowl or sandwiche at OCAFE (my go-to in the city, which is opening soon inside my co-working space!).

In the afternoon, I'll often snack on foods that my business partner and I have to test for The Deligram, our newsletter on artisanal food makers of New York. Most recently, tests have included: Wandel bites, Noona's ice cream, spices from Breukelen Rub, old school chocolates from Queens, and more. I’ve also just discovered the date sweetened chocolate from Spring & Mulberry and I love it.

Evening: Dinner is when I indulge; it will either involve a home-cooked feast made by my husband or myself, delivery from cooks we love, like Chef Nasrin or Rachana, or occasionally a meal at one of our favorite restaurants, which include Falansai, Le Crocodile, Four Horsemen, Rosella, and more.

where do you shop for your ingredients and what’s your strategy?

My food shopping mixes monthly deliveries from Farm To People or Natoora with runs at the local Key Foods supermarket and specialty grocery stores. When I need protein, I get meat from Foster Sundry or fish from Greenpoint Fish & Lobster or Citarella. I buy spices at SOS Chefs and bread from Saraghina(!). If I host dinners at home, I always try to incorporate some of The Deligram finds because they are delicious and support artisanal food makers: Cochonneries charcuterie, Sol Cacao chocolate, and Bad Habit ice creams have been on regular rotation, among others.

how do you go about planning (or not planning your meals)?

During the weekend, I often tackle recipe "projects" (dishes that take a bit of time, planning, and practice to cook). Then we'll eat the project leftovers during the week. My husband Fefo is a pro at using what's left of the ingredients I purchased to create new masterpieces. At some point, we thought we should make this a cookbook: Anna's recipe projects and Fefo's recycled creations!

Who do you typically eat with?

I used to do a lot more solo eating when I was writing for a food guide in France, but it never felt as fun — eating, for me, is so tied to connection. Nowadays, my husband is my #1 eating partner! I am grateful we both care about food with the same intensity. We also do a lot of hosting; there's nothing like sharing a meal with friends.

dream dinner guest?

Louis Armstrong and Cesaria Evora — who loved food at least as much as I love their music. Claudia Roden — the grand dame of food from the Middle East and of Jewish food. Emily Oster — a writer whose books have allowed me to be infinitely more relaxed while eating during pregnancy (currently!). And Claude Monet, one of my favorite French painters, who was known to be a true gourmand. His paintings often include lavish summer meals and beautiful home tables filled with food.

What’s always in your fridge and pantry?

Grains, garlic, tinned seafood (currently loving Minnow's), mustard (always going with Maille!), hot sauce (currently into Masa Memory's), cheese — lots of it, homemade pickles, and Ghia. I also try to keep my freezer stocked with Ipsa, delicious chef-made frozen food that is a savior when we don't want to cook or the fridge is empty.

what do you drink or eat when you're bloated?

Prune juice — not reinventing the wheel here, but it's incredibly efficient for me!

are there any ingredients you avoid?

Nope!

favorite cookware and servingware?

For cookware: Korin Japanese chef knives, The Great Jones' Dutch Oven (we have it in black), and any food processor. Plus, I've been loving Chrissy Teigen's Go-To Santoku Knife and Everyday Stainless Steel Saucepan lately.

For servingware: the platters I designed for The Sette along with artist Mary Clerte (with all proceeds benefitting World Central Kitchen), cake stands and pod bowls from fefostudio, and clay plates we buy at the market in Mexico City.

essential cookbooks?

The Kitchen Diaries Volume ii by Nigel Slater, Bistro Cooking by Patricia Wells, and River Cafe Two Easy by Ruth Rogers and Rose Gray.

Chefs or individuals that inspire you?

Gaeleen Quinn, my partner in the Ask Chefs Anything fundraiser, who is also head of impact for Too Good To Go. José Andrés and his team at World Central Kitchen — a current symbol in our industry when it comes to channeling the power of food to heal communities in times of crisis. James Henry and Shaun Kelly are friends and clients who are not only amazing chefs but have been creating an impressive regenerative farm from scratch outside of Paris called Le Doyenné for the last three years. My lead designer Claire Dufournier and I have been working on the graphics for their adjacent restaurant and hotel, which are set to open soon. Nic Jammet and his co-founders Jon Neman and Nate Ru at sweetgreen are a forever inspiration for mission-driven entrepreneurship.

Your go-to recipes?

French braising-based recipes (for Bourguignon, Coq au Vin, Lamb shoulders, etc.). And a sort of non-descript one-pot stew I whip up with any vegetable that’s left in the fridge and spices from the pantry. We sometimes call it ‘sancocho,’ in reference to the famous Colombian soup. Though my version isn’t Colombian, it is hearty, wholesome, and typically involves roots too. Lastly, Trish Deseine's chocolate cake "Le Fondant de Nathalie."

header image by clémence polès

additional images provided by anna polonsky

interview by marina sulmona