Daniela Cadena masterfully chronicles how food shapes cultural identity, particularly within immigrant communities. Based in Paris but Brooklyn-born, her Substack newsletter This is Probably About Food (15K+ subscribers) blends memoir with sharp cultural analysis.
Cadena’s work stands out for its ethnographic depth – she once spent three months documenting how a Tunisian family adapts couscous preparation to Parisian ingredient availability. Follow her on Instagram for real-time observations of Parisian market culture.
We’ve followed Daniela Cadena’s evolution from Brooklyn-based BuzzFeed contributor to Parisian chronicler of food-as-culture. Her transition from viral listicles to nuanced essays mirrors the maturation of digital media itself – a shift she navigated by founding her Substack newsletter in 2023. This platform became her laboratory for blending memoir with cultural criticism, particularly after relocating to France.
Cadena’s 4,200-word deep dive into Marché d’Aligre transcends food writing. Through ethnographic observation and historical research, she reveals how stall vendors preserve Occitan language traditions through produce labeling. The piece’s viral success (18K+ shares) stemmed from its innovative structure – each section corresponds to a market stall, with recipes acting as narrative transitions.
This participatory journalism project documented Cadena’s year of hosting monthly "fusion potlucks" for immigrants. The interactive element – readers submitted 137 recipes now archived in a searchable database – redefined newsletter engagement. Her analysis of how Moroccan tajines adapt to French ingredients became a case study in culinary anthropology circles.
Her 2021 BuzzFeed piece remains essential reading for understanding her foundational ethos. By mapping family recipes onto gentrified neighborhoods, Cadena pioneered the "culinary cartography" approach later adopted by food influencers. The article’s comment section evolved into an ongoing dialogue about diasporic cooking traditions.
Cadena prioritizes stories where food acts as social glue. Her Expat Diaries series demonstrates particular interest in how immigrant communities use meal-sharing to preserve identity. Successful pitches might highlight: urban gardening cooperatives, language exchange dinners, or refugee chef incubators. Avoid corporate-sponsored "diversity initiatives."
Her analysis of North African spice markets in Paris shows fascination with ingredient evolution. Pitches should emphasize how traditional recipes adapt to new environments – think: Filipino adobo using French poultry, or Senegalese thieboudienne with Breton seafood. Include concrete examples of substitution/innovation.
The Marché d’Aligre piece exemplifies Cadena’s belief that "calendars taste better than clocks." She seeks stories connecting food cycles to cultural preservation – Basque cider-making rituals, Provençal herb-drying traditions, or Alpine cheese aging practices. Include sensory details and oral histories.
"Cadena’s newsletter redefines food writing as cultural anthropology with taste buds." – Le Monde’s Digital Media Review
While formal awards aren’t documented, her work receives consistent academic citation. The University of Gastronomic Sciences in Pollenzo uses her market analysis in their "Food as Text" curriculum. Her BuzzFeed piece remains required reading in NYU’s Food Studies program.
At PressContact, we aim to help you discover the most relevant journalists for your PR efforts. If you're looking to pitch to more journalists who write on Culture, here are some other real estate journalist profiles you may find relevant:
