Why This Top New York Chef Is Dreaming Of Farming
with Caroline Hahm
About this episode
In this heartfelt episode, we sit down with Caroline Hahm, chef at Di An DI restaurant in Brooklyn NY, to explore the beautiful intersection of professional kitchens and sustainable farming. We dive into her journey from leaving Cornell to working in fashion, and explore how the documentary Food Inc. and her grandmother’s garden entirely reshaped her worldview. Caroline shares her tumultuous journey of learning her craft from scratch, discovering farming along the way, and how she ultimately ended up as a culinary leader. She breaks down the economic realities of sourcing ethically for Asian cuisine, paying farmers full price, and subverting toxic kitchen cultures through mindful leadership. Finally, we discuss her guiding mission to live a life of service and her dream of building a hospitality space tied directly to its own market garden.
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[00:00] Intro.
[02:08] Reflecting on dinner at the Old Mill.
[08:12] Suburban childhood mentalities and shifting views on gardening.
[14:51] Leaving university to pursue volunteer work and experiencing true poverty.
[22:05] Transitioning into the fashion industry before Food Inc. changed everything.
[27:42] Tending soil later in life and reconnecting with traditional Korean side dishes.
[36:56] Volunteering at a rooftop farm and getting an unexpected start as a line cook.
[44:06] Reflecting on the intense physical toll and toxic culture of professional kitchens.
[51:34] Training under a wild Quebecois mentor and discovering new flavor pairings.
[01:05:44] Pursuing nose-to-tail butchery, urban farming, and handling intense press reviews.
[01:34:21] Analyzing the economic realities and structural underpricing of ethnic cuisines.
[01:50:36] Rapid fire questions on leadership, work habits, and processing grief.
Mentioned Links & Resources
Caroline Hahm
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