Action Item List:

1. Research Cooking Classes (online and IRL)
   1. I need to learn how to cook better because I anticipate some of these recipes to not be simple.
2. Research and gather cookbooks in this style
   1. I want to have a model to work from
3. Research other cooking shows
   1. Same as cooking classes
4. Set up times to cook with grandmas over Passover
5. Investigate StoryCorp and other personal interview sites and techniques
6. Look at websites of various Jewish Museums to see what I can learn from them
7. Lesson on what things in the kitchen do what and what we may need to buy
8. Buy a chef’s hat

General Workplan:

Week 1-

Create zoom room for interviews/cooking sessions

Draft interview questions (look at sources like StoryCorp) for food/family histories.

Research different publishing options for the book – including layouts for pictures and interviews.

Draft and send announcement to synagogue looking for people who would be interested in sharing and cooking with me.

Interview and cook with each grandmother as first entry and test cases for interview questions

Draft first entries of history from grandparent interviews.

I would like to sign up for several cooking classes – both skills classes and history of cuisine classes (Masterclass, local cooking schools)

I would like to investigate the genre of writing about cooking: I will read Anthony Bourdain’s books and watch the series.

Research and read cookbooks that combine stories of the recipes with the recipes themselves: Joan Nathan and Yotam Ottolenghi for example.

Reach out to the blog The Nosher to see if I could potentially write a blog post for them.

Reach out to Wayne Hoffman (editor of The Tablet – Jewish website/blog who is a friend of my dad’s) to see if I could interview their food writer or even write a blog post

Week 2-

Continue reading Anthony Bourdain and other bios of chefs

Continue with online and in-person cooking classes

Hone my skills by cooking dinner regularly for my family

By the end of week 2 I would like to have contacted at least 10 people to see if they would like to participate in this project. These people can be strangers from my synagogue, other relatives, friends of my grandparents.

Interview and cook matzah balls and chicken soup with my uncle. Create entry for the book.

I would like set up at least 6 interview times with people to happen over the next 4 weeks and then at the interview time, I will set up a cooking time. It might be the same time or it might happen at separate times.

Research restaurants that cook traditional Jewish foods and reach out to someone at the restaurant to see if there is someone I could interview about the history of the foods they cook.

Reach out to Larry La who opened 4 Chinese restaurants in DC based on family recipes – to interview about making a career in food.

Week 3-

Interview and cook with 4 different people and create entries for each recipe.

Write, edit and revise writings consistently every day.

Continue with cooking classes and reading

Start to layout book format with the pictures and writing that I have.

Perhaps work on blog posts for Tablet and Nosher

Week 4-

Interview and cook with 4 different people and create entries for each recipe.

Write, edit and revise writings consistently every day.

Continue with cooking classes and reading

Start to layout book format with the pictures and writing that I have.

Perhaps work on blog posts for Tablet and Nosher

Week 5-

Finish up cooking interviews and recipe session. I would like to have a total of at least 15 minimum.

Work more on the formatting of the book and learn how to get the book printed

Week 6-

Finish the book:

15 Entries:

1. Recipe
2. Interview between Max and the person who provides the recipe
3. pictures of the food being cooked (by Max alone or with the person virtually or in-person)

Print and distribute the book