Media Center

Food Foray

Client: MetroEast

PROJECT:

This MetroEast Community Media Original docuseries takes us on a food journey through east Portland and Gresham. Imagine Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown but at local grocery stores with a host named Jessica. Food Foray explores different cultures through the eyes of an immigrant foodie, as we wander through the aisles of local international grocery stores, cook a unique meal and sit around the table with friends and family. The first three episodes explore cuisines from the Republic of Georgia, Oaxaca Mexico and Myanmar (Formerly Burma).

 RESULTS: We have all seen the Netflix and Hulu food shows, but none of them are quite like Food Foray. We decided to use a unique three-part format: we start inside different International grocery stores learning about unique goods, then move to our immigrant foodie guest's kitchen to cook an authentic cultural meal with the items bought from the store and end at the dinner table with friends and family where we are able to create an intimate atmosphere and get into deeper topics of geopolitics, identity, humor and love. Food is really just the jumping off point to get to know our immigrant and refugee neighbors, but it is also a superb excuse to see incredible foods being prepared that are not typically known in American culture. We hope that this series connects us to one another through the most universal thing we have: food! We're also very excited to get to inspire folks to shop at their local international stores while promoting some awesome independently owned immigrant businesses in East County! RESULTS: Food Foray is has been screened at various theaters and event spaces around Portland and Gresham including the Hollywood Theatre, Milagro Theatre and The Tomorrow Theater and in collaboration with the Portland EcoFilm Festival. We are currently exploring a variety of distribution strategies. Stay tuned!