On 12 June 2026, I participated in Transatlantic Dialogues on Food, Culture & Power at the American University in Paris. Organised by Mathilde Cohen and Christy Shields, the workshop brought together scholars, writers, and artists to explore how food connects with cultural practices, social inequalities, and power.

I presented my paper titled ‘Taking Cognisance of Women’s Domestic Foodwork in the Debate on Ultra-Processed Foods‘, with commentary from Daniel Bender from the University of Toronto. The work I presented draws attention to the often overlooked labour involved in feeding households, arguing that efforts to reduce ultra-processed food consumption must recognise the additional physical, cognitive, and emotional demands they can place on women.

The intimate and interactive nature of the workshop made it a particularly rewarding setting for exchanging ideas. Short presentations, dedicated commentaries, and generous time for group discussion encouraged sustained engagement with each other’s work. I received valuable feedback on my research on power asymmetries within food systems and drew inspiration from humanities scholars examining gender and food through literature, history, and anthropology. Their perspectives offered fresh ways of thinking about the dynamics that shape how we eat.

Shared meals and a participatory edible performance by Joanna Wong, with Johanna Munch, extended these conversations through the tactile experience of eating together.