Alex Gallafent
Executive Design Director @IDEO. Occasional journalism for @pritheworld and elsewhere, and music/sound design for theater+film.
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Articles by Alex Gallafent
How AI Can Help Us Solve the Climate Crisis
The problems we’re being asked to solve are changing. It’s less about helping partners innovate in incremental ways, and more about big transformational shifts in how we live and work. Two of those shifts: generative AI, and our rapidly changing climate. Together, these two forces are moving both the people’s side of the equation—what we need and how we behave—and the how side of design: what’s possible. A new age is upon us.
How AI Can Help Us Solve the Climate Crisis
Read Time The problems we’re being asked to solve are changing. It’s less about helping partners innovate in incremental ways, and more about big transformational shifts in how we live and work. Two of those shifts: generative AI, and our rapidly changing climate. Together, these two forces are moving both the people side of the equation—what we need and how we behave—and the how side of design: what’s possible. A new age is upon us.
The unsung heroine behind the decoding of a mystery language
Image caption One of the few pictures of the woman who worked behind the scenes on Linear B Linear B is an ancient European Bronze Age script, dating back 3,500 years. When a British architect finally cracked it in the 1950s, he was hailed as a genius - but he may never have succeeded had it not been for a woman on the other side of the Atlantic. For years, Linear B was seen as the Mount Everest of linguistic riddles.
How Sweden is Sparking a Mobility Movement
In more wonky language, the focus is on sustainable mobility as a service, an approach that brings all means of travel together. It combines options from different transport providers into a single mobile service, removing the hassle of planning and one-off payments. It’s an environmentally sound alternative to owning a car, and an approach to mobility now being propelled by urbanization, economic shifts, artificial intelligence—and the social and economic impacts of climate change.
'The Palestinian Table' is as much a memoir as a cookbook
As a young adult, Reem Kassis left her Palestinian family behind in Jerusalem. She pursued her education and her dreams in business overseas, including in the US. But the smell of home cooking knows no boundaries. And now Reem Kassis has written a book, "The Palestinian Table," that's as much a memoir as a collection of recipes. "These are recipes that have been in my family for generations," Kassis says.
'The Palestinian Table' is as much a memoir as a cookbook
As a young adult, Reem Kassis left her Palestinian family behind in Jerusalem. She pursued her education and her dreams in business overseas, including in the US. But the smell of home cooking knows no boundaries. And now Reem Kassis has written a book, "The Palestinian Table," that's as much a memoir as a collection of recipes. "These are recipes that have been in my family for generations," Kassis says.
'The Palestinian Table' is as much a memoir as a cookbook
As a young adult, Reem Kassis left her Palestinian family behind in Jerusalem. She pursued her education and her dreams in business overseas, including in the US. But the smell of home cooking knows no boundaries. And now Reem Kassis has written a book, "The Palestinian Table," that's as much a memoir as a collection of recipes. "These are recipes that have been in my family for generations," Kassis says.
'The Palestinian Table' is as much a memoir as a cookbook
As a young adult, Reem Kassis left her Palestinian family behind in Jerusalem. She pursued her education and her dreams in business overseas, including in the US. But the smell of home cooking knows no boundaries. And now Reem Kassis has written a book, "The Palestinian Table," that's as much a memoir as a collection of recipes. "These are recipes that have been in my family for generations," Kassis says.
'The Palestinian Table' is as much a memoir as a cookbook
As a young adult, Reem Kassis left her Palestinian family behind in Jerusalem. She pursued her education and her dreams in business overseas, including in the US. But the smell of home cooking knows no boundaries. And now Reem Kassis has written a book, "The Palestinian Table," that's as much a memoir as a collection of recipes. "These are recipes that have been in my family for generations," Kassis says.
'The Palestinian Table' is as much a memoir as a cookbook
As a young adult, Reem Kassis left her Palestinian family behind in Jerusalem. She pursued her education and her dreams in business overseas, including in the US. But the smell of home cooking knows no boundaries. And now Reem Kassis has written a book, "The Palestinian Table," that's as much a memoir as a collection of recipes. "These are recipes that have been in my family for generations," Kassis says.
'The Palestinian Table' is as much a memoir as a cookbook
As a young adult, Reem Kassis left her Palestinian family behind in Jerusalem. She pursued her education and her dreams in business overseas, including in the US. But the smell of home cooking knows no boundaries. And now Reem Kassis has written a book, "The Palestinian Table," that's as much a memoir as a collection of recipes. "These are recipes that have been in my family for generations," Kassis says.
'The Palestinian Table' is as much a memoir as a cookbook
But the smell of home cooking knows no boundaries. And now Reem Kassis has written a book, "The Palestinian Table," that's as much a memoir as a collection of recipes. "These are recipes that have been in my family for generations," Kassis says. "When I first left Jerusalem at 17 to study in the US, I think the last place I wanted to end up was the kitchen.
'The Palestinian Table' is as much a memoir as a cookbook
As a young adult, Reem Kassis left her Palestinian family behind in Jerusalem. She pursued her education and her dreams in business overseas, including in the US. But the smell of home cooking knows no boundaries. And now Reem Kassis has written a book, "The Palestinian Table," that's as much a memoir as a collection of recipes. "These are recipes that have been in my family for generations," Kassis says.
'The Palestinian Table' is as much a memoir as a cookbook
As a young adult, Reem Kassis left her Palestinian family behind in Jerusalem. She pursued her education and her dreams in business overseas, including in the US. But the smell of home cooking knows no boundaries. And now Reem Kassis has written a book, "The Palestinian Table," that's as much a memoir as a collection of recipes. "These are recipes that have been in my family for generations," Kassis says.
Cooking Chinese food is all about family and friends
If there’s a subject Kei Lum Chan knows, it’s the cuisines of China. “I knew pretty much most of the regions. We have traveled all over [the country] so there were no surprises for us.” Kei Lum Chan and Diora Fong Chan are the co-authors of a new book that attempts a somewhat comprehensive approach to Chinese food. The two married writers have the pedigree: Kei Lum’s father authored a 10-volume classic of Chinese cooking, published in 1953 in Hong Kong.
Cooking Chinese food is all about family and friends
If there’s a subject Kei Lum Chan knows, it’s the cuisines of China. “I knew pretty much most of the regions. We have traveled all over [the country] so there were no surprises for us.” Kei Lum Chan and Diora Fong Chan are the co-authors of a new book that attempts a somewhat comprehensive approach to Chinese food. The two married writers have the pedigree: Kei Lum’s father authored a 10-volume classic of Chinese cooking, published in 1953 in Hong Kong.
Cooking Chinese food is all about family and friends
If there’s a subject Kei Lum Chan knows, it’s the cuisines of China. “I knew pretty much most of the regions. We have traveled all over [the country] so there were no surprises for us.” Kei Lum Chan and Diora Fong Chan are the co-authors of a new book that attempts a somewhat comprehensive approach to Chinese food. The two married writers have the pedigree: Kei Lum’s father authored a 10-volume classic of Chinese cooking, published in 1953 in Hong Kong.
Cooking Chinese food is all about family and friends
If there’s a subject Kei Lum Chan knows, it’s the cuisines of China. “I knew pretty much most of the regions. We have traveled all over [the country] so there were no surprises for us.” Kei Lum Chan and Diora Fong Chan are the co-authors of a new book that attempts a somewhat comprehensive approach to Chinese food. The two married writers have the pedigree: Kei Lum’s father authored a 10-volume classic of Chinese cooking, published in 1953 in Hong Kong.
Cooking Chinese food is all about family and friends
If there’s a subject Kei Lum Chan knows, it’s the cuisines of China. “I knew pretty much most of the regions. We have traveled all over [the country] so there were no surprises for us.” Kei Lum Chan and Diora Fong Chan are the co-authors of a new book that attempts a somewhat comprehensive approach to Chinese food. The two married writers have the pedigree: Kei Lum’s father authored a 10-volume classic of Chinese cooking, published in 1953 in Hong Kong.
How a Chinese restaurant in America's Midwest won Sean Connery's heart
One of 10 kids, she was surrounded by food — her father owned a grocery store. And while the family wasn’t rich, it was prosperous enough to have a family cook, whom Leann followed around in the kitchen and at the markets. Leeann’s daughter, Katie Chin, is a food writer whose latest book is called "Everyday Chinese Cooking: 101 Recipes from my Mother’s Kitchen." She takes up her mom's story: "My mother was match-made to my father in Hong Kong, when she was 18 years old," she says.
How a Chinese restaurant in America's Midwest won Sean Connery's heart
One of 10 kids, she was surrounded by food — her father owned a grocery store. And while the family wasn’t rich, it was prosperous enough to have a family cook, whom Leann followed around in the kitchen and at the markets. Leeann’s daughter, Katie Chin, is a food writer whose latest book is called "Everyday Chinese Cooking: 101 Recipes from my Mother’s Kitchen." She takes up her mom's story: "My mother was match-made to my father in Hong Kong, when she was 18 years old," she says.
How a Chinese restaurant in America's Midwest won Sean Connery's heart
Leeann Chin grew up in Guangzhou, China. One of 10 kids, she was surrounded by food — her father owned a grocery store. And while the family wasn’t rich, it was prosperous enough to have a family cook, whom Leann followed around in the kitchen and at the markets.
How a Chinese restaurant in America's Midwest won Sean Connery's heart
One of 10 kids, she was surrounded by food — her father owned a grocery store. And while the family wasn’t rich, it was prosperous enough to have a family cook, whom Leann followed around in the kitchen and at the markets. Leeann’s daughter, Katie Chin, is a food writer whose latest book is called "Everyday Chinese Cooking: 101 Recipes from my Mother’s Kitchen." She takes up her mom's story: "My mother was match-made to my father in Hong Kong, when she was 18 years old," she says.
She taught herself to cook at the age of 5, because no one else in her family did
Sabrina Ghayour is a British chef and author. She was born in Iran and moved to the UK as a small child. It was 1979, the year of the Iranian revolution, and the year many Iranians left the country. In Britain, young Sabrina grew up eating ... well, it was a mixed bag, actually. "I grew up in the rare house where nobody cooked," Ghayour said. "My grandmother didn't know how to cook, my mother didn't know how to cook and there was just nobody else in the family.
This chef cooks Swedish in New York - and shoots Texan in Dallas
You can get Swedish food at IKEA — meatballs and the rest — and it’s pretty good. Or, for a few dollars more (OK, lots of dollars more) you can get it at Aquavit in New York, a big-name restaurant that’s flown the flag of Swedish cooking for years. For the last couple years, the chef in charge of Aquavit has been Emma Bengtsson. She grew up on the west coast of Sweden, with personal access to the country’s culinary heritage: her grandmother.
Chef Emma Bengtsson at Swedish restaurant Aquavit also dances, shoots
You can get Swedish food at IKEA — meatballs and the rest — and it’s pretty good. Or, for a few dollars more (OK, lots of dollars more) you can get it at Aquavit in New York, a big-name restaurant that’s flown the flag of Swedish cooking for years. For the last couple years, the chef in charge of Aquavit has been Emma Bengtsson. She grew up on the west coast of Sweden, with personal access to the country’s culinary heritage: her grandmother.
This chef cooks Swedish in New York - and shoots Texan in Dallas
You can get Swedish food at IKEA — meatballs and the rest — and it’s pretty good. Or, for a few dollars more (OK, lots of dollars more) you can get it at Aquavit in New York, a big-name restaurant that’s flown the flag of Swedish cooking for years. For the last couple years, the chef in charge of Aquavit has been Emma Bengtsson. She grew up on the west coast of Sweden, with personal access to the country’s culinary heritage: her grandmother.
Astrid Hadad’s cabaret of colors will stop you in your tracks
“National treasure” is a term that gets thrown about a lot. But in Mexico, it probably does apply to Astrid Hadad. She’s been a star at home ever since her breakout role in the mid-80s in Donna Giovanni, an all-female version of the Mozart opera Don Giovanni. Since then, she’s built a repertoire that’s all her own. The cabaret performer appeared on stage in New York recently, and — speaking before the show — she used lots of words to describe herself: Singer. Artist. Costume designer.
A French chef's love letter to Brittany
The French chef Dominique Crenn is the owner of Atelier Crenn in San Francisco. She's also Eater's chef of the year for 2015. Her food is careful, delicate and, well, expensive. But she comes the French region of Brittany, and that couldn't be more different. "Brittany is this beautiful part of France on the west coast," Crenn says. "If you think about taking a stroll through Brittany, you'll take one not through flat land — it's farmland surrounded by the water. It's very rustic, very raw.
Here's French chef Dominique Crenn's love letter to Brittany
The French chef Dominique Crenn is the owner of Atelier Crenn in San Francisco. She's also Eater's chef of the year for 2015. Her food is careful, delicate and, well, expensive. But she comes from the French region of Brittany, and that couldn't be more different. "Brittany is this beautiful part of France on the west coast," Crenn says. "If you think about taking a stroll through Brittany, you'll take one not through flat land — it's farmland surrounded by the water. It's very rustic, very raw.
A French chef's love letter to Brittany
The French chef Dominique Crenn is the owner of Atelier Crenn in San Francisco. She's also Eater's chef of the year for 2015. Her food is careful, delicate and, well, expensive. But she comes the French region of Brittany, and that couldn't be more different. "Brittany is this beautiful part of France on the west coast," Crenn says. "If you think about taking a stroll through Brittany, you'll take one not through flat land — it's farmland surrounded by the water. It's very rustic, very raw.
Five great books you should think about reading in 2016
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We read here. A lot. We're book nerds. Honest. I wore a Powell's hoodie to work recently. And some of us even search antique markets for the perfect reading chair. So do the correspondents we go to for news around the globe. We wanted to know what books they loved this year. They gave us five recommendations. Each is distinct. But they all have something in common: They’ll keep you up late, reading into the night. Privet! My name is Alina Simone and I’m a reporter based in New York City.
By Dalia Mortada Verified, Alex Gallafent, Monica Campbell, Alina Simone Verified, Daniel Estrin Verified
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KUOW-FM (Seattle, WA)
Verified
Mexican Hanukkah Menu: How To Make Potato Jalapeño Latkes
The World's Alex Gallafent gets some pretty tough assignments. Like this one: trying out potato jalapeño latkes made by Chef Julian Medina. Medina owns a number of Mexican restaurants in New York City. But he married into a Jewish family, so the holidays make for a spicy culinary mash-up. 1) Using a box grater, coarsely grate the potatoes into a medium-size bowl. Add the egg yolk, jalapeño, salt, and matzo meal; mix well and let cool in the refrigerator for five minutes to allow ingredients to bind.
Mexican Hanukkah menu: How to make potato jalapeño latkes
The World's Alex Gallafent gets some pretty tough assignments. Like this one: trying out potato jalapeño latkes made by Chef Julian Medina. Medina owns a number of Mexican restaurants in New York City. But he married into a Jewish family, so the holidays make for a spicy culinary mash-up. 1) Using a box grater, coarsely grate the potatoes into a medium-size bowl. Add the egg yolk, jalapeño, salt, and matzo meal; mix well and let cool in the refrigerator for five minutes to allow ingredients to bind.
Behold the fine-dining pastrami taco
Alex Stupak is the chef and owner of Empellón Cocina in New York City. It’s a Mexican restaurant with a twist. Lots of twists. That makes sense when you know that Stupak made his name as an award-winning experimental pastry chef, at restaurants including New York's wd~50. He came of age a few years back — when liquid nitrogen, hydrocolloids and other experimental ingredients ruled the kitchen: the time of so-called molecular gastronomy.
Behold the fine-dining pastrami taco
Alex Stupak is the chef and owner of Empellón Cocina in New York City. It’s a Mexican restaurant with a twist. Lots of twists. That makes sense when you know that Stupak made his name as an award-winning experimental pastry chef, at restaurants including New York's wd~50. He came of age a few years back — when liquid nitrogen, hydrocolloids and other experimental ingredients ruled the kitchen: the time of so-called molecular gastronomy.
It's too cold in much of the US for beach fun - but perfect sandcastle weather in Bermuda
Summer’s over in much of the States — hello rain and cold. But it’s still high season on Bermuda, an island just a short flight off the east coast of the United States. The sand sculpture competition is an annual thing on Bermuda. The island is known for its beaches of ultra-fine sand. This year’s event was the 20th edition — and it was a humdinger. The sculptures take shape on Horseshoe Bay, on the southern side of the island. It’s where you go if you don’t want to go anywhere.
Too sweet? New York baker Samantha Seneviratne has figured out how to balance sugar and spice
Samantha Seneviratne was born and raised in Connecticut, and grew up with all the American classics: brownies, sticky buns, and the rest. But, she says, being a baker isn’t quite as easy these days. The reason? Worries about sugar. "You hear about it in the news everyday — it's the next thing that's going to kill is.
Too sweet? This baker has figured out how to balance sugar and spice.
Samantha Seneviratne was born and raised in Connecticut, and grew up with all the American classics: brownies, sticky buns, and the rest. But, she says, being a baker isn’t quite as easy these days. "You hear about it in the news everyday — it's the next thing that's going to kill is.
Inspired by his grandmother to cook, he's now executive chef at The Bombay Canteen
Thomas Zacharias is executive chef of The Bombay Canteen, a restaurant in Mumbai. As a kid, Zacharias was inspired to cook by his grandma. But to get to the professional kitchen, he had to journey across oceans. "Being a chef was something that wasn't looked up at [in India] — it was more like a side job; everyone was forced or encouraged to become doctors or engineers.
Inspired by his grandmother to cook, he's now executive chef at The Bombay Canteen
Thomas Zacharias is executive chef of The Bombay Canteen, a restaurant in Mumbai. As a kid, Zacharias was inspired to cook by his grandma. But to get to the professional kitchen, he had to journey across oceans. "Being a chef was something that wasn't looked up at [in India] — it was more like a side job; everyone was forced or encouraged to become doctors or engineers.
Art-pop duo OY's new album is part-documentary and includes recordings of local sounds, people and music from across Africa
You might think a band called OY would be, I don’t know, a kind of hipster klezmer outfit. But in this case, it’s an art-pop duo from Europe. One half of OY won’t reveal his real name. But he goes by 'Lleluja-Ha'. "Like hallelujah, reversed," he says. It’s a stage name. Lleluja-Ha and the other half of the band, Joy Frempong, are both Swiss. They’ve been making music together for about three years, based in Berlin. She writes and sings; he produces and plays drums.
Art-pop duo OY's new album is part-documentary and includes recordings of local sounds, people and music from across Africa
You might think a band called OY would be, I don’t know, a kind of hipster klezmer outfit. But in this case, it’s an art-pop duo from Europe. One half of OY won’t reveal his real name. But he goes by 'Lleluja-Ha'. "Like hallelujah, reversed," he says. It’s a stage name. Lleluja-Ha and the other half of the band, Joy Frempong, are both Swiss. They’ve been making music together for about three years, based in Berlin. She writes and sings; he produces and plays drums.
There was a real recipe for 'Four and Twenty Blackbirds Baked in a Pie'
Food writer Steven Raichlen is well-known for his expertise in all things barbecue. You can often find him on public television with a pair of tongs in his hand. But his interests stretch in other directions. Years back, just after he left college, he won a fellowship to spend a year studying overseas. Raichlen's chosen subject was the cooking of the middle ages. He says that medieval cooking was international — at least for the upper class.
There was a real recipe for 'Four and Twenty Blackbirds Baked in a Pie'
Food writer Steven Raichlen is well-known for his expertise in all things barbecue. You can often find him on public television with a pair of tongs in his hand. But his interests stretch in other directions. Years back, just after he left college, he won a fellowship to spend a year studying overseas. Raichlen's chosen subject was the cooking of the middle ages. He says that medieval cooking was international — at least for the upper class.
How Tony Gemignani shocked the pizza world
If you want to be the best, you’ve got to measure yourself against the best. That’s why American pizza chef Tony Gemignani likes to compete. Otherwise, who’s going to tell you if your food’s up to scratch — or if you’re still getting better? Gemignani’s category of choice is the authentic Neapolitan margherita pizza. "Every bite takes you through a journey," he says.
How Tony Gemignani shocked the pizza world
If you want to be the best, you’ve got to measure yourself against the best. That’s why American pizza chef Tony Gemignani likes to compete. Otherwise, who’s going to tell you if your food’s up to scratch — or if you’re still getting better? Gemignani’s category of choice is the authentic Neapolitan margherita pizza. "Every bite takes you through a journey," he says.
San Francisco chef Tony Gemignani explains how he won the World Pizza Cup in Naples
If you want to be the best, you’ve got to measure yourself against the best. That’s why American pizza chef Tony Gemignani likes to compete. Otherwise, who’s going to tell you if your food’s up to scratch — or if you’re still getting better? Gemignani’s category of choice is the authentic Neapolitan margherita pizza. "Every bite takes you through a journey," he says.
You've probably heard this bass player hundreds of times - now finally meet him
You've heard Nathan East play bass guitar before. At least it's very, very likely you have. East is a session bass player without equal. He's performed on more than 2,000 recordings with a list of artists that includes Michael Jackson — on the "Bad" album — Phil Collins, Kenny Loggins, Al Jarreau, Eric Clapton and hundreds more. He was even one of the composers of "Get Lucky," a worldwide hit for Daft Punk. "It's been one of those careers where I just wake up every day and pinch myself," he says.
You've probably heard this bass player hundreds of times - now finally meet him
You've heard Nathan East play bass guitar before. At least it's very, very likely you have. East is a session bass player without equal. He's performed on more than 2,000 recordings with a list of artists that includes Michael Jackson — on the "Bad" album — Phil Collins, Kenny Loggins, Al Jarreau, Eric Clapton and hundreds more. He was even one of the composers of "Get Lucky," a worldwide hit for Daft Punk. "It's been one of those careers where I just wake up every day and pinch myself," he says.
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