Beyond the Burger: US Food Wave

Desiree Burch is a comedian, writer, actor, theatre-maker and NY-to-London transplant. Desiree has quickly and firmly established herself as a rising comic star in the UK, and has appeared on TV programmes such as Taskmaster, Live at the Apollo, Have I Got News for You, QI, and The Mash Report to name but a few. Desiree’s Edinburgh shows This is Evolution and Unfuckable were met with critical acclaim, and the latter went on to two sold out runs at The Soho Theatre. In addition to her stand-up and television success, Desiree has 15 years’ experience as a performing artist, storyteller and educator.

Felicity Cloake is the multi award-winning author of the Guardian’s long-running How to Make the Perfect series, the New Statesman’s food column and seven books, including One More Croissant for the Road and Red Sauce Brown Sauce, which won the Fortnum and Mason food book of the year award in 2023. Peach Street to Lobster Lane sees her travel across America exploring the nation’s food culture.

Kayla Stewart is a James Beard Award-winning food and travel journalist, cookbook author, and Senior Editor at Eater. Her work has been featured in Food & Wine, the New York Times, Travel + Leisure, Saveur and others. She is the co-author of the James Beard-nominated, New York Times bestselling cookbook Gullah Geechee Home Cooking: Recipes from the Matriarch of Edisto Island, and is working on a cookbook with chef Christopher Williams about Black cuisine in Texas for Ten Speed Press.

Tom Zahir has been cooking Cajun and Creole food in London for the last decade, after living and working in the USA. His business, Decatur, has brought together regional southern cuisine with British ingredients across sellout pop ups – and more recently, award winning meal kits. He works alongside Louisiana Tourism & Visit USA as an official culinary partner here in the UK.

The British Library Food Season returns for its seventh year, bringing together some of the most influential names in food, drink, hospitality, literature and science, for a series of events that highlight the stories, the politics and the people behind how and why we eat. Discover more Food Season events. 

There are a range of concessions available. These include discounts for British Library Members, half-price tickets for students and under 26s, free entry for carers as well as a number of other concessions.

Please note that this event takes place at Pavilion Theatre on the piazza of the British Library, London.

Please arrive no later than 15 minutes before the start time of this event.  If you have specific access requirements please email customer@bl.uk