I love food. I love stories. This blog is about the food – and the people who cook – in Allston, a neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. Allston has a vibrant small business community, with restaurants serving meals from all corners of the globe. University students, long-term residents, the newly arrived, and everyone in between continue to write the narrative of this Boston neighborhood that is as unique as it is – in so many ways – everyday America.

My name is Jordan Coriza and in one way or another, I’ve always made a living telling people’s stories. I worked as a medical interpreter for many years, helping patients tell health care providers how they felt, and what ailed them. I have a degree in fiction writing from Boston University, and in my full-time job I do media relations and writing for a global health NGO.

Food has played an important role in my personal and professional life. I grew up in Argentina, where my parents and grandparents had restaurants. Some of my fondest memories include standing on a chair in the kitchen helping my grandmother peel potatoes. When I arrived in the states, I worked at a restaurant in downtown Boston for seven years. I love to cook, and I mostly love to eat.

Bringing together food and the experience of telling people’s stories only made sense. Hence this blog. In the process of creating this blog, I’ve been deeply touched by the personal stories I hear. I’ve been impressed by people’s willingness to open up and share their experiences when you take an interest in them. I am grateful and honored to be a part of these stories. And to be honest, getting to eat all this tasty food is the best thing about working on this project.

Join me in celebrating Allston’s traditions, recipes, and stories. I hope you will enjoy – and maybe adopt – them.

Get in touch: cookedin@gmail.com. Find me on Twitter: @jordancoriza