Summary: It's often said that love can be transformative. For Philly Youth Radio's Dinh To, the saying couldn't be more true. Two years ago, Dinh moved from Vietnam to the US and traded in one love for another, with some surprising results.
From the start of this piece, there is a sincerity in Dinh To’s voice that grabbed on to me and didn’t let go. The way she weaves her story - from the way she was before coming to South Philly, and the way she changed- is amazingly smooth. The transitions in her script and the editing of the piece are equally fluid.
While To brings attention to her passion for cooking with her title, she does a wonderful job uncovering all the layers that are connected to that passion. She brings in the struggle of moving to a new country and learning a new language, experiences that navigated her toward cooking. She also ties in the importance of family and how it keeps her grounded. All this, she does without sounding preachy or overly sentimental.
In addition to the beautiful balance of topics in this piece, To illustrates her story with a great use of sound; the Vietnamese music in the beginning, the sound of a simmering skillet, and various voices from Food Network makes the story alive. The snippets from To’s sister are also valuable in enhancing the content of the story, and the conclusions that To herself comes to.
This is a great piece suited for cross-cultural youth based programing, however it will work well as a standalone piece as well.
“Head over Heels for Cooking” undoubtedly deserves to be heard, for its sincere and vibrant presentation as well as its ability to pull the listener into the story and into the shoes of the storyteller.
A simple piece that combines very personal storytelling with the universal themes of cooking, family, and growing up, this is about a change of scenery leading to a change of attitude. Some of my favorite Food Network personalities - Paula Deen, Giada de Laurentiis, and Ina Garten (who some would argue overdo comfort food and Americana, but so nicely fit into this story), help Dinh fall in love and find a home in the kitchen. With ease and sincerity, Dinh To explains her transformation from lazy student in Vietnam to burgeoning family chef in Philly.
So many great stories express the power of food, but it was especially nice hearing it from an Asian perspective. Without the transcript, I might have had trouble understanding fully, and I would have loved to hear more from Dinh To's parents, but the natural sound and fluid pacing propelled me through. The narration had great tone. The sounds of utensils clanging against pots and pans brought me right next to the stove, and familiar voices from the Food Network made me smile. It could have easily delved a bit deeper into family issues and the past, but this simple treatment was sufficient, and made me hungry for more. This would fit nicely into a weekend feature show on food, family, or immigration.
Comments for Head Over Heels for Cooking
This piece belongs to the series "At the Heart, From the Heart"
Produced by Yowei Shaw
Other pieces by Philly Youth Radio
Rating Summary
2 comments
Kamna Shastri
Posted on June 23, 2013 at 06:54 AM | Permalink
Review of Head over Heels for Cooking
From the start of this piece, there is a sincerity in Dinh To’s voice that grabbed on to me and didn’t let go. The way she weaves her story - from the way she was before coming to South Philly, and the way she changed- is amazingly smooth. The transitions in her script and the editing of the piece are equally fluid.
While To brings attention to her passion for cooking with her title, she does a wonderful job uncovering all the layers that are connected to that passion. She brings in the struggle of moving to a new country and learning a new language, experiences that navigated her toward cooking. She also ties in the importance of family and how it keeps her grounded. All this, she does without sounding preachy or overly sentimental.
In addition to the beautiful balance of topics in this piece, To illustrates her story with a great use of sound; the Vietnamese music in the beginning, the sound of a simmering skillet, and various voices from Food Network makes the story alive. The snippets from To’s sister are also valuable in enhancing the content of the story, and the conclusions that To herself comes to.
This is a great piece suited for cross-cultural youth based programing, however it will work well as a standalone piece as well.
“Head over Heels for Cooking” undoubtedly deserves to be heard, for its sincere and vibrant presentation as well as its ability to pull the listener into the story and into the shoes of the storyteller.
A.D. Quig
Posted on February 20, 2013 at 10:56 PM | Permalink
Review of Head Over Heels for Cooking
A simple piece that combines very personal storytelling with the universal themes of cooking, family, and growing up, this is about a change of scenery leading to a change of attitude. Some of my favorite Food Network personalities - Paula Deen, Giada de Laurentiis, and Ina Garten (who some would argue overdo comfort food and Americana, but so nicely fit into this story), help Dinh fall in love and find a home in the kitchen. With ease and sincerity, Dinh To explains her transformation from lazy student in Vietnam to burgeoning family chef in Philly.
So many great stories express the power of food, but it was especially nice hearing it from an Asian perspective. Without the transcript, I might have had trouble understanding fully, and I would have loved to hear more from Dinh To's parents, but the natural sound and fluid pacing propelled me through. The narration had great tone. The sounds of utensils clanging against pots and pans brought me right next to the stove, and familiar voices from the Food Network made me smile. It could have easily delved a bit deeper into family issues and the past, but this simple treatment was sufficient, and made me hungry for more. This would fit nicely into a weekend feature show on food, family, or immigration.