CHICKEN + BREAD
is a London-based arts enterprise with a mission to celebrate food as an art form and champion the narratives of minorities in the UK and beyond.
The magazine amplifies innovation in food to broader society and allows these innovators to present their work in a space where they are not the token. We’ve featured some amazing artists so far including documentary photographer Yvonne Maxwell (issue 1), collage artist Sabah Foster (issue 1) and painter Kenya Josiah (issue 2). “ - Hope Cunningham, Creator
Photographed by Arhantika Rebello
Curated by Hope Cunningham, 27, based in South London, the platform nurtures fresh ideas about food and has fostered a global creative community over the past year. The overarching aim is to be a cultural leader in celebrating food as an art and she has aspirations of doing this by expanding beyond just a magazine.
Hope is a writer working in social media with an interest in narratives that focus on Black women in particular, as well as arts and culture and food.
What inspired the zine?
The only career-related aspiration I can remember being really strong when I was younger, was the desire to be the editor of a magazine. I imagined I’d work for a fashion magazine one day, but wasn’t sure how I’d make that happen. After studying for an undergraduate degree in English Literature for 3 years, I still didn’t have much direction on how I’d make my dream come true. I had, however, noticed that many creatives online were forging their own platforms in the arts, fashion etc. and I was inspired. I’ve always been creatively inclined, but I don’t have much practical skill in things like drawing, painting or designing, but I’ve always looked at cooking as a way to express myself creatively. I combined this passion for food with my desire to be a part of a magazine and chicken + bread was born.
It took me 4 years to work up the courage to work on the first issue. chicken + bread only existed only as an Instagram page during this time, but in mid-2021, while I was working a job that brought me no joy, I put aside all the anxieties I had about making something I’d dreamed about into reality and posted a call out for submissions on Instagram. To my surprise, people were keen to contribute and since then, chicken + bread has grown.
What has been the hardest and best part about creating this zine?
Overcoming low self-esteem held me back for 4 years! Because I was embarking on a journey I’d never been on before, I couldn’t imagine how I’d make it happen. I was afraid of failure, of looking stupid to the people around me if it didn’t work out and this resulted in many years of meticulous planning with no follow-through. I talked myself out of it for so long because I didn’t like the logo I’d designed, didn’t have enough content to create a website and was too scared to ask people to submit.
Now that I’ve finally overcome these fears, the hardest part of making chicken + bread has been staying dedicated. Designing issue 2 is an example of this. I wanted to level up the graphic design from issue 1 so I spent a lot of time learning new techniques in Photoshop and Indesign, but would constantly compare what I was doing to other designs, convince myself that I was no good at what I was doing and convince myself that there was no point in continuing. Pushing through self-doubt is so important especially when you’re creating something of your own.
What advice would you give other young creatives looking to start a zine?
Just do it, honestly. And ask questions later. I think the same can be said about a lot of creative endeavours. You learn so much more by being on the journey than you would by just observing the journeys of others.
