Can you tell us a bit about how you and Kendra met, and now work together?
Kenny and I met in college but really got to know each other during the pandemic, when we would work out together over FaceTime. I was in Geneva and she was in Idaho. Kenny was taking advantage of her beautiful garden to grow food, and I started a humble food Instagram to teach my friends how to cook at home. Across the time zones we shared our culinary discoveries and musings, and dreamt together about a post-pandemic community where we could share these new explorations.
In 2021 we got a sweet deal on an apartment in Brooklyn, with a rooftop overlooking the city. That summer we hosted dinners for loved ones, and began inviting new friends from the neighborhood and our coworkers from the food industry. We first (formally) worked together at a friend’s pop-up called Luisa. Kenny was maitre d’ and I was cooking — it felt like a natural extension of our previous projects. Be Home For Dinner was born shortly after.

What do you enjoy most about working within food and film?
Food and film are the most powerful ways I know to transmit a feeling. Remember that scene in Ratatouille when the food critic takes his first bite and is plunged into a warm sea of childhood memories? That’s why I wanted to make paella for our first edition of Be Home For Dinner — every forkful of chorizo, saffron, and asparagus brings me back to summers with my dad. And how best to communicate the magic of food? Film! Ratatouille did a good job, but I hope to mix the two in my own work as well.
Kenny is a dancer! For her, food and dance are two innately physical experiences, which connect one with themselves and the world around them. When she thinks of how she shows love and care, it’s through her hands — making food, growing things, physical touch, duet work, gestures through space, etc. A balanced bite is like choreography: too much of one flavor, too big of a movement, and the palette is overwhelmed. Both industries also demand discipline, sacrifice, generosity, aesthetic, and physical work. She finds great satisfaction in this natural marriage.

You recently hosted your first Cookout for Be Home for Dinner, how did it go? 
WONDERFUL! We were able to highlight the work of 13 different producers from our area — from natural winemakers to bakers, roasters, and chocolatiers. Many of them attended and discovered each other’s work, and even began working together. That in particular felt special — because creating a place that is both welcoming and familiar, but also full of ambition and opportunity was one of our goals from the outset.
There’s no place like home, and the chance to fill a room with that feeling is unique. And chiefly: the food and drinks were divine! Since the event, our momentum has connected us with new producers, spaces, and people.

A lot of your dishes were served up on Falcon, how did that work out? 
Without exaggeration, Falcon enamelware was exactly what Be Home For Dinner needed.
We served all our courses on Falcon’s iconic rimmed plates, big and small. It felt both tasteful and practical. The high-quality enamelware prevented any breakage, and the simple design brightened our tables with a pop of color. From a management perspective, plating, cleanup, and storage were exceptionally easy with these plates, and the team at Falcon was a true pleasure to work with. I liked them so much that I bought a few of the plates from Falcon before returning the rest of the set.

What do you love most about Brooklyn this time of year?
1.The blooms
2.The tender greenery against the concrete jungle
3.The REBIRTH: coming out of hibernation, new people are moving in, others are traveling, lots of exchange
4.It’s the perfect weather for everything: nights out, sweaters, skirts, the beach, etc.
5.The music people play all day long in the street
6.It’s shoulder season: New York’s best fashion comes out in Spring
7.And of course: the produce — nature’s most delicate vegetables and herbs arrive from around the city and the farmer’s markets abound with ramps, flowers, and nettles. And white asparagus.

Can you describe and give tips on the best places to eat, drink, source ingredients in your local neighbourhood?
You’ve come to the right place. Kenny and I both live in Williamsburg, and here’s our list right now:
For the ideal diner brunch, visit Baby Blues where we hosted Be Home For Dinner. Don’t miss the HLT (halloumi BLT) or their perfectly scrambled eggs (a Kenny mainstay). Pick up a decadent focaccia sandwich at Marlow & Sons. Right next door, Deux Chats has the best dirty martini in town. The Lot Radio is where you go for a bottle of wine and live DJ sets on a Spring’s night out — or try the beer flight at Talea, a women-owned brewery across the park. Foster Sundry is our go-to for all butcher needs — they will even make you custom sausages. Best coffee? Glad you asked. Sey, Brooklyn Ball Factory, Paloma. Unassuming from the outside, Gemini on Graham has the best rotisserie chicken and plays bachata until 4am. The area around Graham has Italian spots from every generation: third-gen at Fortunato Brothers (the pastries!), second-gen at Pecoraro (excellent pasta), first-gen at Lella (piadine). If you’re sourcing wholesale, the lovely people at Natoora will supply you with delicious, agroecological produce, Despaña has you covered on homemade and imported Spanish treats, and Zev Rovine is a legendary natural wine distributor. A bit outside of Williamsburg, Carla at Apt. 2 Bread has the best sourdough in town. And when you get tired of spending, go cat-nap under the trees at McCarren Park or watch the beach volleyball and skyline at Domino Park.

Photography @ritchiejo
Follow @behomefordinner by @kenny.jane and @nicoflou