Its founder, Tashima Thomas, holds a Ph.D. in Art History with a focus on Art of the Americas and food pathways.  Her research on tropical commodities in art and visual culture is featured in an upcoming book, Edible Extravagance: The Visual Art of Consumption in the Black Atlantic.  She explores the social lives of food uncovering 500 years of history and global exchange.  Thomas conveys a rich knowledge of food histories, visual culture and artistic production, culinary anthropology, and a generous understanding of how food pathways have shaped who we are today.