{{Short description|American food writer and podcaster}} '''Soleil Ho''' (born {{birth based on age as of date|31|2019|3|8|noage=1}})<ref name=Judkis/> is an American chef, food writer, podcaster, and restaurant critic. They were formerly co-host of the podcast ''The Racist Sandwich.''<ref name=nbc>{{cite news|last1=Hung|first1=Melissa|title='Racist Sandwich': This podcast wants you to think critically about race and food|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/racist-sandwich-podcast-wants-you-think-critically-about-race-food-n828551|publisher=NBC News|date=December 14, 2017}}</ref>
Ho became the food critic at the ''San Francisco Chronicle'' in 2019, replacing Michael Bauer.<ref name=Judkis/> Ho left the position in 2023, becoming a part of the ''Chronicle''{{'}}s opinion desk.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Crowley |first1=Chris |title=Why San Francisco's Top Restaurant Critic Is Resigning After Just Four Years |url=https://www.grubstreet.com/2023/02/soleil-ho-san-francisco-chronicle-restaurant-critic-steps-down.html |access-date=10 February 2023 |work=Grub Street |date=8 February 2023 |language=en-us}}</ref> Ho was awarded the James Beard Award for Criticism in 2022, and was nominated for the same award in 2020 and 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Awards Search {{!}} James Beard Foundation |url=https://www.jamesbeard.org/awards/search?year=&keyword=soleil+ho |access-date=2024-02-05 |website=www.jamesbeard.org |language=en}}</ref>
== Early life and education == Born into a Vietnamese-American family in rural Illinois, Ho was raised in New York City with their mother Francie, who worked in the fashion industry, and their sister.<ref name="Them">{{cite web|first1=Leo|last1=Kirts|access-date=2024-08-04|title=Meet the Nonbinary Food Writer Reimagining Restaurant Criticism|url=https://www.them.us/story/soleil-ho-revolutionized-restaurant-criticism-profile|date=19 July 2024|website=Them}}</ref> They graduated from Stuyvesant High School in 2005.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Barry|first=Dan|date=2005-06-25|title=For This Class, 'Remember When' Mingles With 'Never Forget'|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/25/nyregion/for-this-class-remember-when-mingles-with-never-forget.html|access-date=2020-05-04|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Ho graduated from Grinnell College in 2009.<ref name=Judkis/>
== Career == As a chef, Ho has worked at restaurants in New Orleans, Minneapolis,<ref name=WaPo/> Portland, Oregon, and Puerto Vallarta, where their mother owned a restaurant.<ref name= Judkis>{{cite news | last =Judkis | first =Maura | title =Soleil Ho is a young, queer woman of color who wants to redefine food criticism | newspaper = Washington Post| date =March 8, 2019 | url =https://www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/lifestyle/food/soleil-ho-is-a-young-queer-woman-of-color-who-wants-to-redefine-food-criticism/2019/03/07/d76eb89e-3eca-11e9-a0d3-1210e58a94cf_story.html | access-date =April 12, 2019 }}</ref>
Ho and journalist Zahir Janmohamed launched a podcast titled ''Racist Sandwich'' about under-reported issues in the food industry in 2016; one of their listeners, artist and writer Blue Delliquanti, collaborated with them on the 2017 graphic novel ''MEAL'' about "eating bugs, queer desire, and opening a restaurant".
In 2019, they replaced Michael Bauer, who retired after 32 years as the restaurant critic for the ''San Francisco Chronicle.''<ref name=WaPo>{{cite news | last =Carman | first =Tim | title =San Francisco Chronicle hires writer and 'Racist Sandwich' podcast host Soleil Ho as its new restaurant critic| newspaper =Washington Post| date =December 5, 2018 | url =https://www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/news/food/wp/2018/12/05/san-francisco-chronicle-hires-writer-and-racist-sandwich-podcast-host-soleil-ho-as-its-new-restaurant-critic/ | access-date =May 12, 2019 }}</ref> Ho has joked that Bauer, their predecessor at the newspaper, held the job since they were "not even a fetus".<ref name= Judkis/> In their first year, they produced a new methodology for the ''Chronicle'''s listicles, prioritizing diversity, affordability and localness, detailing ADA compliance and plant-based options, using public transportation, and eliminating starred reviews.<ref name="Them"/>
== Literary works == Ho is careful about the connotations of the words they select. A specific example is that they do not use the term "kaffir lime" because kaffir is a racial slur in South Africa. More generally, they do not think that "ethnic" food is a legitimate concept. Ho says "The imprecision of the word—and the assumption that it doesn’t apply equally to people and cuisines associated with Europe or white America—gives me such a headache."<ref name=MJ>{{cite news | last =Oatman | first =Maddie | title =Stop Calling It "Ethnic Food"—and More Tips on How to Talk About Eating| newspaper =Mother Jones | date =March 23, 2019 | url =https://www.motherjones.com/food/2019/03/soleil-ho-ethnic-kaffir-lime-authentic-food-words/ | access-date =May 12, 2019 }}</ref> They consider terms like "sustainable," "responsibly grown" and "farm-to-table" to be marketing buzzwords that are too often abused.<ref name=SFist>{{cite web | url =https://sfist.com/2019/02/28/new-chronicle-critic-soleil-ho-drops-a-doozy-of-a-review-of-chez-panisse-calls-it-stale/ | title =New Chronicle Critic Soleil Ho Drops a Doozy of a Review of Chez Panisse, Calls It 'Stale' | last =Barmann | first =Jay | date =February 28, 2019 | website =SFist | access-date =May 12, 2019 | archive-date =April 12, 2019 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20190412233500/https://sfist.com/2019/02/28/new-chronicle-critic-soleil-ho-drops-a-doozy-of-a-review-of-chez-panisse-calls-it-stale/ | url-status =dead }}</ref> Ho is especially critical of gentrification in their writing, expressing concern that food writing can function as "the language of real estate marketing".<ref name="Them"/>
Ho mentions poet and essayist Hanif Abdurraqib, food critic Ruth Reichl and newspaper critic-at-large Wesley Morris as among their influences. Ho says that they want to write about restaurants that "tell a story" which may focus on "race, gender, class or the culture of the Bay Area".<ref name=Judkis/>
Ho and journalist Zahir Janmohamed launched a podcast titled ''Racist Sandwich'' about under-reported issues in the food industry in 2016; one of their listeners, Blue Delliquanti, co-authored a graphic novel titled ''MEAL'' with them the next year. The book is described as a "graphic novel on culinary mentorship, queer romance, and eating insects".<ref name="Them"/><ref name=WaPo/>
Concerned about their legacy in a high-profile position, Ho commented, "What if I screw up and no one ever hires a queer woman of color for a role like this again?"<ref name=Grub>{{cite web | url =https://www.grubstreet.com/amp/2019/02/soleil-ho-restaurant-critic-san-francisco-chronicle-interview.html | title =Meet Soleil Ho, America's Newest Restaurant Critic| last =Rainey | first =Clint | date =February 4, 2019 | website =Grubstreet | access-date =May 12, 2019 }}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[https://soleilho.com/ Soleil Ho: writer on the fish sauce beat] *[https://www.sfchronicle.com/about/newsroomnews/article/s-f-chronicle-restaurant-critic-soleil-ho-wins-17235862.php S.F. Chronicle restaurant critic Soleil Ho wins James Beard Award for criticism]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ho, Soleil}} Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people Category:Stuyvesant High School alumni Category:Grinnell College alumni Category:San Francisco Chronicle people Category:American restaurant critics Category:American writers of Vietnamese descent Category:American LGBTQ people of Asian descent Category:American LGBTQ writers Category:LGBTQ people from New York (state) Category:21st-century American writers Category:American food writers Category:American women food writers Category:Writers from New York City Category:American food and drink podcasters