A Thread about taste: Dee's Table aka. Denai Moore
The third and final instalment in our stylish chefs series.
What a feast! We started with HealGoblin’s earthy delights, moved onto Spoons’ signature ‘Pedas’, and now we’re finishing off with Denai Moore’s playful style. As the founder of Dee’s Table, Denai is beloved for her innovative, plant-based takes on traditional Jamaican recipes. Here, she plates up a dish from her cookbook, Plentiful, and chooses an outfit to match.
Before we get started, don’t forget to catch up on the podcast and subscribe for more Threads of Conversation.
Tell me about the dish you’ve chosen.
Pick-up [vegan] saltfish with pressed fried green plantains.
Now tell me about the outfit you’ve paired it with.
I just did a pop-up at Pasero and I wore a lot of football shirts. The outfit that I’m pairing my dish with is my Jamaica Reggae Girlz kit that I got during the Women's World Cup. Football has always been a massive part of my life, so it felt right to wear this kit for my first restaurant service since 2019. [You can read more about the connection between football and fashion in this Threads of Conversation feature.]
Why did you pair these two together?
I think the kit represents the food that I made at the pop-up! Really playful and vibrant.
How would you describe the food you make?
I describe my style of cooking as intuitive. I love to be creative in the kitchen, and when I do pop-ups I tend to make up a brand new menu. I’m most excited about the dishes/ideas that I haven’t made yet. I love to explore my ideas and push myself to make new things all the time.
How would you describe your style?
Playful, vibrant and fun. I love fashion and dress according to my mood. It’s an extension of my personality and so my wardrobe has so much range! I have a few vintage designer pieces, a lot of things from the brand Lazy Oaf, and I enjoy a suit.
Do you see any connection between the creative process of cooking, and the creative process of styling yourself?
I think how I express myself in all mediums is the same. I also make music and there is a thread there with how I make food. It’s just another way of communicating how I feel. All of my dishes tell a story and I put a lot of contrasting textures and flavours in each one.
What do you usually wear in the kitchen?
I'm definitely not a ‘chef’s whites’ kind of chef. There’s something about it that feels really restrictive. I think if I opened my own restaurant, I’d design a really fun and structured two piece to wear.
Where do you get your ideas? For food and for outfits.
I think both of them are influenced by my mood. I’m very playful when it comes to styling myself, even down to accessories. I love mismatched earrings and getting fun nail art. My food veers towards fusion cooking, as it’s definitely more of a modern take on the Jamaican food I grew up eating. I love to honour my food memories. Nostalgia is such a wonderful place to create when it comes to cooking.
What would your last meal on Earth be?
Ackee, Callaloo, roast breadfruit and fried dumplings on Frenchman’s Cove beach in Jamaica. Heaven on earth!
And what would you wear to eat it?
Ideally a semi-wet/dry bathing suit.
Threads of the week
Punk rock o’clock this week. I fulfilled all my tween dreams and went to see Blink-182 live in concert, hence the leather pants, Doc Martens and angsty denim. Also figured out how to turn my selfies into PNGs (lol). Feel free to save it and send it anytime anyone sends you a !punk ass! whatsapp.
Loose Threads
Speaking of the emo/ punk throwbacks, Jimmy Butler is an icon.
I’m really excited to read Natasha Stagg’s new book. Here’s an interview with her.
A conversation between Dev Hynes and Zadie Smith, (in which she reveals she sleeps in a custom Lil Nas X t-shirt.)
Lastly, I got a dramatic haircut this week. I was scared of this but instead I got this!
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