Into the Fridge 😇
Sue Chan on shichimi togarashi and taking annual solo vacations
Sue Chan 😇
Sue Chan is a New York-based connector, natural-born host, and community builder. She’s the founder of Care of Chan, a hospitality-driven experiential marketing agency known for creating visually magnificent parties and delicious meals for clients like J.Crew, A24, The New York Times and more. Perhaps it’s the former athlete in her, she says, but she approaches everything with a competitive spirit and an unwavering commitment to excellence, always striving to be the best at whatever she sets her mind to. So it only makes sense that her Substack, Ready to Host, is a pleasure to read and her home cooking game is next level…
What is your fridge philosophy?Â
Oh golly, I’m almost embarrassed to admit that while I can cook—and, if I may say so myself, I’m actually pretty good at it—my fridge is usually filled with little more than condiments and beverages. I’m out a lot for work, dinners with friends, or traveling, so there isn’t much opportunity to keep it stocked. I will say my condiment collection is pretty darn dope, as it’s one of my favorite things to bring back from my travels. That and housewares.
That said, when I am home for a longer stretch, I usually stock my fridge with produce from the Union Square Greenmarket, just a few blocks away, and staples from Eataly. I’d say I value craft, quality, and simplicity when it comes to what’s in my fridge. I gravitate toward recipes with just a few ingredients—but really, really good ones—or prepared foods made by the best. After all, why make my own pasta when the fresh pasta at Eataly is pretty darn good?
Your fridge is always always always stocked with ____.
A variety of kimchis and pickled things
Vichy Sparkling Water
Farm fresh eggs from the farmers market
Sprouted Spelt from She Wolf Bakery
Avocados
Persian cucumbers
Top 5 condiment picks, go.
Flor de Sal Sea Salt by Sal de Menorca
Shichimi Togarashi
Crystal Hot Sauce
Yuzu Kosho
Churned Salted Butter by Bordier
(sorry, that was 6!)
Fine, I’ll open it up to pantry too. Let’s hear your favorite snacks / pantry staples:Â
Dried mangos, roasted unsalted almonds, dark chocolate bars, Bjorn Qorn popcorn, chickpeas, anchovies, really good rice, lentils, sour gummy candy.
A meal that’s on heavy rotation these days:
I love doing food prep on Sunday nights. It’s how I prepare for the week, and it keeps the Sunday Scaries at bay. Since I eat out most evenings, I try to bring my lunch to work whenever I can.
My go-to meal prep is a DIY grain bowl setup. I stock the fridge with different kinds of kimchi and pickled vegetables, roast a chicken or tofu, soft-boil a few eggs, make a couple of simple vegetable sides like cucumber salad, slaw, or roasted vegetables, and cook a few grains such as brown rice, farro, or quinoa. If I’m feeling ambitious, I’ll also whip up a couple of dressings, usually a carrot ginger or green goddess.
When lunch or dinner rolls around, I can mix and match everything depending on what I’m craving that day. It keeps meals interesting, minimizes waste, and makes healthy eating feel effortless.
Let’s go a little deeper…Â
What’s the mantra you keep coming back to?
Never waste a meal. I care about what I put into my body, not only for health reasons, but because it’s more sustainable and, frankly, much tastier.
What products / practices are part of your regular mental wellness habits?Â
When I do have time to cook, it’s one of the most meditative things I do. The same goes for playing tennis. Both activities get me into a true flow state.
I’m also a big believer in taking one solo vacation a year and treating myself to the occasional meal alone at the bar with a good book. Learning to enjoy my own company has been one of the best things I’ve done for my happiness.
And your physical?
I was an intense tennis player as a kid—tournaments, daily training, ranked in Southern California, the whole thing—so I burned out on intense training at a pretty young age. These days, I believe in building movement into my day rather than relying solely on workouts: walking everywhere, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, and riding Citi Bikes whenever I can.
My favorite Pilates class is with my friend Kayla Principato, and I recently started strength training at The Fort, thanks to my friend Christina. Beyond that, I’m big on drinking lots of water, keeping alcohol to a minimum, and avoiding processed foods. I should probably learn to sleep more, but there’s just too much life to enjoy to go to bed early.
I also love taking Epsom salt baths, which I try to do about once a week, along with a face mask or skincare routine a couple of times a week. And after a long stretch of events, I pretty much need a massage and a trip to the spa about once a month.
What do think is the most underrated part of wellness?Â
Drinking water, eating well, getting enough sleep, sunscreen. And operating with integrity.
And overrated?
Botox.
Picture this: you wake up one morning and feel like shit. What’s your next move:Â
Sleep in. While I have a hard time getting to bed because I’m such a night owl, I’m actually a great sleeper and love sleeping in. It’s probably the laziest thing about me—and one of my favorite indulgences.
Give us your ride or die wellness products:
Eating the rainbow. I try to always eat the most colorful foods possible!
One thing you do everyday that makes you the most YOU version of yourself:Â
I love exploring new things and also building things. Being curious and growing really makes me feel good.
Whose taste inspires you?!Â
My friends Thessaly La Force, Anna Polonsky, Christina Topsoe, JULIANA SALAZAR, and Aminatou Sow have the best taste in things ranging from fashion to literature to homewares to travel to just about anything.
Big thank you to Sue for sharing this lovely taste of her life with us. You can follow her on Instagram, learn her ways at Ready to Host, and find her fridge favorites + more here.
Feel free to leave a comment or respond to this email with questions you want asked, people you want featured, or anything else that’s on your mind. Don’t be shy, I love hearing from you.
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Immediately looked up perilla which is of course in LA
This got me so excited for tennis.