Sarah Gavigan is a music licensing veteran and chef/owner of Nashville ramen pop up Otaku South.
What was the food highlight of your year?
I have found myself deftly obsessed with the mere simplicity and the puzzles each potential dish presents. For that reason, the two days I spent training with Master Nakamura at the Ramen Lab (aka Sun Noodle) were incredible. I have been making ramen all on my own, with very limited resources to learn the traditions and techniques . Seeing how simple and tasting how complex ramen broth is….it’s awesome. And a word to the ramen wise: eat Nakamura’s ramen when he opens in Manhattan. Indescribable really.
What was the music highlight of your year?
Watching my 10 year old’s face at her first rock concert. Mind blown. I held off as long as I could, but when you get handed tickets to The Black Keys in their hometown, you gotta do it. I got a little giddy meeting Wayne Cohen (Flaming Lips opened), then my daughter said to him, “Hey, my Mom put your music in a Land Rover commercial” and he gave me a huge hug, then chatted with my daughter about nail polish. Hilarious. It was fun to go back to simply being a giddy fan who enjoys the show. Being in the biz for almost two decades jades you… Seeing and hearing music through my daughter just brings it all back to the basics.
I’m feeling like I have a theme here…
Was there a moment when food and music came together in a memorable way?
I was asked to participate in FOOD & WINE’s first big event in Nashville this year called MUSIC CITY EATS, which was a collaboration with the Kings of Leon and Chef Jonathan Waxman. I got so excited I asked them if I could shoot 5 short films bringing together musicians and chefs in Nashville. We called them TALES OF NASHVILLE, and it gave me a chance to highlight some musicians (Nikki Lane, Moon Taxi, Luella & The Sun, Jessie Baylin) and Chefs (Carey Bringle, Philip Krajeck, Erik Anderson). Music & Food have become a common theme these past few years (obviously), and it’s just so fun to keep exploring the dialogue. The bonus was getting back to my film production roots for a minute. I’ll take more of that in 2014 for sure!