LABC Presents: Holy Food: How Cults, Communes, and Religious Movements Influenced What We Eat

ABOUT THE PRESENTATION: Rules about eating are present in nearly every American belief, from high-control groups that ban everything except air, to the infamous strawberry shortcake that sated visitors to the Oneida Community in the late 1800s. Only in the United States — where one had the freedom to worship the God of their choice and sometimes of their own making — could people embrace new ideas about religion. And it's in this over-stirred pot of liberation, revolution, and mysticism that we discover that God cares a lot about what you put in your mouth.

Join independent food historian Christina Ward to learn how an explosion of religious movements birthed a cottage industry of food fads that gained mainstream acceptance. She’ll discuss how the obscure sects and communities of the 20th Century dabbled in spirituality and used food to both entice and control followers. And she'll share examples of Los Angeles-founded new religious movements and their cuisine, focusing on the rise and influence of California-based "mutual aid" groups and the role they played in the growing Los Angeles "commune" movement.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Christina Ward is an independent food historian and Vice President and Editor of Feral House, a publisher noted for their books on outré topics. Her current book is Holy Food: Recipes and Foodways from Cults, Communes, and New Religious Movements. Her previous book, American Advertising Cookbooks - How Corporations Taught Us To Love, Spam, Bananas, and Jell-O earned positive notice from Florence Fabricant in the New York Times and Christopher Kimball of Milk Street Radio. She has also had the distinct pleasure of riding around town in the Wienermobile with Padma Lakshmi on the hottest day in July of 2019 for “Taste the Nation.” 

AND WE'RE HAVING A FOOD DRIVE!: Bring your non-perishable items and we'll donate them to GCC CARES -- the Glendale Community College Center for Assistance, Resources, and Educational Success. 

GCC CARES was launched in 2020 to support the basic needs of Glendale Community College students. Basic needs and resource insecurities greatly impact a student’s mental health, physical health, productivity, academic performance, and overall educational achievement. The goal of GCC CARES is to provide direct assistance to students, connect them with critical on- and off-campus resources, and offer holistic educational opportunities that retain our students and lead them to complete their goals at GCC. GCC Cares is a recent grant recipient of The Los Angeles Breakfast Club Foundation. 

REQUESTED DONATIONS: The items that are most in need are non-perishable items, including:

• Pasta
• Rice
• Any type of dry beans or lentils
• Canned foods – tomatoes, corn, and tuna are most popular
• Any type of hygiene (especially small hotel size items)
• Cereals
• Baby food (for parenting students)

ABOUT THE CLUB: Founded in 1925, the Los Angeles Breakfast Club still thrives with food, friendship, and fun. Our meetings are held in our clubhouse, Friendship Auditorium, located at 3201 Riverside Drive, near the corner of Los Feliz Boulevard, in Griffith Park. Best described as a variety show, attendees enjoy a catered breakfast, silly songs, club traditions, and an interesting presentation from a guest speaker.

TICKETS: Sales on labreakfastclub.com close 48 hours before breakfast. Non-members are $25 and Members receive a 25% discount when logged into their Membership Portal.

Please arrive between 6:45 - 7:00 AM sharp! Doors close at 7:15 AM. Your admission includes a buffet breakfast, enjoyment of our 98-year-old club traditions, plus a special presentation from our Speaker of the Week!

For our ticket refund and exchange policy, please click here.

Note: Membership discounts are a benefit for members current with their dues. If you would like to apply to become a member, click here for more information.

HEALTH & SAFETY: Surgical disposable face masks or medical-grade masks (i.e., KN95, KF94, N95) are strongly recommended when not eating or drinking, especially during the cold and flu season, and will be provided on request.

Book cover design by Ron Kretsch.  

Source Restaurant photo: The Source Restaurant, c. 1973. Courtesy of Isis Aquarian Archive.