Profile Spotlight: The Perennial Palate

[Profile Spotlights]

Mirra Fine and Daniel Klein are The Perennial Palate: A film team that travels far and wide exploring savory flavors and fascinating food stories. One Day on Earth can't wait to see what comes out of their Sri Lanka expedition for the upcoming 12.12.12 filming event!

 

 

A Taste of Vietnam from The Perennial Plate on Vimeo.

One Day on Earth: Who are you and what is your profession?
Mirra: I'm a filmmaker. My job (as half of The Perennial Plate duo) is to travel the world making documentary shorts about local/sustainable food - or rather the amazing people who are producing it. Oh, and I'm a vegetarian and Daniel is not - which makes things interesting when filming documentaries about real food.
Daniel: I'm a chef and a filmmaker. Or I was a chef, and now I make short documentaries about sustainable food around the globe, cooking along the way.

One Day on Earth: Can you tell us a little about your background and upbringing?
Mirra: I grew up in Minneapolis and graduated college with a degree in Psychology. Then I moved to New York to study dance, then waitress, followed by a few years in advertising, a stint as a dog walker, and finally a year or so as cheese monger. Obviously, when that was all done, the natural next step was to become a filmmaker.
Daniel: I was brought up mostly in England. My parents were big travelers, so I was raised with visits to India and Morocco and Vietnam. They wanted us to be anything but "normal." So, I supposed, traveling the world making movies is just what they hoped I would do. After University I started making movies and cooking at the same time. I'd finish cooking and go home to edit. It was tiring. So I combined these passions into one project.

One Day on Earth: What inspired you to become a filmmaker?
Mirra: I love hearing people's stories, and this job provides incredible access to those people and those stories from around the world. But truthfully, before Daniel handed me a camera and asked me to film him butchering a lamb back in 2010, I would not have been able to tell you that this is what I would be doing, or how life would have turned out.
Daniel: I would say I like to be creative and encourage positive dialogue. So it's not as much about the filmmaking and more about getting to create art and make connections between people that might not have the chance to meet in real life.

One Day on Earth: Who or what do you most admire?
Mirra: Kindness.
Daniel: I'm a big fan of the classics: Gandhi, MLK Jr, Oscar Romero.

One Day on Earth: What do you have?
Mirra: Two backpacks, a couple cameras, a passport and tickets to Japan, China, India, Sri Lanka, Spain, Morocco, Italy, Turkey, South Africa, Ethiopia, Argentina and Mexico.
Daniel: I have an amazing job.

One Day on Earth: What do you need?
Mirra: Probably better health insurance.
Daniel: For it to never end.

One Day on Earth: What are you planning on filming for 12.12.12?
Mirra & Daniel: Sri Lanka - whatever we are doing that day, probably cooking and eating some fresh fish with whomever we meet.