Taste of Then

Taste of Then was a storytelling event produced by Back Pocket Media at the Presidio Theatre in San Francisco. Focused on food as a gateway to memory, identity, and emotion, the show featured journalists, artists, and performers sharing true stories that explored how taste can unlock our deepest personal histories.

“Throughout the event, I just felt such a warm feeling. I didn’t even know an event like this could exist…“

Challenges

Transforming Taste into Stories: Translating the sensory and intimate nature of taste into compelling narratives on stage without literal food.

Balancing Tone: Curating a lineup that told deeply personal stories, yet lighthearted, without losing the balance.

Solution

Multimedia Storytelling: Stories were told with special sound design and visual elements to stimulate memory and emotional response.

Variety in Lineup: From awkward dates to childhood rituals, the storytellers shared moments that were specific yet universally relatable, all framed through food and flavor.

Results

Sold-Out Crowd: The event drew a full house and created a warm, communal atmosphere reminiscent of a shared meal.

Emotional Range: Stories like Don Reed’s fruit-only diet and JP Frary’s blind date revelation captured both humor and heartbreak, resonating strongly with the audience.

“We want it to feel like a party, people talking to you in a conversational tone, even though the content of that conversation is something that they’ve worked on for weeks or months.”
—McArdle Hankin, Back Pocket President & Co-Founder

Reflection

Taste of Then succeeded in using the universal experience of food to bring audiences closer to one another—and to the stories that shape who we are.