My first interview for You Make Me 食 Sik! We’ve come a long way. I’ll be interviewing someone who is a self-proclaimed “Munch.” It’s an important word that’s entered the scene that has something to do with food but more to do with eating.
The Munch refused to give his real name, even though I assured him I’m great at keeping secrets and my readership is not as wide as he thinks. We’ll unpack why he’s so ashamed of being a Munch. For privacy reasons and clarity, our Munch will be referred to as “M” and I will be referred to as “N” in the interview transcript.
For our first meeting, I chose a nice, hip cafe in Sai Ying Pun. The neighborhood is littered with trendy cafes that are cute spots for a date or a pleasant day of dog-watching. I thought a relaxed and enriching environment was a good place where I could get the Munch to talk.
On a hot summer’s day in June, I arrived early and ordered a matcha coconut drink. It tasted quite good and better than the big matcha chains here that sell $50 beverages that resemble water. I was optimistic about our interview.
The Munch walked in and upon first glance, he wore an understated grey tee shirt and shorts. But when I took a closer look, I noticed that he was wearing an apron that read “Certified Munch.” I knew this had to be the right guy. He sat down and greeted me before he went up to the cashier to order a cold brew with oat milk.
N: Thank you for speaking with me today. Before we get into the nitty girtty of it all, can you describe what a “Munch” is?
M: Yes, a munch is someone who eats but expects nothing in return.
N: Could you go deeper into that?
M: I most certainly can. Expecting nothing in return is a switch-up of a traditional power dynamic. Most of the time, we consider the eater to be the one who feels full after eating. The Munch never feels full, physically at least.
N: And, when did you start calling yourself a munch?
M: Well, the term came to me. You’ve probably heard Ice Spice’s song Munch (Feelin' U). After I listened to it, I felt seen. My way of life was finally understood.
After the interview, I found this YouTube short of Ice Spice breaking down the definition herself.
“I would define Munch as just an eater… An eater is just someone who likes to, like, eat.” - Ice Spice
N: What does the day in the life of a Munch typically look like?
M: I wake up like any other person and then I go to work. I never skip meals and especially don’t skip munch— I mean, lunch. I like to fit in a workout when I get home and then I eat again. I spend more time thinking about what to eat and when to eat more than the average person.
N: I write about eating things, so I understand.
M: Exactly.
N: Can you explain the shame you feel about introducing yourself as a Munch and the stigma around it?
M: I’m not ashamed at all! Most men feel like munching is emasculating. Anyone can be a Munch by the way. I think I’m a very generous person, so I don’t attach my views on who I am or what have you with what I like to eat. I don’t even think I’m a particularly progressive person. Depending on how you see it, munching is quite empowering. Personal satisfaction isn’t always the end I’m going for. I think it’s the journey that fulfills me more.
N: That’s fascinating. I had always known that eating is a spiritual experience, but hearing that eating does not make you fulfilled— but fills you up in a different way—is surprising. I suppose I have a very cynical way of looking at things.
It was at this moment when he leaned forward and pulled me into a big hug. He was warm and smelled like vanilla. When he let me go, his eyes were glistening.
M: Life is difficult for people who like to eat. But if you expect nothing in return, your mind is free to accept infinite opportunities that you could never even imagine.
I found myself admiring his worldview. Unfortunately, we had to wrap the interview here because he remembered that he forgot to start his laundry cycle and he rushed home.
Perhaps we should all be eaters. I stayed in the cafe all afternoon and ordered tomato spaghetti. As for the taste… Does it matter? That’s the kind of thing a Munch would say.