BACH 1/2026 - Christopher Beckman - A Twist in the Tail

Please join us, Sunday, January 25, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. PST, for an online presentation by Christopher Beckman speaking on A Twist In the Tail: How the Humble Anchovy Flavored Western Cuisine..

From Roman garum and British condiments to French haute cuisine and modern Spanish tapas, anchovies have quietly amplified flavor for centuries. Yet despite their impact, they’re often overlooked—or scorned—as too small, too bony, or too lowly for refined palates.

​Their shifting status reveals a rich story about food, class, and identity. Drawing on cookbooks, literature, and art, this talk shows how an overlooked fish has played an outsized role in shaping Western cuisine.

Christopher Beckman, born in San Francisco, holds a PhD in Near Eastern archaeology, researching how material culture and subsistence—small, often overlooked details like the anchovy—shape civilizations. His fieldwork spans the Middle East, Africa, and Europe, where he has lived for the past two decades.

Most recently, he completed a diploma in plant-based cuisine at Le Cordon Bleu. His aim is to champion the anchovy as a flavor enhancer par excellence in plant-forward diets, as it has been used historically across Europe and Asia. Currently based in Melbourne, Australia, he is researching a forthcoming companion volume on anchovies in Asia.

IMPORTANT: We are no longer posting the zoom link on Eventbrite. You will receive an email on the day of the event with the Zoom link. Please watch for this email as it is the only way that you will receive the link to attend the meeting. If you don't receive the email, please check your junk mail folder. Since this is an online event, no tickets will be provided.

​As always, it is super-helpful if you indicate your interest on the BACH Events page on Facebook in addition to registering here.