Saturday, 9 February 2013

Live to eat, don't eat to live!


It had finally dawned on me that food can be more than just a hobby and can be a way of life. It is now truly my way of life. Nothing makes me happier than working with food. Food is easily one of the best ways to make other people happy and that thought motivates me every day to share my passion with others.
                Recently the food revolution has totally taken over the country. Chefs are just as recognisable as sports and television stars. Cooking and baking has become extremely fashionable, a common activity which seems to be bringing people together whether it is watching the Great British Bake off together or hosting dinner parties.
                Through all the experiences I have had with food so far in my life it is clear there is a direct link between eating something great and an increase of happiness. My philosophical view of life is that you should strive for happiness and not settle for anything less. If you can surround yourself with people and things that make you happy you won’t be going far wrong. Food pops up on you at least 3 times a day trying to boost your happiness. I believe everyone should oblige and enjoy their meal times with a big smile on their faces.
                In regards to this, my question is why are there people who simply eat to live and claim that Michelin starred restaurants intimidate them and wouldn’t be their type of thing. I do believe that taste is subjective, I am happy to admit I have an irrational hatred for bananas – not everyone will like every taste. But I challenge anyone to eat at Le Gavroche and not love every course. Appreciating good food and cooking is to do with mindset not taste buds. I believe a culinary education is just as important as any other learning which happens throughout life. Wanting to experience new things and being open minded is just as valuable as knowledge.
                I am thankful to my parents for lots of things but mostly for insuring from a young age I tried all different types of food and didn’t just let me eat chicken nuggets and chips every day. They educated me in what lots of different foods and drinks tasted like and were always making sure I ate fresh and fruit and vegetables. I learnt many technical skills whilst at cookery school but the best thing I learnt was an appreciation for the ingredients I was using. If children and adults could learn this through experience I truly believe it would change their views on food and eating.
                Take a piece of fish which is simply pan fried and served with a big squeeze of lemon. It has been caught the day before by the local fisherman and filleted by the local fishmonger. I can guarantee there will be a taste left with you when you eat it that is more than just well cooked fish. I believe eating good food is good for your soul. If you are what you eat, why not be something which leaves you with a good conscious supporting someone who works hard?
                If nothing else, my philosophy degree taught me to always think twice about things before forming an opinion. I believe this should be applied to food too. Why do we eat? We eat to survive- it is a necessity- so why not make it something that also brings you extreme amounts of happiness? Unfortunately there are not many things you can do with breathing to make it fun, so why not exploit the chance we have with food?
Next time you buy a cheese and tomato pizza, why not add fresh spinach and homemade pesto to it? There you would be, joining in the food revolution, delving into the realms of cheffing, teaching yourself that food can taste great rather than just good. That day you would have learnt something as part of your new culinary education.
                Make yourself and those around you happier- stop eating to live and start living to eat.  

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