In my many years of teaching culinary students, I have always stressed to put love into the food that we create. What does that mean? I think we have all, at one time, had a dining experience that was not all that. Maybe the food was not served at the correct temperature. Was the plating sloppy and food not appealing to the eye? Was the flavor just not quite there? If a chef is having a bad day or really not putting the love into their food, we can taste, see, and most importantly, feel it. Those are some examples of loveless food.
I have found an even more powerful use of love in cooking.
I’ve recently had an experience cooking for a family who are caring for a loved one who is terminally ill.
Food keeps us alive. Food created with love, makes life more worth living. People with very specific dietary requirements need more than just nutrition. They need something that is delicious and has so much love in it, they can feel it in each taste.
I have always put love into my food, knowing how important it is. Cooking for this family has shown me, without any doubt, that food created with love brings people closer and helps them heal. This loving experience, this responsibility, really made me comprehend just how essential love is in our cooking.
With food and love,
Chef Janet