It is a special thing to be skilled in the kitchen.
Whenever I get (genuine) compliments and appreciation for something I’ve turned out, my gut reaction is to go “hey, no problem, it’s whatever, nothing special – literally anyone can make it like this with really basic instructions and stuff – it’s easy!”
I always have to remind myself that, while I was raised with humility as a virtue, that’s not necessarily the whole story - that I took an interest in food very early, am going on two decades cooking most of my own meals, am always experimenting in the kitchen, hunting (literally, sometimes) for new ingredients, acquiring new equipment and techniques, just constantly deepening in this area. It connects me to my surroundings, my forebears, my own body, the land, and (while it confuses militant vegans everywhere when I express this) the animals who walk/swim/fly on that land, who nourish us in return for our stewardship. People are attracted to this even if they might not know what exactly it is. it’s ineffable, a thru-line all the way back to the heart of human-kind.
I have to remind myself that it’s not particularly normal to spend hours holding produce and reading labels whenever I find a cool new store. Or, for that matter, to spend five years of one’s life as a manager at an indie natural foods store with “immersion in the local food scene” as the primary goal. I didn’t give a flying fuck about our EBITDA on a given day, or how much cash was in your drawer that night, but I sure did pretend well enough.
Truth is, I just wanted to move myself up the literal food chain – quite literally lmao – to get closer to the source. I enjoyed knowing what was going on before your average Joe, knowing where the trends were going, where the struggles and opportunities lay, who the up and coming producers were. Going out to farms, and to meet vendors and get nerdy and technical with my people about something we were all passionate about. (I did also just need a job, tbf.) And, guess what, EBITDA was fucking great; exceeded expectations because people are moved by passion and will buy things.
If you’ve read this far, cheers. I didn’t, and don’t, do all that because of some ambition. I’m not a chef or a restauranteur or an influencer. I do not own a crunchy grocery store - I don’t even work at one anymore! I’m a simple nobody who knows the location of every single fruit and nut tree within a mile radius of where I live, and that’s how I prefer it, and it’s enough! And I love it when my wife asks for my cooking. Because it reminds me, yeah, I have put in the work, and it matters to people, and it’s good!
I used to think the foodie thing might be a phase - but it’s clearly not. I’m obsessed. I mean, we’re literally fucking made of food god dammit!
It would have been hilarious if you had put “anyway here’s the recipe for a basic burger patty,” at the end of your text to mimic those websites nowadays that have to come with a 5000 word essay about the author’s upbringing and opinions on the future of culinary arts.
Anyway, I’m a freelance translator/interpreter and my primary client is this Japanese company that needs to have news releases by Western companies translated as well as US, Canadian, and EU food laws on a daily basis. So while I do understand a bit more than the average consumer, I’m nowhere near as passionate or “close-to-the-source” as you.
All the corporations are now talking about alternatives. Alternative protein, alternative cocoa, alternative wheat (more like some chemical to bind weaker flour with stronger ones, not a complete replacement of the plant), etc, because of supply chain constraints (climate change and wars). Do/Did you see shifting trends caused by such issues at the local level?
For example, I live in Okinawa and some of our prefectual specialties like seaweed are grown in the ocean. With rising ocean temperatures, if the heat itself doesn’t mess with the growth of the seaweed, the increased number of typhoons will. I feel like soon, locals will have to deal with slim pickings or find innovative ways of growing their products under new conditions.
Food is my love language, but I feel like my family takes it for granted lately. They just expect these gourmet meals each night and it’s not special to them.
I’ve been there. Recommend matching your effort level to whatever level of enthusiasm they’re at. Whatever you do, don’t put in so much effort that you start to resent them.
I don’t resent them, honestly I cook like I do because it’s also just what I want to eat and saves a ton of money. It’s just clear they are spoiled by it, but I suppose I grew up spoiled in exactly the same way.
It is a special thing to be skilled in the kitchen.
Whenever I get (genuine) compliments and appreciation for something I’ve turned out, my gut reaction is to go “hey, no problem, it’s whatever, nothing special – literally anyone can make it like this with really basic instructions and stuff – it’s easy!”
I always have to remind myself that, while I was raised with humility as a virtue, that’s not necessarily the whole story - that I took an interest in food very early, am going on two decades cooking most of my own meals, am always experimenting in the kitchen, hunting (literally, sometimes) for new ingredients, acquiring new equipment and techniques, just constantly deepening in this area. It connects me to my surroundings, my forebears, my own body, the land, and (while it confuses militant vegans everywhere when I express this) the animals who walk/swim/fly on that land, who nourish us in return for our stewardship. People are attracted to this even if they might not know what exactly it is. it’s ineffable, a thru-line all the way back to the heart of human-kind.
I have to remind myself that it’s not particularly normal to spend hours holding produce and reading labels whenever I find a cool new store. Or, for that matter, to spend five years of one’s life as a manager at an indie natural foods store with “immersion in the local food scene” as the primary goal. I didn’t give a flying fuck about our EBITDA on a given day, or how much cash was in your drawer that night, but I sure did pretend well enough.
Truth is, I just wanted to move myself up the literal food chain – quite literally lmao – to get closer to the source. I enjoyed knowing what was going on before your average Joe, knowing where the trends were going, where the struggles and opportunities lay, who the up and coming producers were. Going out to farms, and to meet vendors and get nerdy and technical with my people about something we were all passionate about. (I did also just need a job, tbf.) And, guess what, EBITDA was fucking great; exceeded expectations because people are moved by passion and will buy things.
If you’ve read this far, cheers. I didn’t, and don’t, do all that because of some ambition. I’m not a chef or a restauranteur or an influencer. I do not own a crunchy grocery store - I don’t even work at one anymore! I’m a simple nobody who knows the location of every single fruit and nut tree within a mile radius of where I live, and that’s how I prefer it, and it’s enough! And I love it when my wife asks for my cooking. Because it reminds me, yeah, I have put in the work, and it matters to people, and it’s good!
I used to think the foodie thing might be a phase - but it’s clearly not. I’m obsessed. I mean, we’re literally fucking made of food god dammit!
It would have been hilarious if you had put “anyway here’s the recipe for a basic burger patty,” at the end of your text to mimic those websites nowadays that have to come with a 5000 word essay about the author’s upbringing and opinions on the future of culinary arts.
Anyway, I’m a freelance translator/interpreter and my primary client is this Japanese company that needs to have news releases by Western companies translated as well as US, Canadian, and EU food laws on a daily basis. So while I do understand a bit more than the average consumer, I’m nowhere near as passionate or “close-to-the-source” as you.
All the corporations are now talking about alternatives. Alternative protein, alternative cocoa, alternative wheat (more like some chemical to bind weaker flour with stronger ones, not a complete replacement of the plant), etc, because of supply chain constraints (climate change and wars). Do/Did you see shifting trends caused by such issues at the local level?
For example, I live in Okinawa and some of our prefectual specialties like seaweed are grown in the ocean. With rising ocean temperatures, if the heat itself doesn’t mess with the growth of the seaweed, the increased number of typhoons will. I feel like soon, locals will have to deal with slim pickings or find innovative ways of growing their products under new conditions.
I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Food is my love language, but I feel like my family takes it for granted lately. They just expect these gourmet meals each night and it’s not special to them.
I’ve been there. Recommend matching your effort level to whatever level of enthusiasm they’re at. Whatever you do, don’t put in so much effort that you start to resent them.
I don’t resent them, honestly I cook like I do because it’s also just what I want to eat and saves a ton of money. It’s just clear they are spoiled by it, but I suppose I grew up spoiled in exactly the same way.
If you’re doing it for your own self I don’t see a problem at all. Pearls before swine, so it goes