This I Believe: Culinary Artistry Makes the Greatest Days
As a frail and elderly woman lifts her napkin to wipe her mouth, a tear rolled down her face. She then gazed out into the bay window of the assisted living facility and smiled. Within moments the nurse on duty approached the teary eyed woman and asked “Is everything okay?” The old lady responded in a shaken saturated tone “Yes indeed, for I got to dine with my loved ones again today.” The nurse almost dismissed this as a senility statement, until she noticed the lady had cleaned her plate; which had never happened before.
Later that day, when the nurse had completed her shift, she stopped by the kitchen and inquired if the dietitian had altered the menu. The newly hired kitchen manager said “No ma’am, I did.” The nurse instantly snapped back “You stupid cook! You cannot alter the prescribed diets for these patients! Their lives may be depending on it!” Calmly, the kitchen manager proceeded to wipe down his work station and said “I didn’t alter their diet, I altered their experience.” Puzzled, the nurse replied by wearing a confused look upon her face. The manager looked up and informed the nurse that immediately, after being hired, he introduced himself to all of the residence. Then he would stay extra hours and come in on his days off just to visit with the patients.
Not understanding, the nurse addressed “That’s appreciated, but what does that have to do with food?” He went on to explain that he prompted the patients, through conversation; to reminisce on cherished times of their lives. His face brightened as he stated “Wow, It brought such joy for these beautiful people to narrate and relive their precious lives.” Frustrated, the nurse said again “And, the food correlation?” The kitchen manager promptly responded “Almost all keepsake memories possess the presence of food. This allowed me to take mental notes on the specific meals your residents associate with their loved ones.” He went on to state “Furthermore, I never altered the nutritional prescription; I just took the extra time to research and replicate the meals that provided comfort once upon a time.” With a breath of relief, and a look of amazement, the nurse said “I stand corrected Mr. uhh… umm, oh dear I didn’t get your name and I don’t want to just call you cook.” The kitchen manager stated “Good, because I am not a cook.” The nurse smiled and extended her hand proudly to shake his hand; and with a firm tone exclaimed “Yes Chef!”
The story above captures everything I recently witnessed and what a meaningful life means to me. In fact, possessing the ability to generate a little extra spark, in somebody else’s life, produces a meaningful life for two people; the recipient and I. Some situations even allow for multiple people to share this experience at once. Therefore, I believe creativity, productivity, and an uncompromising drive for success is the ultimate recipe for a life worthy of a legacy. For example, Chef Steven Keneipp a restaurateur of twenty eight years stated that he was rewarded everyday through his customers with grateful recognition. Chef Keneipp is particular in quality and not a patron for settling for second best (Keneipp). He strives to bring out the best in everything he does, as well as bring out the best in others he inspires; such as myself. Without a doubt, Chef Steven Keneipp has lived a meaningful life.
Last year, upon the completion of my anthropology class, I was inspired to get involved with my community pro bono; with the Kokomo Rescue Mission. I was not doing this for me or my resume, but as a result of my anthropology class illustrating to me how fortunate I truly am. I was overwhelmed when they told me that they had never had a volunteer for food service that was professionally trained. I dedicated myself to them from Thanksgiving through Christmas, and I left there wealthy from being paid in knowledge, compassion, and an inspirational understanding of the power of food. I say this because every day I witnessed various citizens and businesses, of various communities, coming together for one cause; caring. This includes rival restaurants showing up to drop off food at the same time cordially, volunteers of opposing religious beliefs and political affiliations working in cooperative harmony, and recipients of all races and cultures sharing bread at the same table. This experience erected my spine and chin with pride, because I finally concluded that culinary arts not only belongs to all communities but can unite them as well.
Not to be taken in an offensive manner, but true culinary art is somewhat of a superior art form. I justify this statement with the simple acknowledgement that food can be embraced by all five senses; plus one extra sense and one actual need. The first sense is sight, because we eat with our eyes first literally. If the food looks good then we will naturally start producing saliva to instantly begin the digestion process. This is followed by smell and taste. These two senses work together to achieve a flavor profile you can identify. Hearing food is present when you get a crisp crunch from a potato chip, hear your fajita coming to your table at a Mexican restaurant, or even silence from a spoonful of delectable chocolate pudding. Touch translates the appeal of foods in terms of texture. For example, nobody prefers a soggy French fry, even though the taste is identical to a crisp French fry. What is the extra sense and need you ask? Simply put, the extra need is that your body requires, seeks out, and embraces food; just like sex. The extra sense, or sixth sense, is that feeling of satisfaction, comfort, and above all love.
Consistent determination to expand my creativity and reach new heights will always be my fuel. I embrace pride in admitting I don’t know everything; nor will I before I die. I find the challenge of capturing the essence of others, and glorifying it through food, a true voyage beyond euphoria. Just like the story above proved, we can sometimes create tomorrow by recreating yesterday.
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