Why Cook

Photo by Aaron Thomas on Unsplash‍ ‍

Years ago, when a baby boy was born, a compassionate soul arrived on this earth. A boy with ten fingers and ten toes. A cute smile that always had a giggle associated with it. A boy who never cried, but puffed out his cheeks when he was mad. 

As this boy grew, he did the usual things of playing ball, swimming with friends, and building forts in the woods. He was a very bright boy at the top of his class in every subject. Whenever the teacher asked a question he knew the answer. He was assigned additional work and it was always a breeze. He even helped the other students by breaking things down so they could understand. He never made them feel inferior but somehow had the ability to build them up. 

This boy watched his mom cook and soon they were cooking together. He loved the kitchen, but mostly he loved listening to the stories she told. Stories of her past and stories about the recipes. Friends and family were always giving compliments about the amazing meals she made and soon he was receiving compliments too. 

As the boy turned into a young man, he decided cooking was what he wanted to do when he went to college. His mother was excited for him, but his father thought it would be a waste of time. Why cook when you can be anything you want? Why settle when you could help create a better world? You see, the father desired for his son to become a lawyer or doctor. Someone who made money, someone the father could be proud of when introducing his son. The young man knew that he could become any of those things plus so much more. He had scored a 1600 on the SAT’s without even trying. What the father couldn’t understand was why a cook. 

So the young man broke it down for him. He said, “I learned all about you and mom from her stories. I know where you both came from and all about your past. That is why I want to study cooking and teach others. Food is a constant, something everyone requires. I want to show people how to make incredible dishes that help to feed their minds, bodies, and souls.” 

“To be able to enjoy a meal that transports you back to a kitchen table with loved ones, is the greatest accomplishment that I could ever hope for. The mark I want to leave on this world is a feeling of love, great food, and a sense of belonging.”

— Nicole Barden 7/29/2021