Cooking—A Fusion of Cultures

One thing I love to do is watch cooking videos. It has all the best things—food, seasonings, themes, culture, stories— literally all things I love. When I first became vegan, all I watched was vegan cooking videos. I was obsessed, and frequently informed those around me of healthy eating habits they should pick up.I loved it so much I almost majored dietetics. During my first two years away at school I had a horrible eating schedule, ended up ravenous in the middle of the night, and tortured my soul watching some of my favorite youtube cooks kill it in the kitchen. Watching people cook is always mesmerizing, and the feeling I get when I’m in the kitchen with a themed playlist in the background is the most satisfying one I have ever experienced. Why is cooking so interesting, so satisfying?

Cooking is a like a good story. I live in Indiana which is fairly flat, filled with corn and soybeans, and pretty boring to me. But I can live in Indiana and be in London, Barcelona, Puerto Rico, Thailand, India, Hong Kong, Indonesia…I could be anywhere simply by eating the food. I’m a history and culture nerd, Learning about the origin and story behind a dish is inspiring—thrilling even. A combination of spices can create a portal to a different time, location, or culture, because you are sharing a meal with the people from that place. 

Cooking is a science, and it is really satisfying to see your creation come together in the kitchen. Sometimes I can start off in a bad mood, and finish in the kitchen happy, my burdens eased by my occupation with something else. I feel sad that cooking is slowly becoming a lost art in this generation, because so many miss out on this connection to another culture. 

I feel as if one of the coolest things about America is the ability to tour a city and find Americanized versions of all different cultures in the form of food. 

Cooking is a way to provide for yourself, a way to ensure your health. The culture around growing, harvesting and cooking your own food is so satisfying because it is a natural desire as humans to provide for oneself (and your family) through food. Food is a strong force for bringing people together, because everyone eats. 

There is a town in the UK known for growing food all over their city, and the community really rallys around this concept. They aim to be a self-sustaining city, growing all the food they eat, and in this day and age that is very ambitious. The issue of food across the globe is without a doubt a pressing one, and growing our own food helps the earth and her population, but on top of all that, preparing that food—That is a door to connecting neighborhoods, cultures, and people. 

Guy Fieri says it better that I do. 

“Cooking is all about people. Food is maybe the only universal thing that really has the power to bring everyone together. No matter what culture, everywhere around the world, people get together to eat.”

That is why I love cooking. That is why I love learning about food. The food you eat builds you, and helps you live a full vibrant life, but it also can connect you to someone else. That is always a good thing. 

What is your favorite thing to eat or cook? Why do you like it?