The One where I introduce GN and myself...
"Food is our common ground, a universal experience."
- James Beard
Our story as the human race is told in our food. Whether the dish is simple or complex, in our food is written the history of people you may never meet, and places you may never go. Even up to less than a century ago, our ancestors knew and lived this cycle intimately, fully understanding from where their food came, and not only who produced it, but especially who turned it into something they would eventually eat.
Today, that great cycle is broken. In this cycle, something that lived — in the ground or in the air, from the land or in the sea — was harvested, raised, or caught by someone before someone made it into the food we all need and literally hunger for on a daily basis. And in our ever busy and digitally connected lives, we find ourselves completely disconnected from one of the most important decisions you will make multiple times every single day: what are you going to eat?
Answering this question and hopefully mending our collective gaps around what we eat is the core reason why I wanted to finally bring Gastronomist Noir into existence. I feel that it is important for each of us to become better acquainted with every aspect of what we eat, from how it’s cultivated and prepared, to the various influences shaping what ends up on our plates. But I especially want us to know and respect the people who take the time to put their energy and hearts into committing themselves, day in and day out, to do their part in that cycle.
But before I tell those stories, it’s only fair that I share my own…
My story with food is a lifelong love affair that was birthed from the lived experiences of my family. My earliest memories are centered around food, and people gathering together in its preparation and shared enjoyment around the table. From my mother — an experienced cook who could make a meal from anything she had on hand — to my father — a USDA inspector who at times took me to work — I learned to appreciate on an intimate level how our food goes from field, farm, or ocean to our table.
Through that lived experience, I learned to appreciate food as more than just sustenance. In a world where we are so fractured and scattered, separated by not only distance but in our very identities, as James Beard observed it’s food that unites and binds us together. In a time where the story of food is being told in 30-second shorts with quick cuts and an emphasis on the visual, I fear we are missing the most important thing: the actual stories.
Sharing these stories with you is why I have started this blog. I hope that, like me, you have a thirst of knowledge. Food — if you allow it — can be an excellent instructor. The places that will be featured here are ones that I believe are worth your time, and that I hope inspires your curiosity to one day consider visiting.
My friends, I humbly thank you for making it this far in getting acquainted with me and my personal passion. I hope that the future courses that I share with you will be entertaining, thought-provoking, and — like a good meal — leave you fulfilled for having experienced it and possibly wanting.