Ok. I’m not going to lie. The Chef-y spoon looks good with the AM & PM Beverage Set and after some thought, it seemed unfair to craft wooden spoons for “drink” people and leave out my crowd of culinary friends. Home cooks, galley stewards, and gourmet chefs, this spoon is for you! For everyone else, let me introduce you to the spoon of spoons and the self-care reminders embedded in its use.
If you didn’t know, a Chef Spoon is a thing. It’s akin to the pen-in-the-pocket of the business world. A chef spoon is that equivalent for the culinary world. It’s a spoon you carry on your person, and its star quality, comes from its versatility. It can be used for tasting, cooking, plating or serving. Think of it as the humble kitchen tool that is always at the ready. A work horse on the line… But there is another reason I like it. All those things represent something more personal and more human. They embody the best parts about life; parts worthy of the reminder that sometimes in the pursuit of wellness, one must first thwart despair to make room for deliciousness. Are you ready?
Tasting, cooking, plating, and serving…
To taste life is like touching joy or pain. It’s a feeling. Something the human condition understands on an innate level. It’s emotional, intuitive, and expressive even if indescribable. But cooking however is physical. It’s our human capacity pushing back on the conditions of our environment meaning we, as living beings, can physically change space and circumstance through action. If I don’t stir the pot, the sauce is going to thicken and burn… Cooking is a conscious reminder that we have the ability to be change. The act of serving then brings us to the precipice of that change. (I know I skipped plating but bear with me.) Being of service is defined by having a sense of purpose and when you know you can make a difference, you become empowered by having a choice. That choice positions us on the forefront of decisions which directly influence those around us. One’s contribution is an amplification of personal efficacy, impacting immediate spaces and corroborating oneself as a source of spread whether it’s love, hate, or even a virus. So frequently we forget this, as I think at times we identify as far removed from “mattering”. We give up and settle on the default version of ourselves and never stop to think about how personal initiative (or lack there of) affects the well-being of both individual and community. We are connected you and I, even if only by a ripple, but a ripple nonetheless, and not to be ignored. Lastly, let’s go back to plating. This is the creative genius of your will to choose… Plating for a chef is the vision of spirit. It’s the manifestation of an idea come to life. It’s the bloom, the fruit of all fertilizer, the nurture that we can define as self-care. What’s on the plate is a series of choices and personal agency that collectively represent one’s commitment to “caring”. It’s the f#cks you have to give or perhaps more frequently, the ones you don’t. The plate is a taste of how you’ve been treating yourself, and indirectly, how you might be treating others . Have you been paying attention? Do you give a care? Why or why not? What’s driving your behavior?
This post is not to imply that everyone needs to be a chef to create good for the world. It’s just a little reminder that everyday life holds opportunities to improve the quality of the one we’re living. Ditch the paper plates and pull out the fine china. Try something different for the sake of curiosity. Dive into the details of everyday things and you might awaken yourself to a new sense of purpose; adding flavor to an otherwise bland landscape. It is said that we eat with our eyes but how many moments pass in as bland or bitter? How much of our lives taste processed or mundane? A settling for the status quo… a life without spice…
But satisfaction doesn’t come from lavishness. I think it comes by connecting with our human experience… recognizing we are the source of creativity, and to truly understand that, means we can change whatever task lies ahead. I wonder sometimes if it’s not that we feel powerless to take things on, but rather we just don’t have a clear vision for ourselves so we don’t understand how to tackle our wants, fulfill our desires, and adjust the setting on our primal default. The overwhelm of things gives way to inaction, and powerlessness is one of the fruits. What I like about cooking is I get to explore those things. I can taste the fruit. Add some sugar until it begins to taste sweet. Satisfying cravings is my adventure sport where I get to know the depths of my complacency. I can develop recipes for the areas where my life is lacking, and cater to both moments of nourishment and flavor. Being able to provide myself the right mix of ingredients satiates the discontent. It helps quell the frustrations, expectations, and projections of life tasting less than delicious. It’s also the drive that keeps me following curiosity. Instead of finding fault on the menu, I remember I can creating my own. I can cook my own meals, plating them, and even serving them so those around me can get a taste of my recipe, my version, my vision for a good life. It’s not a force feeding. There’s no need for a food fight. It’s just a reminder that kindness is merely at hand, and a chef spoon helps me extend it. It’s a humble spoon, but one of utility that graciously enables care.
I thought my thing was food. I thought pursuing a culinary career was the passion that would ignite my inner spirit and keep me safe from episodes of despair. Unfortunately it has not, and I visit depression just like many of you likely do. But what pulls me out of those periods isn’t my job, or my partner, or exotic travels you may have seen on my socials. Those are all great distractions for alleviating my mental health for a time but the thing that sustains in the long-term is art. Carving spoons is creative, as is the plating of my meals, or the pressing of flowers, or baking bread. These joys all began as small wonders that I’ve been chasing ever since. It’s been a journey of self-discovery that started with humble beginnings. I would never have believed you if you told me 10 years ago I’d swap my love of food, for a love of utensils but here we are… And it’s not a swap really. It’s an extension. One I enjoy sharing with you, because it fills me with purpose. I no doubt believe you too have something worth sharing even if you don’t feel it yet. I also believe it remains important that you find. We need that thing. We need it for the both of us. I want kindness to ripple cause I know with it carries a tide of wellness… So go explore and get curious. You’ll find it. Go on now. Get!
