Food is nourishment.

At its base, food sustains us and gives us energy. We need it to survive, function and thrive. We are the only animal on earth that uses food for other purposes than for the sole purpose of energy. We have evolved over millenia, building societies and settlements around this basic need. Regardless, in its most simple definition, it remains a means for survival.

Food is culture.

Wherever animals exist, they have developed a culture around their need for food and eating habits. Pandas are synonymous with China and bamboo because that is their food source and therefore where they reside. Even the fact that pack animals developed their sense of community is because of the need to hunt and take down large prey to feed the family. We as humans are no different. Where we exist we have made use of our surroundings, using other living organisms to sustain us and often using byproducts for clothing, shelter and food. While these practices are less relevant in the modern age, those traditions still resonate through cuisine.

Food is love.

Offering somebody food for survival is a gesture of love. Giving food to communities and people in need is an act of love. Cooking for your family is an act of love and, in the same vein, so is cooking for strangers.

Chefs often start cooking because of that passion and the satisfaction that feeding people gives them. It is this expression of love that fuels us to do better, be better and push the boundaries.