Thoughtfully Made – A Food Philosophy during COVID

In a time where everything is changing, we challenge you to reflect on what it means to welcome change in the kitchen and nourish your body from the roots up. 

I’m not sure if it’s the worried glances hanging on every face or the faint scent of latex gloves trailing in the air that reminds us everyday we’re living through a pandemic. It’s a strange world in strange times and so many of us are trying to stop the strangeness at the door, being careful to not let it into our homes. What if we considered though, just for a minute, how to nourish ourselves in the presence of strangeness – to open the door and mingle with the foreign?

Food brings us comfort, reassurance, and endorphin-inducing joy because of its certainty in our lives. We structure our days around 3 meals, each of them being a pit stop during our busy days. It’s important that we fuel up so that we can get on with the rest of our day. Now more than ever, when we’re confined within our homes, we cook because we have to, bake because it’s a good time killer, and then move on to find another activity to fill the hours. 

Now a question for you: what guides your decisions about food and what to make? Often, we fall back on convenience, comfort, and ease. We consume food so that we can gain energy, so why should we expend energy to consume food? 

Well…there’s more to food than meets the eye. Think about a time you prepared a dish for someone you love. That hushed excitement that makes your heart tremble when you present your creation. That elated smile when they take the first bite and the trepidation you feel as you await their response. These feelings are the fruits of a dish thoughtfully made. Connection, chemistry, character, and culture – these elements are easily whisked away when we crave comfort and convenience. Yet those 4C’s are the very elements that breathe life into our souls and inspire us to continue using our hands to love ourselves and others.

So what’s this all to say? In the time of COVID, when everything is changing and nothing seems constant, take yourself back to the art of thoughtful preparation. Our bodies and minds are used to surviving in our comfort zone, but maybe you’ll find they’ll thrive the minute you venture out. Dive into flavours and ingredients that you are less comfortable experimenting with. Or try a cuisine you’ve never given a fair chance. Revive your cultural connections to a certain dish and form connections from afar with people who you remember through food. Define your own food boundaries and go one step past them in each direction. 

Here at Visionary, we can’t wait to be back in our kitchens full time doing just that for our clients and Calgary community. But for now, we ask that you take over the reigns and carry on. Consider this time as an opportunity to greet new experiences and before you know it Visionary will be back. Happy cooking friends!

For over 15 years, Visionary Catering has been catering to Calgary’s downtown corporate community as well as catering events. Contact Visionary to bring your function to the next level.

Email: order@visionarycatering.com

Phone: 403-264-7447