Many years back, I started chronicling my food adventures not expecting much.
Over those years, as I’ve spent time reflecting on these meals and producing videos, pictures, and reviews, I’ve become acutely aware of the role food plays in our lives, not just to nourish the body… but also to nourish the spirit.
There are many in the world crafting nourishing food that often get missed, including their mission in the world. The last few years I’ve gradually been highlighting the places that I feel have restored my mind and spirit.
In a way, I’ve given thanks to a heritage that dates back to one of my grandmothers making marzipan as well as turnovers filled with rich spinach and feta and another making foods like stuffed peppers and various Bulgarian goodies whenever she visited.
This Labor Day, I produced a YouTube video of me smoking pasture raised meat from a local farm specializing in ethical and sustainably raised cattle. A place dedicated to nourish the Earth, the soil, and the microbiome of their farm. It gained 10,000 views. While my food pictures and videos have gained over 3.5 million views on Google Maps. These number shook me a bit. My passion is getting noticed… a heritage found deep within is being expressed and seen in ways I did not expect.
It is in this observation of self, both externally and internally, that we really discover who we are as people.
In this discovery of self, I have focused on providing visibility of restaurants and farms that have brought to the world a glimmer of beauty that can go unnoticed by the world.
As Jung said, “The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are.” This journey is taken not alone, but by people that we share in hope.
