Teach a Man to Fish

So many times I'm asked why I don't cook for other people by providing lunches or meals.....that sort of thing. I guess I'm asked that question because prehaps it looks like preparing and cooking good, healthy, fresh foods is easy for me and I obviously love to do it! But there's so many reasons why I'm smart enough to know that it just doesn't work, and not just from a financial standpoint, it just doesn't pay enough for the work involved, so what are some other reasons?

First of all, I have the highest respect for food professionals, and I can't compare myself to those who are truly trained, talented and sacrifice working so long and hard to do work that most people should be doing for themselves and their families. The food business has got to be one of the hardest businesses to succeed at. Long hours, labor intensive, little pay, especially in the beginning, and not alot of respect until recent interest in gourmet cooking.

(The picture above was taken in Feb. 2008, at Jill's house, during a cooking class I organized when Fawn was visiting and staying with me for the Feb. Cert in San Jose.)

But this is why I believe teaching someone how to prepare and cook is so much more important than doing it for them.

One of my KB clients was thinking about scheduling a 4:00pm workout, but would be coming straight from a business trip and wouldn't have time to get a meal ready to eat after the workout(a healthy meal!), so I offered to bring her dinner that day if she did her workout! I brought her a my Curry Cabbage Salad with Chicken, because I haven't met one person that didn't like it, and in fact she loved it! She was surprised because she didn't think she liked raw cabbage that much, she told me that she could tell the salad was fresh because the cabbage didn't taste old and bitter (I had never heard that before , but that was her experience). She also told me that she wanted the recipe and would have her nanny/housekeeper make it for her!

I told her that she had to do it herself! Why? Because doing it yourself gives you more than just knowing the ingredients. Working with food gives you an understanding of it. You learn technique, order, flavor, that also helps a great deal when ordering out.....I'm usually the one at the table explaining the menu......what and how foods are prepared. But most importantly, by practicing yourself, you learn ease about food and cooking. Ease is what comes with practice. Ease is the place you need to get to, and once you're there, you will prefer to make your own food.....truly! And since you have to eat for the rest of your life, don't you think you should learn how to feed yourself?

Over the past few years, I've held the hand of many a friend in the kitchen. I've literally, shopped, chopped, and cooked alongside them, in their own kitchens to demonstrate how it can become easy and rewarding to eat at home.....in fact better than eating out. Last year when I was at my friend Jills house teaching her and another friend some of my recipes and techniques, I told Jill that I wouldn't care if I ever at out, in fact I would prefer to never eat out, she was blown away by that statement and couldn't believe it....until now! She told me herself that she can't even eat at places like Chevy's, Applebee's, certainly not Taco Bell or Mc Donald's anymore because she knows that food is crap! And besides her food tastes better! Gee......I wonder where I've heard that before.....?

Everytime I look over at my friend Jamie eating her lunch at work that she made herself I know I helped her do that! When I see co-workers with their 'apple' for a snack instead of chips or a burrito from theTaqueria next door, I know I helped set an example. When my friend Jen writes on her blog that she's been 'rockin' the pressure cooker', I know I showed her how. Everytime my friend Cathy makes meatloaf for her family, and cooks a homemade dinner for her husband and kids I know I supported and encouraged her. And when I get comments on my blog about someone being inspired to try something new, it inspires me to keep teaching, preaching, and showing, by my own example. But when Jill told me that she prefers to eat her own food, instead of eating out, that was the ultimate!

Doing for someone is not the same as teaching them to do for themselves. As I share my knowledge, my knowledge grows. Knowledge is power and practicing your knowledge empowering. That's why I will always "teach a man to fish".

My life is so stinkin' good, and such a miracle....truly.