A shared meal binds people together

Food is more than survival. With it, we make friends, court lovers, and count our blessings.

The sharing of food has always been part of the human story.

“To break bread together,” a phrase as old as the Bible, captures the power of a meal to forge relationships, bury anger, provoke laughter.

Children make mud pies, have tea parties, trade snacks to make friends, and mimic the rituals of adults.

They celebrate with sweets from the time of their first birthday, and the association of food with love will continue throughout life—and in some belief systems, into the afterlife.

We share to show we care:

Food is one of the most powerful connective tools we have. We build our bonds with friends and family over dinners, we go to restaurants on dates, we prepare food for others and with others. Even when we’re cooking and eating alone, food still connects us to the world. Whether it’s a particular meal that reminds us of home comforts, or simply sustenance to get us through the day, food is never meaningless.

We prepare the food, we serve it, we eat it and we share it.
The art of sharing food is something that everyone enjoys.
The art of sharing food is seen everywhere.
In the school, offices, buses, parks, restaurants, while walking, while talking, everywhere means everywhere.
Sharing food repays pleasure which is something to be proud of. Sharing the food with your fellows creates a relationship of trust and responsibility.
We share because we can. We share to show we care. We share to build trust. The art of sharing is a wonderful one.
And when it is about sharing food, it is the best thing to be shared.
The art of sharing food comes from the spirit of sacrificing. I remember my hostel days when we used to share everything. In college or school, we used to exchange and share our food. Those were really wonderful and memorable days.

Every crisis brings an opportunity:

As the coronavirus outbreak spreads, restaurants across the country are shutting down indefinitely, whether mandated by the government or proactively closing in an effort to contain the virus. As we get closer to a year of COVID-19’s submission hold on the world, we do what we can to retain whatever bit of pre-pandemic normalcy we can. One important relationship that has risen to the spotlight is our connection with food.

One glance at social media will be a revelation as to what it is. Many have given life to the dormant culinary expertise vein in their right brain and have become explorers in their kitchens. So, if cycling tracks in the city are crowded, then so are the grocery shops catering to many fancy orders from home chefs. From Indian to continental, Asian to American, it is a tempting spread.

Enjoy the process of cooking and reconnect with your loved ones over good food.

As dining out is not a viable option at the moment, eating in isolation has taken on special significance for some. Hundreds of foodies, inspired and most likely bored in quarantine, created social media pages where they shared daily meals and recipes for hungry followers.

The physical circumstances of the pandemic necessitate physical isolation of individuals, requests for food are common with increased job loss and an even greater lack of accessibility for immunocompromised people, access to basic resources is essential. While there’s an initiative being taken by individuals to provide food access outside of the charity model, many referrals are still being made for food banks and food drops.

The kitchen is your space to be creative and productive:

There are plenty of people who make most or all of their meals at home for pleasure, necessity, or habit, but many of us rely on restaurant, deli, gas station, store-bought, readymade, or some other kind of convenience food for at least a portion of our daily sustenance. That’s not always a safe or easy option these days. Granted, neither is grocery shopping or even access to ingredients, but you’ve got to get sustenance into your body somehow, so to the kitchen you go.

Home kitchens are becoming an International laboratory”.

From ultra spicy food to delectable confectionery and southern curries to international cuisines, the culinary culture has become delicious and diverse. Not only in taste but also in the way of cooking, multicuisine showcases the perfect mixture of tradition, culture, and love.

The lockdown came suddenly and people didn’t really have time to shop well. Also, a lot of folks don’t have experience in cooking and live on take-outs. It’s hard for them to suddenly turn pro.

So many followed this way of helping a bit. They started a thread running on Instagram and Twitter where they ask people to share what they have in their pantry and gave them ideas and recipes based on the things in their pantries.

A lot of people are also relying on home cooking because food delivery is also seen as a risk. People started looking for easy-to-make dishes, one-pot, or those requiring minimal clean-up, using basic ingredients which are either in the pantry or easily available at nearby grocery stores.

Some treats such as bakes and snacks are also appreciated as the entire family is home all day and invariably kids are always hungry. People started posting their daily cooking menus on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook as they believe it helps inspire people to cook at home.

Celebrate life around the joy of cooking and eating together:

The pandemic has inspired many to explore their inherent talents, passions, and interests, which they may have otherwise accepted as routine. During the lockdown, the family’s constant demand for more variety motivated many to document their cooking experiments in the kitchen, which is how to make home-cooked meals look exotic and taste amazing.

A couple of weeks into the lockdown, many people found themselves seeking solace in their kitchen, trying new recipes, and recreating old favorites.
They even find joy in setting up a mini feast for their family. Compliments from friends, virtual ones, encouragement from family inspired many to develop their own brand of recipes and luxury home dining spaces.
Many of these home cooks use only the best ingredients and offer dishes that would want those in their own home to enjoy.
All dishes are created from scratch in small batches, using fresh and seasonal produce.
Most dishes have a fusion element that will satisfy the taste buds of all foodies.
Safety and hygiene are followed, and some offer delivery through their family staff, with a special area for takeaways.

And it became evident during the lockdown that a lot of businesses would have to shift from dine-in to delivery.

One home chef commented the nationwide lockdown meant a reduced workload; and since the family was home, the focus shifted to food. “Everyone in my family is a foodie, so every day we were experimenting with different cuisines and dishes. It was then my husband suggested that I can start delivering food in the neighborhood, and when I floated the idea on a residents’ WhatsApp group, I was flooded with orders!”

Anybody can make you enjoy the first bite of a dish, but only a real chef -’ The Home chef’ now- can make you enjoy the last. The preparation of good food is merely another expression of art, one of the joys of civilized living”.So,” Let’s share and care.”