I am a professional therapist and coach running a successful private practice in Kent.
Many years ago I trained as a chef and I have always been passionate about food. In fact, I am never happier than spending time in the kitchen creating something tasty to share with friends and family. I even enjoy the washing up.
My interest in food began, as many peoples does, from sitting at the kitchen table watching my mother. It’s a tragedy that society has changed to such an extent that many children probably observe nothing but plastic trays emerging from the microwave assuming they were to sit with their parents in the kitchen. This is unfortunate both nutritionally but also because the impact it has on our sense of wellbeing and emotional balance is significant.
The joy that I can derive from baking bread, making a cake, experimenting with strange ingredients, creating a curry from scratch, browsing the farmers market, demonstrating my thriftiness by using the cheaper and tastier cuts of meat and deciding, because I can, that I will eat a meat free diet this week is enormous. A little confidence and knowledge in the kitchen goes an awfully long way, and it doesn’t need to take a long time or be complicated unless you want it to
I think my children have benefited greatly from my enthusiasm and have developed an adventurous and confident way in the kitchen. Its such a treat to be able to cook with them because we are not only making something good to eat but we are spending time together chatting and extending our understanding of one another as we get older. These are benefits that endure long after the last morsel has been scooped up greedily from the plate. These are lifetime moments that make me happier, healthier and more balanced, giving me an ever increasing enthusiasm and zest for this one sweet life that we have.
I hope you find inspiration here. I’ll leave you with a food face I made on a magical songwriting workshop in Derbyshire some years ago. Good food, above all, is fun.
