A note from the editor,
I believe there is something so personal about sharing a meal with someone else. You are taking time out of your day, precious time, to sit and share a moment together. Eating is a vulnerable act. It is not typically a time when you look your best, unless I am doing something wrong. Eating can be messy, animalistic. You are letting someone see a truly primal side of you, while also trying to learn more about each other.
Maybe that is an overexaggeration. Whatever the case, I still believe sharing a meal can be deeply vulnerable and intimate. Some of my most profound conversations with my friends have been over a meal.
That is why I am writing this blog. I have been a fan of cooking shows my entire life. I am a frequent user of Yelp. I log every restaurant I eat at on Beli. All of this to say, I don’t think we talk enough about the emotional side of cuisine. There are very objective ways to discuss eating, very analytical ways to critique food, but I do not think we talk enough about the experience of sharing a meal.
I am interested in those experiences. What is it about grabbing dinner with my friends after a long week at school that replenishes me? What is it about ordering takeout Chinese and watching a movie at home with my family that nourishes me? Why is it that when I think back to these experiences I have had, I don’t remember the quality of the food as much as I remember the conversations and emotions I was feeling?
I believe that food is deeply important to the makeup of our relationships, and we do not talk about it enough. Maybe it is just me, and this blog is a service only to myself. Who’s to say? But I do believe that this will resonate with someone other than myself. We all need to eat, why not have some fun with it?
Tastefully,
Gillian McCready
About the Author
Gillian McCready is a senior Theatre Arts major with a Certificate in Disability Justice, Rights, and Policy with the goal of making Theatre more inclusive for all. She deeply values connection with others and believes that bonding over a meal is a great way to do so! She is forever influenced by her strong love of the Food Network.
Read more on the Honors Blog.
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