.:AROUND THE TABLE:.

Food has always felt like an important part of my life.

Growing up, we didn’t have a lot of money, so eating out was a special occasion. Most meals were prepared at home, and because of that, food never felt ordinary… it felt extremely meaningful.

Some of my favorite memories are rooted in the kitchen...

I remember the meals my parents made, and the familiar comfort of walking into my grandparents’ home where Mexican food seemed like it was almost always being prepared.

There was something deeply reassuring about those moments...

Food meant family, it meant sharing stories and it meant being together.

Looking back, I realize how much of my understanding of care came from watching the women in my life.

My mother, nana, grandmother, tias, and cousins…

All the generations before them…

Watching them cook laid the foundation, but curiosity definitely kept the journey going for me.

Over the years, different seasons of life introduced me to different ways of nourishing myself. One of my biggest lessons in nutrition was when I spent nearly a decade eating an organic, plant based diet before eventually returning to locally sourced meats and regenerative foods. Each chapter taught me something new and deepened my appreciation for where our food comes from and the relationship we have with it.

And perhaps that curiosity towards food is one of the reasons I love exploring new places so much.

If I’m being honest, some of my trips have revolved just as much around food as they have around the places themselves. More often than not, I’m researching local cafés, hidden restaurants, and family-owned spots long before I arrive.

Because food tells stories.

It carries culture.

It connects us to a place and to the people who call it home.

But more than anything, I also love feeding people.

There is something deeply satisfying about preparing a meal and watching someone enjoy it.

A clear plate. A smile…

The quiet joy that comes from knowing someone has been nourished.

To me, a meal communicates so much more than hunger being satisfied.

It communicates comfort. Warmth. Love. Safety. Home…

And connection.

Because connection doesn’t only happen through words.

It happens through the senses.

Through aromas that bring back memories...

Through recipes shared across generations...

Through the sound of conversation around the table...

Through the warmth of a bowl held in your hands...

And through the simple act of sitting down together and sharing time.

Perhaps that is why shared meals matter so much to me…

They remind us to slow down. To linger. To listen. To laugh. To be present with one another…

And maybe that is why food has always been an important part of the dream I hope to build.

Not because I plan to run a restaurant, any time soon…

But because hospitality matters.

Because there is something deeply comforting about arriving somewhere and being welcomed with a warm meal.

I imagine mornings that begin with breakfast and a warm drink or coffee shared slowly.

And evenings that end with nourishing dinners, stories, and tired bodies grateful for the day.

Because some of life’s most meaningful moments happen around a table.

And perhaps one of the simplest ways we can love one another is to ask,

“Are you hungry?”