Foodie for Life

The way I talk about food... you'd think I would be an obese man or the head of a food show. To me, food is edible art. Art is subjective. Some love it and some hate it, but (like snowflakes) no opinion is the same. Every holiday that the cooking falls on me, my mom says I should have been a chef. Whether or not that is true, cooking will always be a hobby that brings me so much happiness. I always joke saying that the cooking channels are my husband, boyfriend, and bae. It has progressed into food porn for me. Don’t let Little Debbie, Hostess, or Godiva come out with new snacks without notifying me first… trouble, trouble. Listening to me now, you don’t believe I’m a buck and some change, do you? (Shout out to the 2003 DHS Big Boy clique who made me an honorary member *insider*)

Still, there is something truly special about people who were able to use their talents to create works of art that is edible. I have friends such as Savor V that have made a living off of food/desserts, and I will support them in any way that I can. Yet, for me, this will continue to be the best hobby ever.

Chef Kocoa: It all started as an inside joke by my college roommate that I can make anything taste good (even Ramen). Over the years, I've kept experimenting in the kitchen. I use the moniker #chefKocoa whenever I stray from the original recipe to create my version of it. I have always loved food, but I was choosy on the presentation. If it looked like art, I'd love it and was eager to try it. If not, I didn't. Therefore, I had to teach myself (well my BFF, the cooking channel, and I). That's when I discovered my first and favorite hobby: cooking. I never fix anything the same way twice. Not because of vanity, but most of the time I am cooking on the fly and don't remember. Usually around the holidays is when I reserve making dishes from scratch, and my mom always requests this or that I made last time. I tell her I can’t, but I can make it similar. The reason for this is I cook on-the-fly mostly because I use whatever is available at the time or I don’t remember exactly how I did it last time (and have a habit of not writing things down).

I have toyed with the idea of becoming a caterer or going to culinary school to become a chef. In the end, not every hobby should become a career and I doubt I’d love it the same as I do now. If I’m in a cooking mood or it’s a special occasion, #chefKocoa is definitely on the menu.

I am the type of person who appreciates local chefs. Cooking is a craft that not everyone possesses. Thus, whenever I travel (or have a staycation), I try a new mom-n-pop restaurant. I have learned so much about people and their culture by trying new places. That being said, I do have favorite chain restaurants also. Specifically, when I am in an area I'm unfamiliar and I don't have access to transportation (I have a thing about ride-sharing but that's a topic for another day) I will visit one of my top ten chain restaurants. I have ten since many of them haven’t crossed over into some states/countries.

When I was a child, mom always told me to try new things because I'll never know unless I try. Just as I have a travel bucket list, I also have a wish list of restaurants I would like to try. Events such as Taste of Chicago, State Fair of Texas, and others have also made it on the list and throughout the years, I seem to continuously add onto that list. I believe I have six pages of this list now. So, what does that mean for me? Time to start eating! Are there any restaurants or events that you think I should try?

What are some of your favorite edible art, and why is it your favorite?