Schools are back in session and the “new leaf” feeling of fall has arrived! For me, this time of year always comes with a bit of nostalgia for the structured school days of yore, though I feel a deep appreciation for our organization’s embrace of continuous learning. One of Vetri Community Partnership’s strategic goals is to be a learning organization – fostering a culture that celebrates curiosity, knowledge sharing, and adapting to meet new challenges.
My answer to the question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” was most often a teacher. Though I was a painfully shy kid (no, seriously!), my teachers provided many opportunities to build confidence, explore new topics, and test out going outside my comfort zone.
I have been so fortunate to learn and be inspired by so many people beyond classroom teachers, including sports coaches, teammates, coworkers, friends, bosses, and many others who were willing to share knowledge. I think about my first job as a line cook at a restaurant at the Jersey Shore and the chef who spent so much time – probably too much – trying to teach me how to properly emulsify the house salad vinaigrette. I never really nailed it, but became very good at trading prep work so that he would make the dressing. As a server, I had a very patient teacher (shoutout to Domingo!) guiding me through the steps of properly frothing milk to make a cappuccino. Each of my Vetri Community Partnership colleagues from 2014 to today has brought experiences and knowledge that have changed my view or added to my understanding of the world.
What a delight it is to remember something that someone taught or shared with you. We become the sum of all of the little tips, tricks, lessons, and skills that we pick up along the way. These memories have reinforced that the learning and idea exchange doesn’t have to stop once you’re out of school.
Our senior and multi-generational community cooking classes are the perfect example of this. While cooking and eating together, neighbors are building connections through food, sharing advice or simply exchanging tidbits about their days. This week, I overheard one of our senior participants excitedly sharing with a pal that she had never heard of lentils, but learned so much about them in her Cooking for Heart Health class. She was thrilled to share that she enjoyed the leftovers of the Lentil Mushroom Bolognese that they prepared in class for dinner.
Several months ago, a colleague recommended a podcast about Frieda Caplan, the woman largely responsible for making the produce section of the grocery store what it is today. When I finally got around to listening this week, I was reminded of the fact that, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, there are more than 7,000 plant species, and perhaps up to 30,000, that are edible for humans. And yet, we eat so few. Only 170 species of plant are cultivated for food at scale and just 12 plant species and five types of animal make up 75% of the world’s food.
There are many benefits for both the planet and for us in humans eating a diverse diet, but it also feels pretty fortunate that we get to continue to taste and explore new to us – or the market – ingredients.
Though I didn’t end up becoming a teacher per se, I think what I really wanted to be was a learner who got to participate in continued knowledge exchange and connecting ideas across topics. When I became a nutrition educator in 2014, I felt like I hit the jackpot. Engaging with youth, learning from them as they explored new or familiar ingredients in new ways, use tools to build skills, and taste what they made. I spent a lot of time reminding participants that it can take up to 12 times trying something before liking it.
Whether enjoying lentils for the first time, trying to like turnips for the 10th time, or exploring your market’s new-to-you variety of squash, I have learned how much wonder and joy can be found through food and cooking. If you made it this far, I hope you have, too!
