Anyone who knows me understands just how much I love food. Good cuisine is nice, but bad dishes are sometimes even better! Anything from dining out with friends to ordering in on a lonely evening gets me excited to try new things.

But another thing people know about me is that I absolutely hate to cook!

It’s not that I don’t appreciate it, but I just find it too stressful, creative, and consuming. I leave it to close family and friends to explore a kitchen on my behalf. I’ll enjoy some time operating a BBQ, but my expertise stops there.

But there’s so much more to food than just mealtime. It can offer insight into someone’s heart, mind, and heritage. It can form a community and connect with culture. I wanted to speak with someone who truly understood this.

This week, I spoke with Maricel Gentile. In this episode, she shares her journey from growing up in the Philippines to becoming a celebrated chef and culinary educator in the United States.

She can claim to be Hulu’s Recipe Rumble Holiday Champion as well as the author of Maricel’s Simply Asian Cookbook. Over the years, she has also appeared on Food Network and PBS, and served as a Chef Ambassador for Korea’s Ministry of Fisheries (K-Seafood).

In our conversation, we discussed the deep connections between food, culture, and personal history, emphasizing how her grandmother's influence shaped her passion for cooking. Maricel highlights the uniqueness of Filipino cuisine, her decision to leave a corporate career to pursue her culinary dreams, and the recognition she has received in the food industry. We then discuss the role of food in building community and preserving cultural identity.

Some takeaways include:

* How food encompasses migration, parenthood, and belonging.

* Simplicity in cooking can lead to better dishes.

* Teaching Filipino cuisine is a way to share culture.

* How food triggers emotional memories.

* Quitting a corporate job can lead to personal fulfillment.

* Cooking can be a bridge between generations.

* How her cookbook can simplify the process of learning Asian cuisine.

Those interested can check out her website or purchase her cookbook, both of which can be found below.

https://maricelskitchen.com/chef-maricel/

https://www.amazon.com/Maricels-Simply-Cookbook-Maricel-Gentile/dp/B0F79Q684C

Follow Maricel on social media:

Get full access to The Spiro Circle at jamesspiro.substack.com/subscribe