The plate is amongst one of the places that has greatly aided me in realizing the power of capturing a moment. This is something that would not have been possible without the Local Guides program that has assisted me significantly in improving my photography skills while making food the primary and secondary subject, and the power that a delicious meal has in bringing people together. It has been quite a fortunate experience for me to be able to build friendships with people from various parts of the world such as Netherlands, Nigeria, France, Thailand and the USA amongst many others. Capturing these moments helps me appreciate the important roles played by the staff in the hospitality industry, all around the world, from the waiters, to the chefs, to the service providers, without whom we would have very limited options.
Quite often, I approach having a meal, alone or with friends, as a culinary adventure and this has given me the courage to confidently say āIām chopping lifeā, which is a common West African colloquial way of meaning āIām enjoying a mealā, āIām living wellā, or āIām enjoying life creativelyā, and then sharing the intimacy of my experiences with the local communities via the platform Google has provided.
Having a job that facilitates my travels around the world, with layovers of between 24-72 hours, I appreciate how lucky I am, and it humbles me how dynamic yet similar we are as humans, how connected we are, and, during this time where we are practicing social distancing, we get to realize what we have taken for granted.
It would be difficult to continue this application without reference to the current pandemic caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19), and at this moment we really are running out of adjectives to describe the current state the world is in. According to Elbert Hubbard, āFreedom cannot be bestowed; it must be achievedā. This is significant now more than ever, since we seem to have been deprived of our most basic freedoms by an invisible opponent.
Having said this, the e-mails I receive on a monthly basis, about the places Iāve visited, keep me motivated and remind me of how significant the contributions I make are, to the local communities, and in helping locals and tourists discover interesting places to visit, which in turn helps them in making informed decisions.
In summation, I remember my last photo-worthy meal on the 21st of March, an Angus beef patty, au point, with French fries, during my extended stay at Residhome Apparthotel in Paris. I had to collect it from the restaurant downstairs on a tray, quite impersonal. I think about the life I once took for granted and when it will ever return.
#honeyanddough #thaitofu #white quinoa with tofu and green peppers
