We asked Cooking Matters Culinary Instructor Christin Jameson, a cook in a local restaurant, how her volunteer experience impacts her professional life. Here’s what she had to say:
While the culinary world is generally deemed the “service industry,” a great deal of the heart behind preparing and serving people ethically-sourced, good food is lost in translation with demands for speed, efficiency and cost effectiveness. Volunteering with Cooking Matters helps to reconnect me with my reasons for pursuing the depths of the culinary world. The opportunity to help teach basic kitchen safety and food nutrition to kids on a weekly basis grounds me; Cooking Matters helps remind me to slow down a little bit and appreciate the way food influences lives. I am blessed and delighted to play a tiny role in cooking-based food education here in St. Louis.
Having experienced 4 different course sessions with kids, teens, and adults, I am reminded the ways in which the culinary world can bring togetherness and dialogue to communities and anyone gathering over food. Because of this, I am exploring ideas of how I can be a more active part of bridging a gap in the food industry where the true meaning of serving others is often absent. I definitely encourage anyone considering volunteering with Operation Food Search or Cooking Matters to come check it out at least once!! It’s fun, but also deeply rewarding.
– Christin Jameson, Cooking Matters Culinary Instructor
