Why I Cook: A Journey of Love, Legacy, and Healing

The Importance of Starting With “Why”

Starting with why grounds everything we do and gives it purpose. It transforms actions from mere tasks into meaningful expressions of who we are and what we believe. When we know our why, we move with intention, resilience, and clarity — and we create not just with skill, but with soul. Whether it’s through food, relationships, or the way we live each day, beginning with why ensures that what we build isn't just successful — it’s significant.

Before I ever picked up a knife or stirred a pot, I understood one simple truth: food is love made visible. It's not about recipes or techniques—it’s about connection. It's about creating something that nourishes not just the body, but the soul. My journey with food was never just about passion; it was about answering a deeper call.

A call that began in the warm embrace of my Nana Agnes’s kitchen…

And a call that deepened in the quiet strength of the woman who brought me into this world: my mother.

Lastly a call that goes beyond time and space my husband.

A Calling Beyond Passion

Food has always been more than a passion for me—it’s a calling. The kind of thing I would do with or without a paycheck, because it connects me to something deeper. Something eternal. My love for food was born in my Nana Agnes’s kitchen. Some of my earliest memories are filled with the comforting aroma of her cooking, the warmth of her home, and the quiet grace with which she transformed the simplest ingredients into something unforgettable.

Nana Agnes: The Heart of It All

Nana Agnes never needed extravagance. With just onions, a few spices, and maybe a handful of herbs, she created meals that wrapped themselves around your heart. They weren’t just dishes; they were love letters, prayers, memories served on a plate. And though I’ve spent years trying, I’ve never quite been able to recreate what she made. Maybe that’s because what she gave us wasn’t just food — it was her. Her love, her strength, her presence.

Cooking with Her Spirit

Now, every time I cook, I carry her with me — in the way I peel garlic, in the way I season without measuring, in the way I believe food should always feel like a warm hug.

This is for her. For Agnes.

For the way she loved us through food, and for the way she showed me what it truly means to feed someone’s soul.

A Dedication: The First Woman Who Ever Knew Me

Before the world even knew I existed, she did.

My mother.

My best friend.

The reason I am who I am.

People have said she spoilt me — and maybe I am a little naughty. But what they don’t see is the unwavering strength it took for her to love me through every season of life. From soothing me as a newborn to standing firm during my teenage storms, to becoming the one person I go to when life gets hard — she has never once wavered.

She knows when I need her before I even say a word. There are moments where I sit in silence, holding in the weight of the day — and my phone rings. It’s her. “Are you okay?” she asks. And she already knows the answer.

She gave up her dreams so I could chase mine. She poured herself into my sister and me with a kind of love that is rare, pure, and fierce. She taught me that strength isn’t loud — it’s in the quiet persistence of showing up, day after day, without applause.

She is the reason I can love the way I do.

She is the reason I create the way I do.

She is why I do what I do.

And “thank you” will never be enough.

The Man Who Changed Everything

And then came him — my husband, my soulmate, my best friend.

The one who walks beside me not just in love, but in purpose. Mek is the kind of man who doesn’t just speak of values — he lives them. He pushes me to be the best version of myself, not through words, but through example. His consistency is quiet, strong, and unwavering — every morning, he shows up, bare feet in the grass, grounding himself, grounding us.

He shows up on the mat too — at Jiu-Jitsu, where discipline and resilience are tested daily. Even on the weekends, he’s there — no excuses, always pushing boundaries. He doesn’t just compete in martial arts; he competes with himself, constantly striving, constantly growing. He leads by example, and honestly, that’s the greatest gift a partner can offer: to walk the talk. And he does — with grace, with grit.

Building a Foundation of Truth

And yes, he does preach — but only after he has lived it. Whether in deep, unfiltered conversations about life, or in long, wandering drives filled with laughter and dreams, our connection was never built on fluff. What I cherish most is how fiercely real we are with each other — how every word is rooted in truth, every silence filled with understanding, every moment an invitation to grow. Love exists between us, yes — but what lifts it higher is the space we give each other: to wonder, to question, to be.

How Food Became Our Shared Purpose

Living the Truth, Together

Mek, you’re constantly evolving—from pushing through your writing, to never skipping your weekly grind at Jiu Jitsu, or making up for missed sessions with grit at home. From nourishing your body with intention, meditating, to engaging in tough, necessary conversations about financial independence—you are living your truth, and it inspires me daily.

From Passion to Intention

That’s why this journey — my journey with food — began to shift. I was always passionate about cooking. But you, Mek, opened my eyes to the why behind it. You taught me that our bodies are temples, that where our food comes from matters — that the hands that grow it, the soil that nurtures it, the seasons it weathers — all of it is sacred.

A Shared Vision of Healing

From the food we eat to the utensils we cook with, from eliminating plastic to honoring the energy of what we put into our bodies — you led us here. And I thank you. Because now, food isn’t just my calling — it’s our purpose. A shared belief that healing begins at home. That nourishment is more than just flavor — it’s intention, it’s love, it’s care.

You make me better, every single day. And through every meal I create, I try to reflect that love back into the world.

Coming Full Circle: Food as Love, Purpose, and Legacy

This journey, born in my Nana’s kitchen… strengthened by the sacrifice and unconditional love of my mother… and refined through the truth and devotion of my husband… has never been just about cooking.

It’s about legacy.

It’s about healing.

It’s about honoring where we come from, living with intention, and choosing — every day — to nourish not just hunger, but spirit, community, and home.

Through every meal I create, I’m not just feeding bodies — I’m feeding memories, hopes, and the quiet, powerful belief that healing always begins at home.

This is why I cook.

This is why I love.

This is why I serve.

Because food, when made with love, is the bridge between who we are, who we were, and who we are called to become.