Food 4 Thought
Last week I had the pleasure of speaking alongside fellow 'Iolani alums who are legendary rockstars of the local food movement. To prepare for the panel I read (actually listened to on Audible) "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan, which the 7th graders now read for their English class. In the book, Pollan investigates the environmental and animal welfare effects of various food choices because as omnivores, humans have a variety of food choices. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to all!
Sitting next to me above is Chef Robynne Maii ’92, a James Beard Award winner and co-owner of Fête, where she is challenging the status quo in her industry by truly nurturing and prioritizing the community. Fête is currently our largest restaurant account! Next to Chef Robynne is David Wong ’60, the owner of Mountain View Farms in Waiʻanae, where he uses sustainable and regenerative natural farming techniques with his produce and livestock. This was my first time meeting David and he is a such a wealth of knowledge and inspiration!
Here are several takeaways from the panel, which was led by students' questions (thank you Dr. Cottrell for the summary notes):
Ms. Miyaoka framed the priorities, “I think we should all have access to healthy food; it’s a human right.” “Food connects with everything,” from one’s culture, spirituality, and identity, to our relationships and values, to politics and a sustainable Earth.
Chef Maii runs her restaurant like a family, with “a level foundation of respect, kindness, and a generosity of spirit.” Only with this harmony and by “taking care of the house first,” do they invite everyone in for a truly special experience.
“In discussing Food 4 Thought, how do you define happiness?” Mr. Wong asked us to consider why the U.S. leads the world in the prevalence of chronic diseases, despite having an abundance of choices, including technical and medical innovations. At the heart of his work is a commitment to microbial systems in the soil as the source of all life.
"Food 4 Thought is the first step in . . . chang[ing] the trendline” of the US leading the world in the prevalence of chronic disease, as Mr. Wong asserted. What responsibility do we all have to improve the health and wellness of our generation and the ones to come?
Vote with your dollars for producers of local, healthy food. Advocate for institutional commitment to “buy local” and promote this statewide.
Recognize that the government has a strong hold over our access to food and influences the choices we make, but we can and should take the time to make informed, responsible decisions that are better for our health and our community.
Figure out what you want to study to change the world, but in the meantime, stop eating processed foods! Start eating more whole foods - value the love and time that go into making food for your friends, family, & self.