Nourishing Connections
We discuss how cooking can build confidence, create connection, and serve as a platform for personal growth. Our conversation also delves into the changing landscape of food quality, the impact of convenience on our relationship with food, and the importance of intuition and simplicity in the kitchen.
Alexlouise shares her unusual journey as a chef, making a convincing case for the value of hands-on experience over formal qualifications. Our chat keeps circling back the joy of cooking and its role in nurturing mindfulness, connection, and a shift in our attitudes towards food, nourishment, and the meaning of life.
An episode brimming with passion and wisdom, shining a light on cooking as more than just a chore, but as a source of joy, growth, and family bonding.
tasty morsels
[00:00:29] The magic memory of milk bread plaits.
[00:05:26] Instinct vs convenience.
[00:08:46] How to get over teenage uncertainty.
[00:12:35] Hands-on experience may seem hard work but is invaluable.
[00:17:00] Cooking gets more efficient through repetition and planning.
[00:22:45] Adapting to the demands of food allergies.
[00:26:48] The versatility of roast chicken dinners.
[00:33:06] Embracing mistakes and overcoming shame.
[00:39:48] How to make time for cooking in a busy schedule.
[00:41:47] Fostering togetherness in the kitchen.
[00:43:47] Cooking can be transformative, if you let it.
the best bit
"And if you go on a journey to learn to cook, it will take you on such a deep soul search if you want it to (...). You're learning a mechanism, assessing what you did, deciding how to do it better next time, and then going back and doing it again, and that can be applied to any area of life."
get cooking
Three ideas for taking action in your own kitchen, inspired by the conversation.
🍅 Invite family and friends - especially children - to join in the cooking process. Involving others in cooking not only creates connection and teaches valuable skills but can also inspire a ripple effect of positive changes brought to life through cooking and sharing food.
🍅 Consider creating a loose meal plan based on seasonal ingredients to inspire your flavours. Being present while cooking and incorporating fresh, seasonal produce can bring fresh excitement to your kitchen experience.
🍅 Reflect on your current perspective of cooking and eating. Consider whether there's a shift needed to see cooking as a central and mindful part of life, rather than a mere chore.
connect with Alexlouise
connect with Katerina
community: Simply Good Food Collective
instagram: @intuitive.cook
youtube: @intuitivecook
additional links
Katerina as a podcast guest on Financial Freedom with Alexlouise (also on Youtube)
Samin Nosrat: Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat
~
Original music by Colin Bass.
About your host
Katerina Pavlakis
Intuitive cook & irreverent kitchen coach
Growing up in 70s Greece, cooking - and eating - at home was simply normal. Shopping at farmers' markets, drooling over recipes, grinding spices, and animated conversation over dinner are some of my fondest memories. This is where I honed my cooking intuition. I'm here to help you find your way back to a simpler, more joyful way of cooking.
To bring intuition into your kitchen too, start here!
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