Gastronomy
Food may be the key to reconcile nature and culture
Our food choices matter, they can make a difference on our planet.
Human beings have created in culture a form of transcendence. Heritage speaks of our history over time and expresses identity, desires, and fears. This happens in art, literature, and, most importantly, in gastronomy.
People gather around food. The way we come together to break bread tells a story that is narrated in the dishes we prepare. The ingredients of each plate tell us about a land and its peculiarities; the way we cook tells us about our social context. Through food, one can know the secrets of a culture that would not otherwise be revealed.
Gastronomic tradition is part of our essence; one of those unchanging elements of who we are. However, it is time to think about our diet in a broader context, as the decisions we make about food will play a key part in maintaining the delicate balance with our planet.
The daily choices we make around food have important environmental, economic, and social impacts. Every bite is the result of processes that have far-reaching consequences, sometimes much larger than we realize. Maybe that fruit traveled thousands of miles to be on your plate. Maybe that seed carries the knowledge of a hundred generations. Maybe that produce was grown using an amount of resources you hadn’t even imagined.
Make better food choices
We must become more conscious about what we eat. Picking seasonal ingredients puts less stress on the land and allows us to understand natural cycles upon which we depend. Moreover, supporting local producers becomes an act of respect towards people and their culture.
Kin Toh, AZULIK’s flagship restaurant, aims to live by that philosophy. Every dish is made with fresh local ingredients, sourced from producers in the Yucatan Peninsula and other parts of Mexico. The closer, the better. Its gastronomic proposal encourages consumption of traditional foods and invites us to better appreciate what we put on our plate.
At the same time, it gives one of the world’s richest culinary patrimonies its rightful value. Mexican cuisine is globally regarded as one of the most vibrant on the planet. To honor that abundance, Kin Toh serves a seasonal menu that uses Mayan elements.
What we eat matters. It is part of who we are and how we relate to the world around us. Food carries our history and is an opportunity to make smarter, kinder choices towards the future.
