Are you guilty of going out to a restaurant and ordering the most BASIC item on the menu? I’m not talking your upscale cuisine Ruth’s Chris steaks here. I’m talking foreign, seeking discomfort, not your everyday cuisine, cuisine.
So you’re at a nice Indian restaurant. On the menu, you see the safe section that’s SUPPOSED to be there for CHILDREN, and decide to go with the chicken strips and fries…*Slap*. HOW DARE YOU.
Why? We could’ve easily gone to Chick Fil A homeskillet. But no. Here you are, ordering chicken strips because you’re afraid to try anything new. WHY ARE YOU HERE?!
So many people are afraid of stepping out of their comfort zone. Trying new foods is one of those things that for some reason has people shaking in their boots, hiding under their bed, and rummaging for a night light.
One of my biggest pet peeves is lack of openness. Lack of openness about people, life, and in particular…food.
Don’t get me wrong, if you’re allergic to seafood, have an aversion or have any religious dietary restrictions, I’m not going to get mad that you didn’t order ceviche, salpicon, or Irish blood sausage. The point is that there is so much that life has to offer, and I honestly believe a lot of that life is in the food we experience. There’s literally so much attached to food and cuisine in general. From Culture, to history, memories, and friendship. Those are all the reasons why that French critic from Ratatouille’s memories flashed before his eyes when he ate that soup.
When we decide to step out of our comfort zone, a whole new world opens up. You’re then able to branch out and become open to other new things.
For instance, a friend invites you to their friend’s dinner. Maybe this other friend is Hungarian. Goulash happens to be the main course of the evening. You’ve never tried it, and you’re afraid. Afraid because you’ve never tried it, you don’t know what’s in it, and what could possibly be better than hamburgers, chicken strips and pizza right? -_- You don’t want to be rude, so you’re “forced” to try this new dish that you have no interest in because, let’s face it, it’s new to you.
The moment finally comes. Your plate is served to you nice and warm . The tablecloth is traditional Hungarian decor of flowers and intricate swirls of detail. You grab your shiny, freshly washed and warm utensils that are placed to your right and go in for your first bite. Your eyes close with delight as you chew. A sense of warm, calm, cozy, togetherness comes over you. Now every time you eat goulash you will be reminded of this very moment, and you just might always want goulash now.
Stepping out of our comfort zone allows us to experience the world differently. It allows us to dissect other parts of us that we may have never known to exist. Everyone’s life’s purpose is different. I can’t help but to think that being open equips us in our journey of finding our purpose.
Challenge yourself by starting small. Try a new desert, or a new side dish. Heck we have google, so if a particular dish from a particular restaurant is killing people, please DON’T EAT IT…..Unless you’re my enemy…wait…just kidding…kinda….mayyyybe. 🙃 On the other hand, if something is getting good reviews, go ahead and give it a try. These things shouldn’t be so scary to us now. We have the innanets.
Now go eat.
Food is culture, and we need to listen to it
Robert Irvine