Wine Expo Food Demo

I had the pleasure to assist Chef Marc Orfaly of Pigalle at a food demo at the Boston Wine Expo. I've been thinking about the passing of knowledge and food traditions (or the lack there of!) Gone are the days of passing knowledge generation to generation and chef's are celebrities. The knowledge of a chef seems to be more a novelty than a tradition. I watched a couple other chefs demonstrate dishes from their prestigious restaurants in Boston, and it got me thinking. Cooking is very much about prestige. The prestige of one person cooking food to present to another. I realize I do it myself when cooking dinner for friends. There are so many dynamics when it comes to people and food. I was watching a NASA show about space missions to Mars tonight and they were discussing the space packaged dehydrated food that astronauts would have to eat for up to three years on a mission. More interestingly they talked about how important it was to the astronauts to share meals together even though they were coming from little dehydrated packages and how this social dynamic plays such a large role in how humans relate together. So what is it exactly that bonds us together over food when its not communal preparation or lusciously tasty food? What are the factors? What is it about people and food that creates such a dynamic relationship past sustenance. The astronauts said the control of pleaure....something to think about....