Food has been and continues to be a necessity of life. It is the fuel that provides the energy to drive our physical and mental performance. It has the power to alter our moods, bring people together and impact our social status. Food, in a word, is life.

Even though food is important for the sustainability of life; the timing, quantity, and quality of what we eat are just as crucial. For clarification, eating until bursting at the seams before bedtime and with disregard for the quality of food intake is probably the worst and most familiar habit people continue to practice. A great meal however, is one that leaves an everlasting impression and evokes the imagination, such as fine art.

“No man fills a vessel worse than his stomach. A few mouthfuls that would suffice to keep his back upright are enough for a man. But if he must eat more, then he should fill one-third (of his stomach) with food, one-third with drink and leave one-third for easy breathing,” (Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him).

Modern day nutritionists advise people to break their three large meals into five; three medium-sized meals and two snacks in between. This will boost the metabolism as the digestive system is always working. Furthermore, blood sugar levels do not suddenly spike up or down, which will either put you to sleep or make you crash respectively.

The quality of food is essential for a healthier lifestyle. The secret to eating healthy is the raw ingredients. A chef once told me, “You cannot make great food without great ingredients.” Let’s take soup for example. Making soup with naturally grown vegetables to enrich it with aromas, in addition to its many health benefits, will pack every bite of the meal with endless explosions of flavors as apposed to store-bought vegetable stock made of inferior products and loaded with salts and preservatives. Store-bought products might taste good but they contribute to many health issues, especially blood-pressure and cholesterol problems.

The ideal time to eat is all the time. Let me explain. Imagine your stomach is a furnace and the food you put in it is wood. Small branches will keep the fire burning but it will need a continuous supply. Large logs will smother the fire and the flame will take a long time to reignite. Hence, eating small bites of food, such as vegetables and fruits, throughout your day and in between small meals will keep you energized.

As a culinary artist, I take every opportunity to make those few mouthfuls of food as flavorful, enjoyable, and full of nutrients as possible. This experience of organic proportions will, in turn, add to the joys of living. The very act of eating a well prepared meal is the most intimate of events because the consumer is not just eating food on a plate, but rather experiencing the creativity, emotions, and feelings that engulf every piece of the aromatic concoctions made by the chef.

As the saying goes “You are what you eat.” What goes in your body will affect your lifestyle and vice-versa. The saying does not stop there; how and when to eat are also factors in forming who you are. Eat well, eat a little, eat always, and enjoy life.

Badr Fayez graduated with a BS in Culinary Arts from Johnson & Wales University. Later, he obtained an MBA in marketing. He has gained first hand experience in American, European, and Asian cuisines in the US, France, and Singapore. His passion is to learn the philosophies behind foods to understand why each cuisine taste the way it does. This allows him to explore new combinations of flavors while still respecting the ingredients and their original purpose. According to him, the most important thing when making food is the balance of flavors, textures, and temperatures.

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