We need to eat. But cooking, cooking has little to do with that need. Rather it's about our need to share our perspectives, our history, and our knowledge. It allows us to celebrate love and life. Cooking is soul.

Take a minute and think about the best thing you ever ate. It has little to do with the complexity of the methods used. It has everything to do with the heart put into it. The best things I ever ate did not come from a Michelin chef. They were eaten in places that were special and prepared by people who were special. They were simply manifestations of the cook's passion. Passion for the ingredients. Passion for the occasion. Passion for the people they prepared their food for.

When I was younger, every fall the apple trees in my backyard would produce hundreds of apples. My mom would spend what seemed like days coring and slicing and peeling those apples. All to produce the most delicious apple pies I have ever had or will ever have.

The second best thing I’ve ever eaten, actually wasn’t cooked at all. Last year, I had the chance to meet my girlfriend’s parents in Romania. Her mother cooked an elaborate lunch for us. The first course will be engrained in my head forever. In the center of each our plates was a simple tomato. It was displayed with such pride and presented in a way that made me understand just how important it was, and how important I was.  Honestly, I don’t even like raw tomatoes. That’s the point. The second best thing I ever ate was a raw vegetable that I normally wouldn't even eat. But that tomato was delicious beyond words.

This year, I founded a food truck called Street-Za. Every pizza we create has that type of passion infused into it. It’s pizza that’s not about the pizza at all. It’s a vehicle to share stories, to share experiences, to share ingredients and to share our passion for pizza.

Great food is the result of struggles and war and perseverance. It’s the result of communities joining together and cultures integrating with each other. It’s about sharing our past and celebrating our futures.

We cook because we love. What we cook and how we cook makes us.

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