"30 local chefs, sous chefs, professors, cooks, 30 local producers, 4 craft breweries"
since. It is difficult to give a simple answer, because too many have come together for this idea to be born!
Casa London: Is it only you behind this project? What is your background?
Ali: At this point, I can't say I'm the only face behind this project, we have an amazing production team, more than 30 local chefs, sous chefs, professors, cooks, 30 local producers, 4 craft breweries and the support of countless people in the community are behind creating this cookbook. It is truly a community-wide effort and it will be a tribute to our city, made possible by the people in our city. As for my background, I came here from Venezuela, a country currently very divided
with an increasing violence and food poverty, which
has played
a role in shaping my love of bringing people together - and what better way is there to do it that than through food. It is a very powerful thing!
Casa London: You told that you grew up surrounded by cookbooks, so were you always into culinary and foodie projects or is it still something new for you?
Ali: I believe this path was meant for me. My mom is an amazing cook and my dad was a great photographer, so I grew up watching them do their magic and fell in love with the combination of both. I tried many different styles of photography along the way, but I always ended up back doing food. It is what I enjoy doing the most, it's the fascinating and an ephemeral experience. You must wait for the ingredients to grow, harvest them at their best moment, wash, chop and prepare them to marvel our eyes for an instant and with the first bite that dish is destined to disappear, leaving only a memory and a great photo behind. I'm in love with food and everything that it represents. I love being surrounded by it and of course I love eating! Eating is a celebration. It is a special time to gather around the table with friends and family. It is a moment of connection, with many elements: the soil and animals that provide the food, the people who harvest, the people who cook, and the people around us nurturing our souls.
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