A Mexican film in 1992 entitled Like Water for Chocolate (Como Agua Para Chocolate) shows how the feelings of the main character, Tita, was transmitted through the food she cooked and was felt by everyone who tasted it. Although the film is fictitious and has the elements of magic realism, the relationship between the feelings and cooking is worth exploration.
Is it true that the feelings of the chef are carried over to the recipe he/she cooks? Is there a relationship between feelings and cooking? Do feelings affect taste?
On the contrary, if the feelings of the cook do not affect the taste of the food, then why is it that some people can produce better tasting food over the others, even if they use exactly the same ingredients? A number of explanations and answers can be derived from the above assumptions.
Feelings can Affect Cooking
The case of Tita in the movie is purely fictional and is simply a product of the author’s imagination based on the Mexican culture. The relationship between food and romance was used to effectively render a melodramatic effect on the story, thereby making it a successful narrative that was widely admired and enjoyed worldwide. It is because food and cooking is a universal theme that can be understood by every race and age.
There is a thread of truth in the way the feelings of the cook affects the taste of the food he/she produces. When the person cooking is inspired, naturally he/she takes every detail of the cooking process positively and the product is complete with pleasant presentation and good taste. The dish is cooked properly with care from the preparation of the ingredients to the time spent in cooking. The dish is cooked well and since it is neither raw nor overcooked, it tastes good.
On the other hand, when the cook is tensed, troubled or worried, the cooking process is affected and the outcome is not as good as the one made by the inspired and relaxed cook. If you watch cooking fests on TV, you will be able to observe that the mental and psychological conditions of the chefs affect the results of their cooking. Some people do not perform well under pressure thus they do not produce better results.
Another thing to consider is the passion of the chef. A person who loves what he/she does usually excels in it. This may explain why many can cook but only a few can really produce great tasting foods. In this case, feelings affect taste indeed.
Each chef or any cooking enthusiast must bear in mind that feelings affect taste of the food whether he/she believes it or not. Each one who cooks must focus on the cooking and master his/her feelings since there is a connection between feelings and cooking. When you get sidetracked, you may miss some ingredients, or the time of cooking, or the quantity of each food. When you also lack confidence, you may not be able to come up with an excellent dish.
In reality, great cooking is often a product of experiment. Those who produce superior dishes are the ones who are daring and confident enough to try new things. Great cooking is not limited to following the recipe books religiously. Everyone has the inclination to be unique and that uniqueness can affect his/her performance in whatever task he/she does.