Even though I’m a fan of plating food, and eating food, over cooking it myself, I have been a huge fan of Michael Pollan’s since I read The Omnivore’s Dilemma (junior edition) in Grade 3. I devoured every word of that book, and even asked my parents if we could go on a field trip to Polyface Farms to meet Joel Salatin at the time! Michael Pollan changed my love for eating, to my love of knowing and appreciating what I’m eating. So, besides my parents, of course, he played a huge role in how I write my blog, and how I review food and restaurants!
My mom surprised me with tickets to go see Michael speak, and I couldn’t have been happier to have the opportunity to listen to him live. What I didn’t expect was that I was going to get to ask a question during the interview (see video below) and that I was going to actually meet him!!
A couple of my main takeaways from his talk, and hopefully will inspire you too:
1. Know if your meal is being cooked by a human being or by a corporation!
2. The most important thing about food is WHO cooked it. (so basically, someone made the comment to Michael that the best diet would be to eat anything, as long as you cook it yourself – interesting!!)
3. The power of consumers drive change! Did you know that the Pink Slime industry collapsed after two weeks because of people getting mad about it? (that’s clearly why he suggested for me to take my class to a feedlot on a fieldtrip!)
4. Diabetes and obesity are a problem because people can eat french fries twice a day (if you cooked them yourself, how often would really go to all of that trouble and make that mess???)
5. You can’t believe just anyone, because the evil corporations threaten to withdraw donations from even universities if they allow people like Michael Pollan to speak to their students!
My favourite quote of the night was, “Cocoa Puffs have health claims on the box, and the broccoli sits there silent. Speak up, broccoli!” (Broccoli doesn’t have the money that the processed food companies have!)
I’m about to start the book, and it’s awesmazing to have a signed copy with a personal note included!
I left there so happy that I got to have him sign my book. I asked if I could take him to my favourite restaurants when he comes to Toronto next time and he said that next time he is here that he would definitely try to take me up on that offer! Maybe I should just learn to cook really well, and have him over for a local, organic meal, instead of taking him out!
Michael would agree with me on this quote of mine for sure!
Here’s most of the answer to the question I asked in the theatre (You can’t really see me, but I’m in the left side of the screen. Thanks to Meghan Telpner and Josh Gitalis for letting me come down to the front row!)
