food for the soul
LOCAL INSPIRATION WORKING WITH THE CHEF COOPERATIVES BY DAVE TERRAZAS Editor’s Note: Chef Dave Terrazas, a regular contributor to Edible San Antonio, just embarked on a new adventure with Mercy Chefs. In this new column, Food for the Soul, he’ll share the stories about the great works accomplished by Mercy Chefs, how our own local chefs contribute to that effort and what they hope to accomplish. I’m sitting down to write this on a rainy evening after wrapping up the cooking day in Florida. It’s the kind of day that leaves me feeling mentally tired and physically spent, but happy. It’s the end of a short cycle of increased operational volume, trips between Texas and Florida and special events, with hundreds of meals moving through my kitchen – and a lot of happy diners. Periodically, I get to this “mental space,” and when I do, I start to reflect. Memories roll through my mind – the work, my team and the people we fed, all the auspicious individuals we serve with. Those thoughts lead to remembering many of the amazing people who partner with Mercy Chefs and help us achieve our mission to feed those in need. When I’m not busy with the daily grind in Florida, my personal joy is to participate in special events in San Antonio, which I still call home. I’m a relatively new member of the Chef Cooperatives, a nonprofit group of local San Antonio chefs and local food champions that came together to support farmers and local producers more than seven years ago. Recently, the group debuted the “Co-op Tent” at Pearl Farmers Market, where chefs volunteer to present weekly cooking demos. They feature whatever’s in season, gathered from the local farmers and vendors at the market, and share wonderful ways people can incorporate the fresh, local ingredients into day-to-day cooking. I was able to get home in February to headline one of the demos at the “Co-op Tent” – a fantastic opportunity to reconnect with people I share this great city with and cook in a place I love, showcasing locally grown produce and local ingredients. Several farmers and chefs at the market also donate their time or products to Mercy Chefs. My culinary friends were kind enough to provide some product to take back to Florida and use in recipes to feed post-Hurricane disaster recovery workers. The familiarity of the products help me stay mentally and spiritually connected to my home, and the connection invigorates me and puts a smile on my face – even when slumped in a chair trying to collect my thoughts after an intense work cycle. But beyond the warmth of personal affinities, pleasant and sensory-based memories, there is something of great value that comes to mind when I think about my friends and fellow members of the Chef Cooperatives … leadership. True leadership is service. I was immediately inspired when I discovered Mercy’s mission back in 2013 and responded to a call for volunteer chefs needed to feed the displaced and responders alike in Moore, Oklahoma
Young aspiring chef Neko Massi assists Chef Dave Terrazas at the Chef Co-op Tent at Pearl Farmers Market recently. Ms. Massi was one of four young San Antonio contestants selected for MASTERCHEF JUNIOR series (2019) on the Fox Network. (Photo courtesy)
after a devastating EF-5 tornado ripped through the city. I marveled at the idea of a chef creating a nonprofit staffed by chefs, using their combined talents to serve the public directly. Mercy Chefs is a proven leader through its service in both the emergency/disaster and culinary industries. But Mercy Chefs could not do all it does without a strong volunteer corps or list of strong partnerships that generously puts resources in the hands of the chefs. Thinking back on all the support I got from the Co-op to run my demo as the “Mercy Chef” in town, and cooking with donated San Antonio products back in Florida made me realize that every dollar spent supporting the local businesses at Pearl Farmers Market is an expression of support not just for local vendors, but for our own local chef-leaders, who serve selflessly. This service comes from their hearts and souls. And what the Chef Co-op is doing is trying to connect with your hearts and souls. If you’ve ever spent time chatting with one of the vendors at the market, you know they practice their art in earnest. And they work with the Chef Cooperatives recognizing that there is strength in numbers, and together we can do more for San Antonio. That notion is restorative – it certainly helps get me out of that chair I slumped into and find the strength to do it all over again tomorrow. It’s funny, wanting to be like my fellow men and women of the Chef Cooperatives reinforces that desire to continue to serve with my culinary skills. The virtue inherent in the integrity and spirit of the members of the Co-op is nothing short of food for the soul. ediblesanantonio.com
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