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THE CULINARY KID
The Culinary Kid by LAUREN GRANT SPICER
Global travels give a six-year-old a sophisticated palate well beyond his years
Born in Latin America and currently living in Bali, Hawksley Spicer has eaten his way through Panama, Mexico, Japan, Singapore, Canada, and Indonesia. He’s not a gluttonous tourist or a fancy Michelin critic, though he could be one day. And he wouldn’t refuse a cheese pizza, if offered. Yet, when asked what he wants for dinner, Hawksley often replies, “Dhal or udon, please.”
Hawksley is our son, and he is six years old. For eight years now, his father and I have been living the life of digital nomads. I am a certified holistic nutritionist and yoga instructor with a side gig in community development. Michael is a primary school educator and experiential learning facilitator. His first teaching job at a prestigious international school brought us from Toronto to Panama City, and set us on our way. Hawksley was born in 2017.
Once he entered the world, we saw the positive impact of living in a different culture, learning new languages, and exploring new places. It isn’t without its drawbacks. It sometimes surprises people to hear that we are both incredibly close with our families and yet, we have chosen to live across the globe from them. Thankfully, we have families who genuinely see the joy this experience brings us. Plus, they aren’t about to shy away from a trip to Bali. As soon as our little foodie could eat solids, he showed a preference over the usual baby fare for Panama’s fresh fruit, empanadas, patacones (fried plantains), and garlic soaked fish. By the time he was able to give chopsticks a try, he was diving into sushi and joining us for fish tacos at the Fish Market in Casco Viejo.
From there, Mexican cuisine wasn’t a big reach. At just two, he was very vocal about his favorite version of guacamole with pico de gallo. Today, he will tell you that guacamole is an anytime food and should be served at breakfast. A budding restaurant critic, Hawksley loves to talk about the laid-back vibe and amazing tacos we ate in Tulum.
When the cost of living in Panama City skyrocketed, Michael found a new teaching job in Bali and we relocated to Canggu, a tiny community on Bali’s south coast with lots of young families like us. Now, two years into our Balinese life—where beach play and jungle
adventures make up the majority of our down time—Hawksley has become something of an Indonesian food connoisseur.
He’s tried everything from local beach vendor food to the five-star cuisine at a restaurant called Locavore in Ubud. And he freely shares his opinions about the best corn fritters, fried bananas, nasi goreng (fried rice), and mie goreng (fried noodles) with anyone who will listen. One balmy Balinese night, in a moment of parental indecision, we asked Hawksley where we should go for dinner. “Japan,” he replied, in a matter of fact tone.
We had visited Japan the year prior and cherished the time we spent there. Michael and I liked the energy and buzz of Tokyo. With unlimited ramen noodles and sushi spots, Hawksley was in heaven. He even gave the noodles at one place a “slurp factor of 10.” And what could be more fun for a modern little eater than ordering from an iPad and having your meal arrive on a little train? During a stopover in Singapore we ventured outside the chic, modern city to an open-air food complex called the Hawker Market. There, we had the chance to sample a wide range of dishes in one glorious location. The only challenge was making decisions.
If we had let Hawksley have free rein, we might have gone home with an empty bank account. Instead, we let him choose a selection for all of us to share, Mom and Dad went along for the ride. Ramen was a must have, no surprises there. To that he added fried rice, curries, and fried dough fritters.
Cambodia and Vietnam are on the list next. And now, with a baby sister in tow, Hawksley will be able to share his culinary recommendations with someone new.
Got a little travel foodie in your family? See the inside back cover to learn how they could be featured in a future issue!
