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The past weekend, I hosted my very first wellness retreat down in Bradenton Beach. I wanted to create a space where people could come together for a weekend of relaxation, sunshine, rest and of course, good eats. I was honored to host my dad at the retreat as well and partner with him to run a cooking class for the guests! We had such a wonderful time working together and I wanted to share the experience with you all here!

When I teach people about nutrition, it’s different than you might think. I don’t believe in diets or sacrificing all of the indulgent foods you love … HELLO! I’m a foodie and the daughter of a chef. No. When I teach nutrition, I focus on how we approach and think about food. I focus on balance and moderation and variety. I focus on the culture and story behind the food we eat and wouldn’t ya know it … so does Mr. McKinney!

Anyway, after I taught a 2 hour nutrition and mindset workshop, my dad and I met up in the kitchen to teach a cooking class to help them learn how to incorporate the lessons I had just gone over. Well … HE taught the cooking class. I just asked him to share some of my favorite M&D stories along the way.

The class was AMAZING. I’m not even just saying that because he’s my dad. The guests were captivated and excited throughout the entire process. Dad came up with a menu that captured my dinner/evening eating theory which is to aim to fill your plate with 75% vegetables and 25% protein (we use carbs for energy and at the end of the day, we don’t need a burst of energy since we are winding down so we don’t really need carbs at dinner). We started with a salad of endive, French beans, roasted butternut squash, toasted pine nuts and whole grain mustard vinaigrette. Then, dinner included a beautiful grilled cauliflower steak with wild mushroom steak sauce and roasted acorn squash with lemon yogurt “sour cream.” It was kind of a play on a classic steak and baked potato dinner. Super filling and satisfying but also met the 75/25 guideline I had outlined.

Like I said, the class itself and the meal were both incredible. It was great to see everybody asking questions about his experience and taking notes on technique. But even though it may seem like a recipe is coming with this post, it isn’t.

THIS post is about cooking itself and the responsibility it carries.

During the class, my dad said something that struck a cord with me in a big way. He said that his passion for cooking and his restaurant is so large because the idea of cooking for somebody else is a massive responsibility. Think about it, you’re serving people something they are going to put INTO their bodies … that’s a BIG deal. It’s kind of like going to the doctor! I loved that he said that because it really is true.

Whether you are cooking for yourself or for somebody else, you are taking on a huge responsibility. Don’t you want that dish to be of the highest quality possible? That’s where passion for ingredients comes into play. It DOES matter that the ingredients are fresh. It matters that they are in season. It matters that they are sustainable. All of it matters because all of it impacts your body.

I’ve been a lover of food and cooking for a long time now, as long as I can remember really. Looking at it from this point of view is what really changed everything for me.

Have you ever thought about food or cooking like that?

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Rebecca McKinney

I was born a foodie. My dad is a chef, baker, and restaurant owner and my mom might as well be because she owns whatever kitchen she walks into. I grew up working in my family’s restaurant and bakery in Pawling, New York – McKinney and Doyle. I started behind the bakery counter at 12 years old after begging my parents to let me start working. At 16 I worked as a hostess. By 18 I was serving tables and training behind the bar where I then worked every other weekend throughout my college career. Even now, when I am visiting my family in New York, I help out where I’m needed. To make a long story short, the food and restaurant industry has been my life for as long as I can remember.

I wanted to create this blog for a few reasons. First and foremost, to share tips, tricks, and knowledge about the food and beverage industry in general but also to help people see a different side of the restaurant world. Every restaurant has a totally unique culture and world within it. I want to help open people’s eyes to more than how fast the service is or how easy or hard it is to secure a reservation.

So, thanks for stopping by! I welcome your ideas, input, and feedback and hope you enjoy!

Eat well & travel often,

Becky McKinney

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