You might expect such a sentiment from a nutritionist or functional medicine expert—but as Barber would argue, “All chefs are nutritionists because in the pursuit of flavor, a truly delicious vegetable has to be from the right seed, and it has to be grown in the right soil. You can’t get truly jaw-droppingly delicious flavor unless it’s from good, biologically active soil.” And with that microbial-rich soil comes a heaping dose of nutrients. Who knew flavor and nutrition have such a mutually beneficial relationship? He also discusses how he believes COVID-19 will affect how people approach food, hopefully prioritizing a healthy, balanced plate since food quality is connected to so many underlying metabolic conditions. It sheds new light on how we’re treating animals and agriculture in general as well—raising grass-fed, organic animals can not only enhance the health of those animals themselves (and your own health, too, when you consume them) but also can improve the environment writ large. The bottom line? “My hope is that people have a new relationship with food coming out of this, a new consciousness,” he notes, one that strays away from the “food as fuel” mentality and perhaps introduces a “food as medicine” paradigm. The food you eat matters, and it matters where it comes from. Something to reflect on the next time you’re munching on a plate of sweet, roasted carrots.
