The Comfort & Connection of Food

Since the beginning of time, food has been important not just to fuel the body, but as an integral part of celebration, connection with family and a source of comfort. But in the last few years, food and its preparation have moved to a whole new level, with movements like farm-to-table, slow food, 100-mile diet and nose-to-tail.

For Vancouver chef Karen Dar Woon food has always been a focus for celebration and gathering with her large, extended family. “I fondly reflect on times spent with my relatives, and later my children, folding dumplings, stuffing cabbage rolls, and shelling peas. These were,” Karen says, “and continue to be, times of sharing thoughts, concerns and milestones.”

Karen did not start cooking professionally, however, until 2003. Before that, she’d worked as a graphic art professional. This change of heart started after a life-changing event in 1998, which reminded her to live her values: creativity, community and a desire to raise strong, independent women – while securing her financial future and having fun.

Chef Karen DarWoon. Photo by Hannes van der Merwe hannesphoto.com.

Spurred on by this epiphany, Karen started her own catering company and became a community food instructor. “Personal development work also helped me recognize that one of my dreams was to be a TV chef. I was able to realize that by appearing in segments of Global BC News features, which were filmed in my personal kitchen.”

Karen describes her cooking style as rustic, with global influences. She likes to keep it accessible and unfussy, but still elegant. And she’s always thrilled to discover new ways of preparing a dish for someone who has dietary restrictions. “For example, I was cooking for someone who was allergic to black pepper, so I used dried thyme and basil flowers for a slightly pungent seasoning in burgers. We think of pepper as ubiquitous,” Karen continues, “and yet, when we need to omit that ingredient, we still want a result that tastes good.”

In her workshops and community classes, Karen finds it gratifying to lead people to discovery – whether that means tasting an unfamiliar food, learning how to use a tool, or even just discovering how easy it can be to make good food at home. “I often meet adults who grew up in homes where cooking skills were not shared with younger family members, often for lack of resources, such as time,” says Karen, “so helping people develop such an essential life skill – that is very rewarding.”

The farm-to-table movement is one that Karen feels strongly about. “It really will become a societal reality when government and community make growing and producing food part of the policy-making, like when farmland near cities is protected and when small food-processing businesses can actually exist near the transportation hubs,” she says. “The concept that food can reach my kitchen with a minimum of industrial intervention – now that is my nirvana. I’m hoping this is easier to achieve in communities where people have time and skill to prepare their own food.”

In terms of broader consumer trends, one that catches Karen’s eye is the continued growth of what she calls “cooking replacement.” “This means food delivery in all forms,” she says, “like meals that are hot and ready for immediate consumption, or grocery boxes with packages of sliced onions and bell peppers, neatly labelled to pour into a pan. The growth of these services within the mainstream indicates to me that consumers want to eat well, but outside influences prevent cooking. Whether this is due to the pursuit of commercial happiness or, especially in cities, the disparity between income and housing costs, I can’t really say. But it makes me sad that people feel they don’t have time to cook. Conversely, it brings me pleasure that people have decided that good food is worth acquiring.”

Karen in the kitchen. Photo by Helena McMurdo for In My Kitchen Inc.

In fact, Karen says one of her biggest challenges as a chef/caterer was cooking for people who cared little about what they put in their mouths. “It’s difficult cooking for someone who doesn’t prioritize food in their life,” says Karen. “If the eater doesn’t care about the taste or presentation of the food, then it’s hard for me to stay motivated to cook for them. That was certainly a greater challenge when I first started my business, as now I can be more selective about ensuring my clients are a good match.”

Karen was able to bring her goal of community engagement to fruition in 2013 by working as a community meal chef providing free meals to people living in Richmond, volunteering at a community farm, and by becoming a “food waste reduction warrior,” helping local food banks to increase the reach of their distribution.

These efforts led to an invitation into Les Dames d’Escoffier, a philanthropic organization providing opportunity for women in various fields of food and food education. Karen has been a co-president and continues to be a director of the BC Chapter of this international organization, where they raise funds that are distributed to BC women in the form of scholarships.

“Some of my current work embraces the principles of increasing food literacy and access to food through skills development, while building a robust local economy. I’m especially proud that two of our members are founders of programs that bring food education to children in schools: Growing Chefs! and Project CHEF,” says Karen.

At home, some of Karen’s favourite dishes are long, simmered braises such as lamb with fennel, boeuf bourguignon, or white beans with tomatoes. “These dishes have layers of flavour,” she says, “are easy to prepare and are simple to ignore in their cooking stage.”

But for comfort food, like most of us, Karen turns to a childhood favourite, congee (rice porridge), common in many Asian cuisines. “It’s what my mother would make for us for breakfast, or when we were unwell. At home, I make a less traditional version using duck or prawn stock, and I garnish with steamed greens.”

Karen’s travel to Southern Europe over recent years has also influenced her tastes. “Florence, Barcelona, Valencia and Torino are great food cities. Eating local food, in community, is an entrenched behaviour for them; children are dining with families at all hours. I’ve taken inspiration from those cultures, which meshes nicely with my own Cantonese heritage.”