“Food is so rich. So personal. It’s never just about a bite of food.”

What does it take to tell a story? What is it I ask of people time and time again when I make my videos? What’s my trick? These are all questions I pondered and tore apart as I prepared for my food. curated. TEDTalk this winter. Surprisingly, I never really knew how hard it was to share until I had to look in the mirror at my own story. The stages of discomfort I went through. The self-doubt. The anxiety. The tripping over my own words.  It made me feel for my subjects, truly. God bless them for what they’ve given me. For the trust they’ve granted me. I think, coming out of such a beautifully challenging experience, I have much more respect for the process. You see, the process was never something I ever had to pick apart. It was just something I did without thinking. I picked up my cameras and let the story flow. But, now, I see it went much deeper. My journey to the heart of people always involved more. Asked for more. Even more out of me. Now I understand the hurdles of vulnerability, I know the heights to which it pushes us, I know its tender edges. I have to say, giving this TEDTalk was a soul-opener. A path to understanding my own need for intimacy with people. And the beauty that sharing gives us: the magic of being real.

So, I’m humbled to share with you, dear friends, a little bit more about me. A look into the very essence of my storytelling series: food. curated.

I hope you enjoy it. I hope you share it. Many thanks to the organizers of TEDxBrooklyn for inviting me to speak. Please send through any questions or comments. I’d love to hear from you!