Let Them Eat Cake: Teaching Whole Food Cooking to Alleviate Poverty | Ze’Shieca Carter | TEDxEustis

I am a chef and I am the founder of a

I am a chef and I am the founder of a nonprofit organization kitchen life

nonprofit organization kitchen life

nonprofit organization kitchen life skills that seeks to reduce food

skills that seeks to reduce food

skills that seeks to reduce food insecurity through an alternative method

insecurity through an alternative method

insecurity through an alternative method and I I was inspired by Murray

you know the let them eat cake

you know the let them eat cake Murray yeah was she kidding people were

Murray yeah was she kidding people were

Murray yeah was she kidding people were starving and she was offering them

starving and she was offering them

starving and she was offering them dessert now unless you’re me a dessert

dessert now unless you’re me a dessert

dessert now unless you’re me a dessert connoisseur that actually isn’t so bad

connoisseur that actually isn’t so bad

connoisseur that actually isn’t so bad but if you’re Marie Antoinette then not

but if you’re Marie Antoinette then not

but if you’re Marie Antoinette then not so good you see the controversy over the

so good you see the controversy over the

so good you see the controversy over the years has been who actually uttered

years has been who actually uttered

years has been who actually uttered those famous words that seemed to mark

those famous words that seemed to mark

those famous words that seemed to mark the beginning of an unfortunate end but

the beginning of an unfortunate end but

the beginning of an unfortunate end but that’s another controversy for another

that’s another controversy for another

that’s another controversy for another day what I want to talk about today is

day what I want to talk about today is

day what I want to talk about today is what’s so bad about a slice of cake

what’s so bad about a slice of cake

what’s so bad about a slice of cake think about it they are hungry they are

think about it they are hungry they are

think about it they are hungry they are being offered something to eat and isn’t

being offered something to eat and isn’t

being offered something to eat and isn’t it better than the alternative but what

it better than the alternative but what

it better than the alternative but what she was really saying at the time was

she was really saying at the time was

she was really saying at the time was let them eat expensive egg enriched

let them eat expensive egg enriched

let them eat expensive egg enriched bread killer Margiela brioche the famous

bread killer Margiela brioche the famous

bread killer Margiela brioche the famous words carelessly spoken or not spoken by

words carelessly spoken or not spoken by

words carelessly spoken or not spoken by the grand princess upon learning that

the grand princess upon learning that

the grand princess upon learning that her loyal subjects the peasants they

her loyal subjects the peasants they

her loyal subjects the peasants they were poor they were hungry and they had

were poor they were hungry and they had

were poor they were hungry and they had no bread her answer

no bread her answer

no bread her answer brioche a

brioche a

brioche a cake made up of whole food ingredients

cake made up of whole food ingredients

cake made up of whole food ingredients butter an egg making it far more

butter an egg making it far more

butter an egg making it far more expensive than common bread now if that

expensive than common bread now if that

expensive than common bread now if that was meant to be her answer it only

was meant to be her answer it only

was meant to be her answer it only served as a short-term solution for a

served as a short-term solution for a

served as a short-term solution for a long-term social issue think about it if

long-term social issue think about it if

long-term social issue think about it if hunger were represented by the Grand

hunger were represented by the Grand

hunger were represented by the Grand Canyon as a wound then a slice of cake

Canyon as a wound then a slice of cake

Canyon as a wound then a slice of cake would only serve as a band-aid to the

would only serve as a band-aid to the

would only serve as a band-aid to the Grand Canyon be indeed is cake really

Grand Canyon be indeed is cake really

Grand Canyon be indeed is cake really food is cake really f o D

and although cake is made up of whole

and although cake is made up of whole food ingredients the beautiful and

food ingredients the beautiful and

food ingredients the beautiful and unfortunate end result is it isn’t very

unfortunate end result is it isn’t very

unfortunate end result is it isn’t very filling or nourishing and it won’t

filling or nourishing and it won’t

filling or nourishing and it won’t sustain our bodies and although these

sustain our bodies and although these

sustain our bodies and although these peasants were poor and hungry they did

peasants were poor and hungry they did

peasants were poor and hungry they did know a little about economics and

know a little about economics and

know a little about economics and nutrition and one fact was clear to them

nutrition and one fact was clear to them

nutrition and one fact was clear to them they were suffering from food insecurity

they were suffering from food insecurity

they were suffering from food insecurity now what is food insecurity and what is

now what is food insecurity and what is

now what is food insecurity and what is it all about it is about the feeling of

it all about it is about the feeling of

it all about it is about the feeling of bare cupboards and no skills or

bare cupboards and no skills or

bare cupboards and no skills or resources to fill them it is about the

resources to fill them it is about the

resources to fill them it is about the loss of security one feels when faced

loss of security one feels when faced

loss of security one feels when faced with the next question of where is my

with the next question of where is my

with the next question of where is my next meal coming from globally one and

next meal coming from globally one and

next meal coming from globally one and nine people are faced with food

nine people are faced with food

nine people are faced with food insecurity each day and four of those

insecurity each day and four of those

insecurity each day and four of those nine are our children so think about it

nine are our children so think about it

nine are our children so think about it one in nine people who pass us on the

one in nine people who pass us on the

one in nine people who pass us on the sidewalks of lovely neighborhoods with

sidewalks of lovely neighborhoods with

sidewalks of lovely neighborhoods with well manicured lawns and one in nine

well manicured lawns and one in nine

well manicured lawns and one in nine people who work in that cubicle next to

people who work in that cubicle next to

people who work in that cubicle next to ours or those four children who play

ours or those four children who play

ours or those four children who play with our children on the playground each

with our children on the playground each

with our children on the playground each day or sit next to us in church could it

day or sit next to us in church could it

day or sit next to us in church could it be one and nine in this audience they

be one and nine in this audience they

be one and nine in this audience they are among us and many many are easily

are among us and many many are easily

are among us and many many are easily recognizable but then there are others

recognizable but then there are others

recognizable but then there are others where there is no label there is no

where there is no label there is no

where there is no label there is no warning sign no look of desperation no

warning sign no look of desperation no

warning sign no look of desperation no look of shame one and nine are hiding

look of shame one and nine are hiding

look of shame one and nine are hiding our insecurity when it comes to the next

our insecurity when it comes to the next

our insecurity when it comes to the next meal society they see them as a degraded

meal society they see them as a degraded

meal society they see them as a degraded part of our population the poor the

part of our population the poor the

part of our population the poor the mentally ill the socially disadvantaged

mentally ill the socially disadvantaged

mentally ill the socially disadvantaged it is their problem not our

it is their problem not our

it is their problem not our right wrong this is a community issue

right wrong this is a community issue

right wrong this is a community issue and it will take community to eradicate

and it will take community to eradicate

and it will take community to eradicate you see the comforts of 17th century

you see the comforts of 17th century

you see the comforts of 17th century France and our coverage today they

France and our coverage today they

France and our coverage today they aren’t so different and even with all of

aren’t so different and even with all of

aren’t so different and even with all of our modern technology we’ve sent men to

our modern technology we’ve sent men to

our modern technology we’ve sent men to the moon we’ve eradicated many social

the moon we’ve eradicated many social

the moon we’ve eradicated many social diseases I’ve even managed to find that

diseases I’ve even managed to find that

diseases I’ve even managed to find that one smelly sneaker that was stinking up

one smelly sneaker that was stinking up

one smelly sneaker that was stinking up my son’s bedroom which is a major

my son’s bedroom which is a major

my son’s bedroom which is a major victory in my house believe me but yet

victory in my house believe me but yet

victory in my house believe me but yet our friends our family our co-workers

our friends our family our co-workers

our friends our family our co-workers are faced with food and security each

are faced with food and security each

are faced with food and security each day our elderly are forced to make

day our elderly are forced to make

day our elderly are forced to make decisions on buying life-saving

decisions on buying life-saving

decisions on buying life-saving medication or having a life-saving meal

medication or having a life-saving meal

medication or having a life-saving meal to which in the end one without the

to which in the end one without the

to which in the end one without the other will still lead to an early grave

other will still lead to an early grave

other will still lead to an early grave our children are sent to school each day

our children are sent to school each day

our children are sent to school each day without breakfast parents are foregoing

without breakfast parents are foregoing

without breakfast parents are foregoing sustenance just so their children’s can

sustenance just so their children’s can

sustenance just so their children’s can have a dinner how secure are you are you

have a dinner how secure are you are you

have a dinner how secure are you are you a decision away from food insecurity now

a decision away from food insecurity now

a decision away from food insecurity now food insecurity has nothing to do with

food insecurity has nothing to do with

food insecurity has nothing to do with solely being able to afford food it’s

solely being able to afford food it’s

solely being able to afford food it’s actually acquired through skill and

actually acquired through skill and

actually acquired through skill and community efforts but I’m not talking

community efforts but I’m not talking

community efforts but I’m not talking about a Community Food Drive where the

about a Community Food Drive where the

about a Community Food Drive where the most secure of us go home and empty our

most secure of us go home and empty our

most secure of us go home and empty our cupboards of excess cans of food but I’m

cupboards of excess cans of food but I’m

cupboards of excess cans of food but I’m talking about getting our friends and

talking about getting our friends and

talking about getting our friends and our neighbors to rethink the meaning of

our neighbors to rethink the meaning of

our neighbors to rethink the meaning of food security you see we must realize

food security you see we must realize

food security you see we must realize where we went wrong

where we went wrong

where we went wrong and travel a different path we must

and travel a different path we must

and travel a different path we must realize that mixes and

realize that mixes and

realize that mixes and quick fixes fast and overly processed

quick fixes fast and overly processed

quick fixes fast and overly processed foods they’re not the answer

foods they’re not the answer

foods they’re not the answer we must realize that our food is part of

we must realize that our food is part of

we must realize that our food is part of our well-being we must also realize why

our well-being we must also realize why

our well-being we must also realize why we stopped cooking and start cooking

we stopped cooking and start cooking

we stopped cooking and start cooking again yes you heard me right I said it I

again yes you heard me right I said it I

again yes you heard me right I said it I said the c-word not reheat but cook you

said the c-word not reheat but cook you

said the c-word not reheat but cook you see maybe if marine would have just

see maybe if marine would have just

see maybe if marine would have just given the peasants flour egg and milk

given the peasants flour egg and milk

given the peasants flour egg and milk maybe things would have turned out a

maybe things would have turned out a

maybe things would have turned out a little different okay maybe not but this

little different okay maybe not but this

little different okay maybe not but this food insecurity thing it is about a

food insecurity thing it is about a

food insecurity thing it is about a helping hand up not handouts we you and

helping hand up not handouts we you and

helping hand up not handouts we you and I we must realize again where we went

I we must realize again where we went

I we must realize again where we went wrong and we must travel a different

wrong and we must travel a different

wrong and we must travel a different path first thing we can do is dedicate

path first thing we can do is dedicate

path first thing we can do is dedicate our skills to organizations just like

our skills to organizations just like

our skills to organizations just like mine that seek to educate that one and

mine that seek to educate that one and

mine that seek to educate that one and nine about sustainable food cultivation

nine about sustainable food cultivation

nine about sustainable food cultivation gardening then what you and I must do is

gardening then what you and I must do is

gardening then what you and I must do is dedicate our skills to organizations

dedicate our skills to organizations

dedicate our skills to organizations that seek to enlighten that one and nine

that seek to enlighten that one and nine

that seek to enlighten that one and nine about the benefits of meals made from

about the benefits of meals made from

about the benefits of meals made from those whole food ingredients then the

those whole food ingredients then the

those whole food ingredients then the next thing we must do is

next thing we must do is

next thing we must do is we must dedicate our resources to those

we must dedicate our resources to those

we must dedicate our resources to those organizations that seek to empower that

organizations that seek to empower that

organizations that seek to empower that one in nine how to make meals made from

one in nine how to make meals made from

one in nine how to make meals made from those whole food ingredients and how to

those whole food ingredients and how to

those whole food ingredients and how to make wise and economical food decisions

make wise and economical food decisions

make wise and economical food decisions we can flip this you see when we

we can flip this you see when we

we can flip this you see when we dedicate our skill our time and our

dedicate our skill our time and our

dedicate our skill our time and our resources to organizations that seek to

resources to organizations that seek to

resources to organizations that seek to educate enlighten and empower then we

educate enlighten and empower then we

educate enlighten and empower then we will begin to eradicate food insecurity

will begin to eradicate food insecurity

will begin to eradicate food insecurity and once we do that my friends then buy

and once we do that my friends then buy

and once we do that my friends then buy all all means let them eat cake thank

all all means let them eat cake thank

all all means let them eat cake thank you

you

you [Applause]