Hi and welcome to A Cook’s Quest. I’m Robert, and I’m deeply passionate about all things food. I’m not a chef by trade, though. A marketing and communications professional with a background in education, I started baking as a teenager, first experimenting with chocolate chip cookies before graduating to cheesecakes. Around that time, I began to ardently watch TV chefs such as Emeril Lagasse and follow iconic foodies like Anthony Bourdain.
Twice the wordsmith that I claim to be, the late, great Bourdain, says it best.
If I’m an advocate for anything, it’s to move. As far as you can, as much as you can. Across the ocean, or simply across the river. The extent to which you can walk in someone else’s shoes or at least eat their food, it’s a plus for everybody. Open your mind, get up off the couch, move.
Anthony Bourdain
Taking this wisdom to heart, at 23, I moved to Bulgaria with the United States Peace Corps. While my adventures eventually brought me home to the U.S., that pesky illness known to all voyagers as the travel bug ultimately bit me and I quickly found myself on the road again – in Saudi Arabia, back in Bulgaria, and now Belgium where I currently reside with my wife.
My Mission
I’ve worked in academia, marketing, and communications. Cooking, however, is my true passion. But it’s not just an art or a hobby. Cooking is a skill – and one that’s possible for everyone to master with a bit of guidance and practice. I’m here to show you how.
The basic ability to prepare a meal ensures sustenance, but also mindfulness of what goes into your food and how you consume it. It saves you time and satisfies your budget. What’s more, when cooked with the care and attention to detail that you’ll find on this blog, meals are healthier, more enjoyable, and just plain tastier than any takeout or restaurant.
My Vision
Over the years and throughout my travels, I’ve learned that food itself possesses more than the ability to sustain. I’ve witnessed its power to convey culture, pass down traditions, and bring people together.
That’s why I started A Cook’s Quest. Here you’ll find tried-and-tested recipes, from the classics to my own specialties, always using fresh ingredients. I’ll also share with you tips, news, how-tos and much more, all with a few simple goals in mind: that you can feed yourself and those around you well, enjoy the process, and maybe learn a little something along the way. Thanks for stopping by.