Who’s Our “Socially Responsible Business” of the Month?
An Interview with Laurence Hauben, owner of Market Forays
ML: Where did your passion for cooking come from?
LH: I honestly don’t know, because I was born with it. I have distinct memories of a morning ritual I had as a toddler. I would carry my little wicker chair into the garden, set it next to a redcurrant bush, and pop the bright red clusters into my mouth, alternating with pulls on my milk bottle. The contrast between the tartness of the currants and the sweetness of the milk thrilled me. Of course, it helped that I grew up in a family where everyone cooked and food was at the heart of every family celebration.
I remember wondering who invented mayonnaise and meringues, trying to come up with my own brilliant inventions, mixing ingredients to see what would happen. I have always marveled at food the way astronomers wonder at the origins of the cosmos. I see God in a head of lettuce, in the scent of a peach, in the coolness of ripe watermelon on a hot afternoon. I just love playing with food.
ML: When you first arrived in the US from France in 1982, what were some of the differences you noticed in how our two countries relate to food?
LH: My first trip to an American supermarket was a shock on many levels. There was a huge selection of bottled salad dressings, something I thought was bizarre. I mean, who doesn’t know how to make a salad dressing? The bread was spongy, the butter had no flavor, the cheese came in three bland varieties. The fruits and vegetables looked like they had rolled off an assembly line, and they had no smell. Same with meat, fish, poultry. It was all pre-cut and didn’t look like any recognizable part of an animal. In fact, it looked like everything possible had been done to make it seem like no animal was involved. I understand the squeamishness, but if you forget that in order for you to eat meat an animal had to be killed, then it becomes easier to overlook the cruelty involved in factory farming.
Marketers have convinced Americans that cooking is difficult, a waste of time, and better left to professionals. Most meals are eaten alone and on the run. And while there are excellent high-end restaurants for the wealthy, a diet of fast food and frozen dinner is pretty standard for many. Children are expected to dislike vegetables. Food fads keep happening: high carb no fat low protein, no carbs high protein high fat but only certain fats, eat for your blood type, fast 16 hours a day. Sadly, this pervasive marketing has created a national neurosis about food. Still, much has changed for the better since 1982, especially here in Santa Barbara where between the harbor, the farmers market, and some wonderful specialty shops and artisan bakeries, you can enjoy a delicious seasonal diet.
That’s what I try to teach in my Market Forays classes, not just how to cook, but how to develop a healthy relationship to food.
French people traditionally have a very simple relationship to food: we consider it a thrice daily opportunity for happiness. We learn to cook as children, and we are very comfortable around food. We shop for bread and produce daily, we cook with fresh ingredients, set a beautiful table, invite friends and family, think about which wines will complement the dishes we prepared, and we sit together enjoying conversation. The meal doesn’t have to be complicated to be good.
ML: What are your company’s values?
LH: Kindness, integrity, environmental stewardship, education, hospitality, mindfulness, openness and happiness. I’d like to talk about the last three.
Mindfulness: I am mindful of what and where I buy because what you purchase is what you support. If you buy commodity bacon at a big box store and peaches in January, you are supporting a different kind of world than if you buy fruit in season and meat directly from the rancher who raised it humanely. It is also a lot more fun to buy from people you know and trust than from a faceless entity. I try hard not to waste, to treat my ingredients with respect, treat others with respect, and treat the earth with respect.
Openness: There is always something new to discover, new people to meet and learn from. What I love best about living in this country is the multicultural richness, the willingness to try new things. France can be a little like a museum sometimes, full of beautiful things but too set in its ways. California is always changing. I love that.
Happiness: Every day offers multiple opportunities for moments of happiness, and consciously seeking them out makes the world a better place, because happiness is contagious, and it begets kindness, something the world badly needs.
ML: How do you operationalize those values on a daily basis?
LH: My classes begin with a guided shopping experience, because you must learn where and how to shop, you have to develop an intimacy with your ingredients before you can really learn to cook. I love sharing the discovery, the sense of wonder I feel at the bounty of nature. I plan all my menus around seasonal ingredients, combined with the personal preferences of my guests. Most cooking classes start by creating a menu, then people sign up. I start with the people. I get to know them and what they want to learn, what they love, what they don’t eat, and then I compose a menu that will make them happy and empower them to continue to increase their self-confidence after they leave. Many of my former students email me to say they recreated a dish we made together, and that they have started patronizing their local farmers market. I love that.
ML: I witnessed first-hand during one of you Market Forays – which I absolutely loved and highly recommend – how committed you are to living your values. What inspired you to incorporate social responsibility into your business?
LH: I am not a natural business person, so it is more that I found a way to incorporate business into my need to advance social consciousness. Social commitment is easy, because it is what comes naturally to me. The business part is what I have to consciously make an effort to do.
Monica & Claudia
To learn more about Market Forays or schedule one of her Saturday outings, visit: www.marketforays.com. Or reach out to Laurence at (805) 680-5557 and [email protected].