Working it out
Gourmet Traveller|July 2020
Science has proven that the simple act of cooking can alleviate depression and improve our mental well-being. JORDAN KRETCHMER meets four people who have leveraged their relationship with food to find more balance.
JORDAN KRETCHMER
Working it out

ELIZABETH HEWSON

HEAD OF CREATIVE AT FINK GROUP, AUTHOR AND PASTA ENTHUSIAST

My story isn’t about overcoming adversity or trauma – it’s a rather ordinary tale of overcoming anxiety. I’ve always struggled with anxiety: that all-consuming, often paralysing state of being. When it flairs up, often brought on by a stressful situation, it leads me to lack confidence, questioning every decision and analysing every comment.

This struggle led me to search for a coping mechanism that would distract me from those plaguing thoughts. Something I could lose myself in. Like most people, I’ve always loved eating pasta. Having lived and studied in Italy, I have a deep understanding and appreciation of it. There’s a pasta for every moment, every occasion, every place. Their food not only celebrates, it also heals. So, one Saturday afternoon, I decided to make pasta. I poured a glass of wine, turned on the music and started to knead.

Much to my delight, the kneading alone proved to be intensely therapeutic – I can’t recommend enough the satisfying feeling of channelling a really shitty week into dough. I started to repeat this routine every Saturday night, wanting to recreate the curative effect it had on me.

This story is from the July 2020 edition of Gourmet Traveller.

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This story is from the July 2020 edition of Gourmet Traveller.

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