Dear friends, 

It has been three and a half years since I last published on BenGusto. It feels good to be writing to you again! 

I’ve been looking back over the comments you left me on my old posts, feeling grateful for all of the support you, friends, family and online community members, showed for me in what really was a formative journey in my high school years. I can’t thank you enough.

These last four years in college have been a blessing ripe with adventures and important learnings. And I explored a number of interesting things in the realm of cooking and food during my hiatus. I’m excited to share some of those stories with you in the coming weeks. 

When I announced four years ago that I would be taking a hiatus for the duration of my undergraduate schooling, I wasn’t certain that I would revive BenGusto after college. That weighed heavily on me, because I always enjoyed BenGusto. It’s a way to keep me committed to exploring the full colors of the world through cooking and food, to document the things I see, and stay in touch with folks I care about and folks I have yet to meet. 

In my last quarter at Stanford, I organized a few experimental food gatherings–a class about food aesthetics and a dinner of “grandma recipes”–with some of my favorite food collaborator friends. In the midst of putting those events together, I was struck by how much I still think this food stuff is really cool and special. And so, reviving BenGusto, in my mind, is a natural way to carry on the spirit of that revelation. 

I’m not sure of the direction that BenGusto will go in. I’ll start by sharing a few of the important food experiences and experiments of my college days. But I’m certain that exciting things are just around the corner. The world of food has changed a lot over the last four years. The climate crisis, human migration, and digital technologies are increasingly influencing how people cook, grow things, and come together at the table. I hope to recognize these influences and document the changes we’re seeing through the stories and recipes of everyday life. 

I’m excited to be starting a new journey with you. As always, please message me or leave a comment any step of the way. If you have a story or recipe you’d like to me to share or find out more about, please feel welcome to reach out. I’d love to hear from you. You can reach me at: ben <AT> bengusto <DOT> com. 

Cheers, and buon appetito!  

Ben G. 

A gathering on the Stanford Educational Farm. (PC: Ash Ngu)

Teaching a class on plating and food aesthetics at the Stanford d.school. (PC: Daniel Chan)

The Columbae table at dinner time, where I was fortunate to share my meals for the last three years.

PC to Ash Ngu for the feature image.