Mishran: An evening of balance, depth and above all... community

I am the luckiest girl ever. I meet the most amazing people through The Verandah Kitchen. And with each new person I meet, my tribe expands. Here’s the story of one such endearing person who walked in through the dining room and stayed on in my life.

Sergio, an endocrinologist by day and an explorer by spirit, came to TVK as a guest last year, and expressed that he wanted to cook with me. We have many guests who say that after a hearty meal. Some even follow up and have joined me in the kitchen to jam for an evening. But I could tell Sergio was serious. He reorganized his job and eventually joined us as a part of the kitchen crew! In spite of having him just for the Friday dinner service every week (when he is not busy being a doctor), we developed a fun camaraderie as we cooked together. It was accompanied by endless banter over our shared love for food and life.

Sergio, originally from Mexico, is an immigrant, just like me. Education and a promise of adventure led us to the United States when the ethos was inclusion, and this was a safe haven for everyone. We made lives here; the road was sometimes rocky, mostly smooth, but always exciting.

Paths cross for a reason. While I don’t know my role, if any, in his life, I know exactly why he was placed in my path. Over the months, with his extremely compassionate voice, he nudged me to take better care of my physical health, guiding me from the sidelines. He empowered me with his gentle strength, and I began to see that self care is the foundation of self love. 

What I didn’t mention earlier is that when Sergio first came to dine at TVK, he was accompanied by Kyle and Santiago. Their collective energy was infectious, their friendship was easy. We kept meeting over time, sharing chats, laughter and chilli.  Then one Friday, service, with utmost ease, Sergio announced that all three of them were in a relationship together. Just like that. There was no need to explain, no making it palatable for me, who is your average, stereotypical, heterosexual woman. Just laid out, with a, “do what you may with this information” kinda air. The self-acceptance of this self-assured person just blew me over. He made 'being yourself,' seem so simple. This is yet another life lesson I am learning.

So, when the three of them came up with the idea of an Indian-Mexican dinner, served family-style at TVK, I loved the idea and said, “Yes, let’s do it!”  They bring the Mexican flair, I sprinkle some Desi masala and together we cook up a feast! We are calling it Mishran Night meaning “mixture”.

We are not just celebrating our cuisines but also acknowledging and embracing personal stories of struggles and successes; of hopes and promises that brought us far from our original homes, strong enough to make this beautiful country our new home, celebrating our uniqueness and similarities.

Planning this dinner of two amazing cultures and cuisines, shining individually and together as one, is our way of reminding ourselves of all things good (and yummy).