As a person who has more than a passing interest in good food, you share something in common with many of the artists we admire most.
For creative people throughout history, food has always been more than flavorful fuel for the body. It has also been a source of inspiration. Of so much inspiration, in fact, they couldn’t resist expressing their appreciation for food in words we still quote today.
For example, an Irish playwright & novelist — one of our fellow creatives from Ireland — once wrote:
“There is no sincerer love than the love of food.”
— George Bernard Shaw
The collection of 30 additional food quotes, located below, seem to indicate ole George was on to something there. These quotes originate from a host of other writers as well as visual and performing artists.
My hope is they’ll confirm to you, once and for all, that your sincere love for food and creativity go hand in hand.
May they also remind you that good food is …
… FUN.
“Good food is a celebration of life.” — Sophia Loren, actress
“Food is celebratory. People who don’t cook don’t know how much fun they’re missing.”—Leo Buscaglia, chef
“Eating well gives a spectacular joy to life.“—Elsa Schiaparelli, designer
“Food is not just eating energy. It’s an experience.“—Guy Fieri, chef
… A GREAT MOTIVATOR.
“If music be the food of love, play on.”—William Shakespeare, writer
“Work is the meat of life, pleasure the dessert.” — B.C. Forbes, journalist
“I’m painting with the gusto of a Marseillais eating bouillabaisse, which won’t surprise you when it’s a question of painting large sunflowers.“—Vincent Van Gogh, painter
… THE ULTIMATE ICEBREAKER.
“Sharing food with another human being is an intimate act that should not be indulged in lightly.“—M.F.K. Fisher, writer
“When I eat with my friends, it is a moment of real pleasure, when I really enjoy my life.“—Monica Bellucci, actress
“After a good dinner, one can forgive anybody; even one’s own relatives.“—Oscar Wilde, writer
“My doctor told me I had to stop having intimate dinners for four unless there are three other people.” —Orson Welles, film & radio director, writer, producer, & actor
… FOR MANY, ANOTHER TERM FOR “BREAKFAST.”
“If you look upon ham and eggs and lust, you have already committed breakfast in your heart.”—C.S. Lewis, writer
“All happiness depends on a leisurely breakfast.“—John Gunther, author & journalist
“How sad the world would be without the smell of jam.”—George Duhamel, author
… ESSENTIAL.
“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well if one has not dined well.“—Virginia Woolf, writer
“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.“—J.R.R. Tolkien, writer
… SIMPLE.
“Good food is very often, even most often, simple food.”—Anthony Bourdain, chef & writer
“You don’t need a silver fork to eat good food.”—Paul Prudhomme, chef & writer
“What I say is that, if a man really likes potatoes, he must be a pretty decent sort of fellow”.—A.A. Milne, author
“With an apple, I will astonish Paris.“—Paul Cezanne, painter
… REAL.
“Real food, I’ve found, is actually better than dieting.“—Angelina Jolie, actress
“Life is too short for fake butter or fake people.”—Julia Child, chef
“I don’t like food that’s too carefully arranged; it makes me think that the chef is spending too much time arranging and not enough time cooking. If I wanted a picture I’d buy a painting.“—Andy Rooney, writer
… “THE ABSOLUTE BEST” WHEN HOMEMADE OR HOMEGROWN
“… the simple meal satisfies…Fish always tastes better when you catch it, fruit when you pluck it, bread when you knead it, and salt when you grind it.“—Margaret Feinberg, writer
“If your mother cooks Italian food, why should you go to a restaurant?”—Martin Scorsese, film director
“It’s difficult to think of anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato.“—Lewis Grizzard, humorist
… SATISFYING.
“Food is symbolic of love when words are inadequate.“—Alan D. Wolfelt, author & counselor
“Abundance is … the smell of fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies.“—Candy Paull, author
“The best comfort food will always be greens, cornbread, and fried chicken.“—Maya Angelou, writer
“The best food satisfies all kinds of hunger.”—Christie Purifoy, writer
Now that you’ve read all 31 quotes, have you found one that resonates with you more than the others?
Remember to come back and take another look at these quotes if you ever start to second-guess your calling as a creative. They’ll make you smile, encourage you to move forward, and continue doing your good work with confidence. So much so that one day, perhaps, we’ll be adding a quote of yours to the list!
