Introducing Innovator’s Kitchen
Strawberries and Balsamic? Sounds odd!
Bananas and spaghetti? Weird.
Mac & Cheese with pickles? Err, maybe not!
Such unlikely pairings! But wait, do we really know that those combinations don’t go together? But what if they did!? Because not everything is like PB&J – some things won’t make sense from the get-go.
Talking about unlikely pairings, creative education and kitchen? We say, ‘of course!‘. When an innovative idea finds us, we don’t shrug it off as ‘unlikely’, but instead, we like to turn every stone and get creative.
Which brings us to… Innovator’s Kitchen!
Innovator’s Kitchen is InnovatorsBox’s original documentary series pairing a cooking demo with savory leadership lessons. Created by Monica Kang, Founder & CEO of InnovatorsBox, Season 1 will feature our friend, Chef Eliza Martin, a Champion of Food Network’s Chopped!
As I shared in my Facebook post recently (and while you’re on Facebook, connect with us so we can bring more recipes and lessons to you!), “it’s a special series and the start of many more projects my team at InnovatorsBox® will be doing to debunk what it means to be creative“, because learning and honing on creativity should be accessible, fun and relatable for all.
I thought, “what if someone wants to learn about creativity & leadership but wasn’t in a company that had budget to do training or knew where to go?” Creativity isn’t a mystical, magical creature that only select few of us get to experience. It’s a skill that we all have, can practice, and get better at. And our mission at InnovatorsBox® is to help everyone be limitless with creativity.
Over the past few years, we’ve been working on bringing creativity to our customers and community through workshops, speaking engagements, coaching and consulting. Effective, but I wanted to think of delivering the same value and lessons in other innovative and fun ways.
Season 1 with chef Eliza Martin.
Chef Eliza Martin spent over a decade in restaurant world. During a busy shift at her restaurant in San Francisco where she worked as Executive Chef, she greeted a table of young, happy guests. They entreated her to share the pasta recipe they had been so delighted by, and she divulged without hesitation. In that moment she realized she had a greater mission than running a restaurant: encouraging the next generation to cook for themselves.
She turned in her Exec Chef apron and got to work at a children’s culinary school in the heart of San Francisco. She now offers motivational presentations to high schools, colleges, and corporate teams in the hopes of inspiring willing hands to craft healthy, healing food – therefore, live a longer, more empowered live.
Pairing food and conversation
“Dinner’s ready!”
That’s the sound we grew up hearing and loving. It would usher us from whatever we’re doing to the table. And the table is the place where the family gathers, a symbol of solidarity, and often a backdrop to some of our deepest conversations and lightest of laughters. We all love having a conversation around food. While we prepare, while we cook, and as we sit around a table and eat.
So when an idea hit me about the collaboration with chef Eliza where we explore different conversations as we gather around a (virtual) kitchen, it was a no brainer. And when she said yes to the series, where we tackle food illiteracy and creativity accessibility, it was go-time!
And just like that, Innovator’s Kitchen was born.
What does it mean to speak your truth?
On our first show, we celebrate the power of authenticity and expression as we learn how to perfectly sear the delicate scallop. This technique mirrors the art of balancing your truth while considering all of the wisdom and insights we gather. How can you ensure you are speaking from your authentic voice and not living a life influenced by expectations?
Let’s take a bite into this wisdom.
In our March menu, we have Seared Scallop!
Want to try the recipe? Download it below!
Next show is in April where we’ll make a Simple Miso Soup and talk about the power of curiosity. Stay tuned! #InnovatorsKitchen
WATCH THE FULL SHOW :
About the Author
Monica H. Kang
Monica H. Kang, Founder, and CEO of InnovatorsBox® and Author of Rethink Creativity is transforming today’s workforce through the power of creativity. She helps companies rethink culture, leadership, and team development by making creativity practical and relatable regardless of industry or job title. She has worked with clients worldwide including Fortune 500 companies, higher education, government, and nonprofits. Monica’s work has been recognized by The White House, Ashoka Changemakers, National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC), and Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC). Prior to InnovatorsBox®, Monica was a nuclear nonproliferation policy expert. She holds an M.A. from SAIS Johns Hopkins University in Strategic Studies and International Economics and a B.A. from Boston University.
