Chef and author Alice Waters is hailed as one of the first early adopters of seasonal organic ingredients.
In her restaurant "Chez Panisse" Waters dedicated herself to educating others about the importance of reuniting with cooking and nature.
In an interview with PBS the "California cuisine" pioneer, talked about how easy it actually is to eat healthy and maintain a good lifestyle. In 1995, Waters founded the Edible Schoolyard Project, where students learned how to plant and harvest a garden.
The produce was later used in the kitchen. The Edible Schoolyard Project has now expanded to 3,000 schools around to world.
"It's helped me realize how much stuff actually grows in the ground," Waters said. "Everything comes in packages these days."
Waters, the author of 14 books, included her latest, a cookbook, called "The Art of Simple Food II," said she ended up at the doorsteps of organic local farmers and producers searching for something that tasted like food she eaten when she visited France.
Waters said she believes organic growers are taking care of the land. She said it's about "reconnecting with people who are those stewards and those caretakers."
"We want the farmers to be supported who really care about not only our nourishment, but the nourishment of the land," Waters said. "But I have also found that they plant all kinds of fruits and vegetables now that have more flavor. So, I'm looking for the vegetables and fruits particularly that are the varietals, that have this kind of gastronomic importance."
Waters said for people who can't afford to buy organic food, it's a matter of learning how to cook and make a dinner in an affordable way.
"I think we have lost all of our cooking knowledge and understanding about seasons because the sort of fast food industry would like us to believe that even cooking is drudgery and sitting down at the table is unimportant," Waters said. "It's just better and cheaper to buy something that's prepared for us."
