“Are you familiar with the pork chop theory?” asked food writer Virginia Willis. I admitted that I was not. “Let me explain,” she said. And then she did.
Before I tell you about the pork chop theory, however, let me just say that that illuminating conversation was just one of many I had last week in Austin while attending the International Association of Culinary Professionals annual conference. This gathering, which draws large crowds (over 800 were in attendance this year), is not one that I would normally be attracted to as I prefer smaller events. But when I saw that the conference was going to be held in my home state I knew that I had to attend.
While I’m still processing all that I learned, one thing that gave me joy was seeing first-time visitors to Texas fall in love with our great state. Despite the triple-digit temperatures, the conference attendees took to the Austin streets on foot and on bikes—sampling barbecue, tacos and ice cream, among many other excellent dishes on offer. In between sessions, people would gather in groups and compare notes about where they’d eaten that day—insisting that if one hadn’t been to a favorite place yet they must go soon. It made me smile to see people flush with discovery.
But besides the thrill of seeing people fall in love with my home state, the conference also gave me an opportunity to connect with far-flung friends that I usually communicate with only online. Sure, I’ve had many substantive conversations with friends over email, Twitter or Facebook, but there’s something to be said about the power of meeting in person and sharing a hug and a meal.
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