MC Howell

Growing up, some of my fondest memories are from the kitchen in small town Tennessee. What started out as following the back of Betty Crocker boxes turned into learning to make homemade biscuits while covered in flour at my grandmother’s house. My grandmother had a back door that leads into the kitchen that squeaks when you open it. That door would squeak all day when she was cooking a meal for the family. It didn’t matter how many places were set at the table because we would always squeeze in one more placemat, glass of iced tea, and fold out chair.

As I got older, this habit of adding another place setting has turned into a life mantra. Food is not merely a nutritious substance needed for physical growth, but a part of culture, community, and growth for the soul. While life takes me many places beyond small town Tennessee, the fold out chair is always a reminder that there is always room for one more at the table.