“Food crosses all barriers… if we were to cook a meal together … there would be smiles, there would be laughter, there would be a connection, and there would be a bond that’s made.””
The Psychosocial Power of Cooking & Eating Together
We think cooking for each other is important—especially when you have only two–three weeks to build strong, robustly connected teams comprised of young sailors from different cultural backgrounds. It turns out, cooking is therapeutic—just like sailing. But cooking as a group, for the group, doesn’t just improve mood and disposition…
• it fosters bonding
• it builds self-esteem
• it helps create a sense of confident independence
Importantly, at least in our experience, it brings a new dimension to team-building: it creates a dynamic of “family.” That, in turn, engenders “trust.” There’s certainly no better place to get to know each other—to feel comfortable with each other—than around the dinner table. Another plus: preparing meals instills such useful life skills as nutrition awareness and cooking proficiency, which in turn support long-term healthy eating habits and more adroit social competence.
Once back home, the ability to cook a meal is correlated with stronger family bonds, enhanced mental well-being, and lower reported depression.
Cooking and eating together reinforces the QBE ethos of building strong, authentic connections that translate into more efficient teams on deck.
After our meals, crew members take turns washing up. We teach our youngsters that on a sailboat, everything always has to be returned to its proper place A.S.A.P.—on deck and, yep, in the galley, too! As the old saying goes, “No job is ever finished until everything is put away.”