For many of us, losing the ability to travel this past year has meant losing the opportunity to immerse ourselves in new cities, new cultures, and new flavors. For Chef Ed Szymanski, that adventure roadblock inspired him to get creative when it came to his cuisine.
In the latest episode of Creator Connections, made in partnership with Delta Air Lines, Szymanski shared how the pandemic derailed his plans to travel along the West Coast last year. He wanted to sample the flavors of the sea that places like California and Oregon are known for and use it as the inspiration behind dishes at his restaurant Dame, in Greenwich Village. Instead, he found ways to connect with his community at home via pop-up shops and budget-friendly food staples like the always-classic fish and chips. But the time spent growing roots and giving back only made him more appreciative of the opportunity to travel again.
“Traveling is about people and it’s about the moments I get to share with those people,” Szymanski says. “Those are the things that really broaden my horizons and make me grow as an individual.”
The pandemic didn’t cancel our travel dreams, it just postponed them for a while. Check out Ed’s story above to learn more about his next culinary adventure and how Delta is inspiring him to get out and see the world again.
“I’m so excited to plan again, and to travel,” he says. “I guess I didn’t realize how much I missed that until it was gone.”
