Eat to live. Mindful eating, which was explained in my previous article, enables us to maintain awareness and appreciation before, during and after meals.

Mindful Mendicant by Oj Hofer

By observing this meaningful experience of dining, we develop no attachment nor aversion to what we eat. No biases towards or against the food, venue, the occasion or the people whom we are with.

Recently, this writer visited Eya and Chef Steve’s Potluk Pantry and Tasting Room which they opened in June this year. Located at 17 Acacia Street in Cebu City, Potluk has limited dining space but a seemingly limitless menu of socially and environmentally responsible, wholesome plant-based food and non-vegetarian dishes.

This mendicant hasn’t seen Eya and Steve in kalpas, thus, dining-in was the only way to reestablish friendships and experience mindful eating. As expected, everything went wonderfully well. One learned that Eya now heads CAFE-i (Communities for Alternative Food Ecosystems Initiative) the non-government organization that trains, develops, verifies and certifies organic farming while working with Cebu Farmer’s Market (www.facebook.com/cebufarmersmarket/). Meanwhile, Steve continues to create flavorful and mindfullness-enhancing dishes that are responsibly and locally sourced. With these two advocates of mindful eating, Cebu’s food industry has become even more exciting. Potluk Pantry is providing us healthful food, delightful drinks and the causes and conditions for mindful eating.