Interview with Courtney Storer | Longer Tables Fund x MAD

{I'm Courtney Storer.} {I am a chef based in Los Angeles.} {I am also the culinary producer of the show The Bear.} {My favorite episode I would say would} {be the last episode of season one.} {With the kitchen,} {when the team is all together eating family meal.} {That day was forever in my mind.} {We were all there together.} {It felt very loving and it felt risky and it felt} {brave I think that we were putting out this thing that} {we didn't know how people were going to receive it.} {Also eating beautiful spaghetti pomodoro together and garlic bread.} {So there's nothing better than that.} {I'm a deli kid.} {I grew up and was raised in Italian delis.} {There was a lot of integrity in the work.} {There was so much dedication.} {Above anything else was the hospitality and the care.} {I tried to really remember all of those values that I learned.} {Kind of working the counter at a deli in Chicago.} {So diversity in food is everywhere.} {You just have to seek it out.} {You have to ask your friends.} {You have to read about it.} {And you can find really whatever you're craving.} {I had such a big food background in Chicago.} {But I've rediscovered all sorts of cuisine in Los Angeles.} {I'm sure a lot of people sometimes can relate to,} {you know,} {not really having some family memories} {around food that were always super positive.} {And I think that that's okay.} {And I think that's why restaurants} {are so important because I think are so} {important because I think about ravioli.} {It was cheese ravioli at Sonny's with a perfect pomodoro} {sauce and some Parmesan and it was just delicious.} {And I ate it every time I went there my entire life.} {I still make it in all the menus that I make.} {Usually I put a ravioli on there for that reason.} {I think building longer tables is super significant} {because we are all in a lot of unknowns right now.} {It's important more than ever} {for people to kind of create anchors in their lives with} {the places that they choose to go to to bring other people} {together in a shared experience around a table eating food.} {I firsthand will say that that has been the most healing} {thing in my life is doing that with other people that} {I've gotten to know sitting across from them at a table.} {Thank you so much.} {Thank you.} {That was so great.}