Creativity in Cooking Can Solve Our Biggest Challenges: José Andrés at TEDxMidAtlantic
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0:08 - 0:10Well, I don't know about you
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0:10 - 0:13but today, I learned many things.
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0:13 - 0:14I learned that, actually,
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0:14 - 0:17astronomers don't have
all the ingredients with them, -
0:17 - 0:18or that they don't know
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0:18 - 0:21many of the ingredients
in the universe. -
0:21 - 0:24Cooks... We do.
(Laughter) -
0:24 - 0:27And it's funny that
she's using liquid nitrogen, -
0:27 - 0:30when I use liquid nitrogen to cook,
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0:30 - 0:32and I'm so happy we found water
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0:32 - 0:35in very distant and far away countries --
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0:35 - 0:37very far away planets.
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0:37 - 0:40With water, I can cook --
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0:40 - 0:44I know I have а job... forever.
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0:44 - 0:45Why am I here?
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0:45 - 0:47I would love to believe it's because
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0:47 - 0:50I have something important
to share with you, -
0:50 - 0:53but I have a feeling
that all my TED friends, -
0:53 - 0:55in a very busy weekend
in Washington, -
0:55 - 0:56they wanted the excuse of --
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0:56 - 0:58why ask me for a reservation --
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0:58 - 0:59They invite me to speak,
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0:59 - 1:03[so] they go to other places.
(Applause) -
1:05 - 1:07But we are here to talk about
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1:07 - 1:10more important things.
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1:10 - 1:13I'm a chef --
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1:13 - 1:16I'm a chef and I cook for the few,
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1:16 - 1:20but, really, I want to be
cooking for the world. -
1:20 - 1:24I want to create the spark.
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1:24 - 1:28And how do we create
the spark being a chef? -
1:28 - 1:33We create the spark
through creativity. -
1:33 - 1:37I know lunch is coming.
(Laughter) -
1:37 - 1:41Are you hungry?
(Laughter) -
1:41 - 1:44Sometimes, guys,
to be creative, -
1:44 - 1:46the only thing
we have to be doing is -- -
1:46 - 1:47Why not?
Looking at the stars, -
1:47 - 1:48maybe, Andromeda,
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1:48 - 1:50or maybe, a far away galaxy
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1:50 - 1:52it's a way to get inspired.
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1:52 - 1:53I just got inspired
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1:53 - 1:56by these amazing presentations.
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1:56 - 1:57Sometimes, you only have to do
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1:57 - 1:59simple things as these.
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1:59 - 2:01I'm going to start now.
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2:01 - 2:02Why? Because the world
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2:02 - 2:04needs me to start.
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2:04 - 2:05But creativity doesn't happen,
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2:05 - 2:07you know, in the middle of a beach,
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2:07 - 2:11doing nothing, under
a palm tree... No! -
2:11 - 2:12I've never created
anything in the beach, -
2:12 - 2:15I only get burned by the sun.
(Laughter) -
2:15 - 2:17Actually, creativity will only happen
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2:17 - 2:20when I'm surrounded
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2:20 - 2:22by high energy environments
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2:22 - 2:25that keep all of these ideas
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2:25 - 2:28coming and coming,
and tip your life! -
2:28 - 2:31Well, sometimes, to look
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2:31 - 2:32for new creative ways
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2:32 - 2:34we don't need to look
into the big things, -
2:34 - 2:37we need to concentrate
in the small ones. -
2:37 - 2:39Sometimes, we need to be
looking into the big ones, -
2:39 - 2:43because [that] can be
what creates a small idea. -
2:43 - 2:44What is big can be small,
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2:44 - 2:47and what's small can become huge!
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2:47 - 2:49We have no time to waste,
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2:49 - 2:52but in order to be creative,
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2:52 - 2:53people of the world,
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2:53 - 2:55we have to make sure
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2:55 - 2:57that we will not be afraid
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2:57 - 3:01to look beyond the horizon
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3:01 - 3:05that we don't know
what's behind. -
3:05 - 3:08To take really
that challenge of saying, -
3:08 - 3:10"I'm going to move away
from my comfort zone -
3:10 - 3:12and I'm going to reach beyond
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3:12 - 3:14what I don't know."
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3:14 - 3:17This is really how
we become creative. -
3:17 - 3:19Where, sometimes,
light can be -
3:19 - 3:21what makes us blind,
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3:21 - 3:24or what gives us the light
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3:24 - 3:27to help us begin
with a new creation. -
3:27 - 3:30Sometimes, using
a simple piece of paper, -
3:30 - 3:32writing one word or one phrase
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3:32 - 3:34can begin something amazing.
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3:34 - 3:38But here is...
what important things start. -
3:38 - 3:41Sometimes, very simple ideas --
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3:41 - 3:47very simple ideas
can achieve fascinating things. -
3:47 - 3:50Take a look at something like
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3:50 - 3:51what we have in front of us
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3:51 - 3:54every day of our lives.
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3:54 - 3:58How many of you have
had a glass of water today? -
3:58 - 4:02Great! What did you do with it,
besides drinking it? -
4:02 - 4:04You didn't talk to it,
you didn't ask, -
4:04 - 4:06What can I do today
with this glass of water -
4:06 - 4:09that has never been done before?
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4:09 - 4:12Well, [the] funny thing is
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4:12 - 4:14that if I take risks,
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4:14 - 4:16and if I move away
from my comfort zone, -
4:16 - 4:19that meaning not going
to the market to get inspired, -
4:19 - 4:21or opening a cookbook
to get inspiration, -
4:21 - 4:24but maybe, going to Harvard or MIT,
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4:24 - 4:25where I have no clue
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4:25 - 4:27what those scientists
are talking about -- (Laughter) -
4:27 - 4:30but I'm taking the risk
of making a fool of myself -
4:30 - 4:33only because it's worth it --
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4:33 - 4:35and I understand
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4:35 - 4:38that I can defy gravity --
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4:38 - 4:40And that I can control the water
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4:40 - 4:42by understanding the pressure --
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4:42 - 4:45the low pressure that is formed inside.
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4:45 - 4:46And understanding a little bit
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4:46 - 4:48about water surface tension --
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4:48 - 4:50Wow, I am being creative,
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4:50 - 4:53right here, right now!
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4:53 - 4:56At the end, guys, you know,
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4:56 - 4:58a simple ingredient, like water,
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4:58 - 5:00can be helping me to come up
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5:00 - 5:02with something fascinating
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5:02 - 5:04from a very old ingredient
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5:04 - 5:06-- and water is quite old.
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5:06 - 5:08But at the low end,
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5:08 - 5:10I can learn new ways to cook
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5:10 - 5:13in a clean and efficient way.
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5:13 - 5:15You know, guys, we've been
cooking with fire -
5:15 - 5:18for hundred of thousands of years.
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5:18 - 5:23That was almost the beginning
of creativity in cooking! Yes? -
5:23 - 5:25But it's so funny.
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5:25 - 5:28Today, hundred of thousands of years
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5:28 - 5:32after we began controlling fire,
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5:32 - 5:34we use that same fire
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5:34 - 5:37to cook on a Sunday for our friends.
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5:37 - 5:38Why? Because
we're rich and powerful, -
5:38 - 5:40and we have the charcoal,
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5:40 - 5:41and we have the money
to buy the meat -
5:41 - 5:43that can feed our friends,
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5:43 - 5:48and because we are men,
and we know how to cook. (Laughter) -
5:48 - 5:51But this is not laughing [matter].
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5:51 - 5:54Hundred of millions
of years of evolution, -
5:54 - 5:56reaching to the stars,
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5:56 - 5:58going to the moon --
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5:58 - 6:02and still people are living lives,
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6:02 - 6:03as we used to live them
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6:03 - 6:08hundred of thousands of years ago.
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6:08 - 6:15This is how the advance
of humanity has helped us -- -
6:15 - 6:21Having people
who have achieved fire -- -
6:21 - 6:24what takes me a second,
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6:24 - 6:27it takes them hours --
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6:27 - 6:29They have to search for the wood --
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6:29 - 6:31these girls get in danger
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6:31 - 6:34because they're alone in the forest,
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6:34 - 6:36in the middle of nowhere.
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6:36 - 6:38They can be raped,
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6:38 - 6:40because they're looking for the fuel
to cook their food. -
6:40 - 6:41They have no time to go to school,
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6:41 - 6:45so they have no future
because they receive no education. -
6:46 - 6:51Wow! And here we come... to corn;
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6:51 - 6:54a grain that is everywhere
to be found in America. -
6:54 - 6:57For thousands of years,
civilizations have been living around corn. -
6:57 - 6:59Let me show you creativity.
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6:59 - 7:01With corn we feed the cattle,
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7:01 - 7:06when, actually, we should
feed the cattle with grass. -
7:06 - 7:09It's smarter, but no,
we use it to feed those cattle -
7:09 - 7:11that will produce meat.
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7:11 - 7:14And with corn we are able
to come out with oil, -
7:14 - 7:15that is going to fry those potatoes.
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7:15 - 7:18And with corn we can make syrup
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7:18 - 7:20that help us to make ketchup.
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7:20 - 7:21And believe it or not,
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7:21 - 7:26with corn, also, we can make
a great soda! Wow! -
7:26 - 7:30With corn we're even able
to make the paper! -
7:30 - 7:35Creativity at it best!
(Laughter) -
7:35 - 7:39I cannot beat that, guys!
(Laughter) -
7:39 - 7:43So, the fun part is that
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7:43 - 7:45I could be telling you
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7:45 - 7:47how many things
are wrong about these, -
7:47 - 7:51but the truth is that
a burger is a paradigm -
7:51 - 7:55of the complexities
of how we feed humanity! -
7:55 - 7:57But I'm not only going
to be blaming them, -
7:57 - 8:00we are all here to be blamed.
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8:00 - 8:03It's a responsibility of everyone
to be feeding people. -
8:03 - 8:05Actually, you know one thing?
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8:05 - 8:07You think that people
coming to my restaurant, -
8:07 - 8:10me, the great chef, José Andrés,
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8:10 - 8:13I am not part of the best city problem?
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8:13 - 8:16Or, you know what
about the environment? -
8:16 - 8:19Who put more CO2,
me or the fast food companies? -
8:19 - 8:21A fast food restaurant receives
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8:21 - 8:24two deliveries a week if [even so].
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8:24 - 8:26Do you know how many I receive?
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8:26 - 8:28Sometimes 50 or 60.
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8:28 - 8:31I need to be pragmatic
if we want to feed the world. -
8:31 - 8:33Actually, I put more CO2
in the environment -
8:33 - 8:35than maybe those
fast food companies -
8:35 - 8:39that sometimes we complain about.
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8:39 - 8:42But no, I'm not being paid by them,
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8:42 - 8:44I only know that
I have to be pragmatic -
8:44 - 8:47if I want my boys to be respected,
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8:47 - 8:49and we can use creativity
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8:49 - 8:51to bring everyone to the table,
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8:51 - 8:54and bring riches -- Are you with me?
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8:54 - 8:56So here --
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8:56 - 8:58I'm going to show you my creativity.
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8:58 - 9:00Who likes almonds?
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9:00 - 9:03Come on! Are you hungry?
Audience: Yeah! -
9:03 - 9:05Are you hungry up there?
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9:05 - 9:08Who likes cheese?
Audience: Yeah! -
9:08 - 9:10Almond and cheese, right?
That's simple! -
9:10 - 9:12Piece of cake!
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9:12 - 9:14Let me show you what I do
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9:14 - 9:15when I'm willing to move away
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9:15 - 9:18from my comfort zone --
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9:18 - 9:19I'm pushing the envelope --
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9:19 - 9:23Let me show you creativity my way.
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9:23 - 9:27(Music)
I think this is the first cooking video -
9:27 - 9:29in the history of TED!
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9:29 - 9:33Almonds are being fried --
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9:33 - 9:36Olive oil --
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9:36 - 9:40Those almonds are brown, tasty.
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9:40 - 9:42We add water; the same water
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9:42 - 9:45that we may find
in a very distant planet, -
9:45 - 9:47in another galaxy.
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9:47 - 9:55And here we're going
to be blending those almonds. -
9:55 - 9:59And we're going to be freezing
that almond puree. -
9:59 - 10:01And we're going to use technology.
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10:01 - 10:07We're going to be making
this amazing puree of almond, -
10:07 - 10:09like almond butter.
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10:09 - 10:16Now, we're going
to be using some cream -
10:16 - 10:20and we're going to be mixing again.
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10:20 - 10:22Any food critic here?
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10:22 - 10:24Great, I'm lucky.
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10:24 - 10:28And now, we add liquid nitrogen.
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10:28 - 10:32And take a look when we move away
from the comfort zone -- -
10:32 - 10:35What we can do for the few --
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10:35 - 10:41By getting a ladle,
a beautiful metal ladle -- -
10:41 - 10:46We're able to introduce it
into this milk of almonds, -
10:46 - 10:49and a very thin layer is going
to be attached to the ladle. -
10:49 - 10:51We reintroduce the ladle.
-
10:51 - 10:53We change the temperature,
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10:53 - 10:55and we're going to be able
to separate the almonds. -
10:55 - 10:57The almonds were hard,
they become liquid, -
10:57 - 11:00they become hard again,
but now, we change the texture! -
11:00 - 11:02We have the power to do that!
-
11:02 - 11:05We have the power
to use creativity! -
11:05 - 11:07And you can do one,
and you can do another, -
11:07 - 11:10and this is telling me
that there is hope! -
11:10 - 11:13Because we can do
amazing things -
11:13 - 11:16with simple ingredients.
-
11:16 - 11:18If we apply heat, it melts again.
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11:18 - 11:21We get the cheese,
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11:21 - 11:22and we're going to show you
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11:22 - 11:24how to make a mousse,
that, actually, if we want it, -
11:24 - 11:26I can make that same mousse
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11:26 - 11:28without cream and fat,
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11:28 - 11:31only water... only water!
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11:31 - 11:35No more fat in mousses!
(Laughter) -
11:35 - 11:38But this one has cheese.
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11:38 - 11:39We make the mousse
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11:39 - 11:42and, then, we fill up
the beautiful almond cups. -
11:42 - 11:44People of America,
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11:44 - 11:46two humble ingredients
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11:46 - 11:52elevated to a new dimension, great!
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11:52 - 12:02(Applause)
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12:04 - 12:08So, this is creativity for a chef,
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12:08 - 12:10but how can I put this creativity
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12:10 - 12:13that only feeds the few
to feed the many? -
12:13 - 12:18Brillat-Savarin, 1826,
one of the most amazing -
12:18 - 12:21food philosophers in
the history of mankind -- -
12:21 - 12:23"The destiny of the nations
depends on the manner -
12:23 - 12:27in which they feed themselves."
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12:27 - 12:31Wow! I think our politicians,
but also ourselves -- -
12:31 - 12:38We've forgotten such an amazing,
powerful, powerful phrase. -
12:38 - 12:42You know, almost two centuries
after he wrote this, -
12:42 - 12:47we still face, sometimes in America,
but around the world, -
12:47 - 12:50obesity and hunger.
-
12:50 - 12:53How is it possible that
some, we can be so overweight, -
12:53 - 12:58while others barely know
what to put into their mouths? -
12:58 - 13:02But you know, I would love
to talk to you about -
13:02 - 13:04how to produce food,
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13:04 - 13:06but today I want to talk to you about
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13:06 - 13:08how we cook and handle that food,
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13:08 - 13:10because it can be equally important.
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13:10 - 13:14We need to make sure
that we start -- -
13:14 - 13:17We need to stop throwing money
into the problem, -
13:17 - 13:21and really start investing money
into true solutions. -
13:21 - 13:24And understanding
the power of food, -
13:24 - 13:26and the power of cooking
and creativity, -
13:26 - 13:28this could be a great beginning.
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13:28 - 13:30Take a look at this.
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13:30 - 13:33This is Haiti.
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13:33 - 13:34Do you see the garbage?
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13:34 - 13:39Where do you think this garbage
came from, people? Where? -
13:39 - 13:40It came from overseas.
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13:40 - 13:43Yes, we have goodwill;
we went there to help. -
13:43 - 13:44But look at all the trash
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13:44 - 13:47we brought with us
in the process of helping! -
13:47 - 13:50No one is really even thinking about it.
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13:50 - 13:52How to take care of the garbage!
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13:52 - 13:56Creativity, and cooking
and thinking about food, -
13:56 - 13:59can help us to move this forward.
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13:59 - 14:00I have this friend who had
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14:00 - 14:02this simple, humble idea
-
14:02 - 14:05of getting a newspaper --
-
14:05 - 14:07If you're Republican you know
which one to use -- -
14:07 - 14:10If you're a Democrat, too.
(Laughter) -
14:10 - 14:13And he had a party
but he didn't have a lot of money, -
14:13 - 14:15and he needed a creative way
-
14:15 - 14:17to be saving money.
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14:17 - 14:19And it was at this time,
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14:19 - 14:21that such a simple thing
-
14:21 - 14:28as grabbing a piece of paper
-- a simple piece of paper -- -
14:28 - 14:30and transform the beautiful paper
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14:30 - 14:33into something so simple
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14:33 - 14:35as a place to put peanuts,
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14:35 - 14:39like a plate to hold the peanuts
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14:39 - 14:41that will allow you to eat them,
-
14:41 - 14:42and also, have a place
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14:42 - 14:47to put the garbage next.
(Laughter) -
14:47 - 14:48Simple ideas, people,
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14:48 - 14:52can be helping to feed the world,
-
14:52 - 14:53but we need to keep thinking,
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14:53 - 14:55and thinking hard.
-
14:55 - 14:58A newspaper can only
be the beginning. -
14:58 - 15:00But take a look at this,
-
15:00 - 15:02at what we have here --
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15:02 - 15:05Here we have clean cookstoves.
-
15:05 - 15:08A woman cooking with
wood and charcoal, -
15:08 - 15:12but those cookstoves
are cleaner now. -
15:12 - 15:16Cleaner means that, even if
she's using wood and charcoal, -
15:16 - 15:20she's using, probably,
60 to 70 percent less. -
15:20 - 15:24So, by using less
we cut less trees, -
15:24 - 15:26by leaving trees in the forest,
-
15:26 - 15:29the rain, that we're supposed
to be celebrating -
15:29 - 15:31because rain means water,
-
15:31 - 15:33and water means life.
-
15:33 - 15:35That rain doesn't create life.
-
15:35 - 15:37That rain creates death
-
15:37 - 15:39because we cut the trees,
-
15:39 - 15:43and there's nothing,
no roots to give life to that soil, -
15:43 - 15:45and when the water comes down
from the mountains, -
15:45 - 15:47it takes away lives, homes,
-
15:47 - 15:53and the only fertile soil
that we have left... Wow! -
15:53 - 16:00And we could be using this [paper]
to make briquettes. -
16:00 - 16:04With paper and organic matter
-
16:04 - 16:09that can help us to have
clean cookstoves -
16:09 - 16:11that are part of the solution --
-
16:11 - 16:14feeding people,
giving them opportunities, -
16:14 - 16:16taking care of the environment,
-
16:16 - 16:19all with a simple idea.
-
16:19 - 16:22I use many clean cookstoves,
-
16:22 - 16:24some use briquettes,
-
16:24 - 16:27other ones use pellets,
-
16:27 - 16:29other ones use charcoal,
-
16:29 - 16:34but [with] other ones,
we use alcohol. -
16:34 - 16:37There's hope,
we know how to do it, -
16:37 - 16:39we know how to feed people,
-
16:39 - 16:42but we need to be really investing
-
16:42 - 16:45in true research and development,
-
16:45 - 16:46because research and development
-
16:46 - 16:51cannot be only part of the big
corporations of the world. -
16:51 - 16:54If we don't start
applying creativity, -
16:54 - 16:55research and development
-
16:55 - 16:56into the third world,
-
16:56 - 16:59we will never have hope
-
16:59 - 17:01for those people
that need it the most. -
17:01 - 17:05And this was my simple contribution.
-
17:05 - 17:10Why we don't cook with
zero emission of CO2? -
17:10 - 17:13Solar kitchens,
it's not the only way. -
17:13 - 17:15I believe in many ways,
-
17:15 - 17:18but this is almost the dream way.
-
17:18 - 17:20I went there, many times,
-
17:20 - 17:23not trying to impose
the white man philosophy, -
17:23 - 17:24but trying to listen.
-
17:24 - 17:26Because these people
in the third world, -
17:26 - 17:28they only want from us,
-
17:28 - 17:31not our pity,
but our respect, -
17:31 - 17:33and they want us
to listen to them, -
17:33 - 17:35so we can really help them,
-
17:35 - 17:36and not imposing solutions
-
17:36 - 17:38that no one believes in.
-
17:38 - 17:42And I did a simple thing --
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17:42 - 17:43Creativity --
-
17:43 - 17:46The same creativity
that uses the sun. -
17:46 - 17:50A creativity that I used
to feed six people. -
17:50 - 17:52I painted this in black,
-
17:52 - 17:55with black we attract the sun,
-
17:55 - 18:00with the sun we're able to steam water
very, very quick -- -
18:00 - 18:02as quick as that --
-
18:02 - 18:05And forgive me for the video,
it was with my phone. -
18:05 - 18:10Video: "I'm cooking lentils
-
18:10 - 18:16and I'm only using the sun! Wow!
-
18:16 - 18:19Clean cookstoves are
a great way to cook." -
18:27 - 18:33(Applause)
-
18:34 - 18:38Creativity in cooking can help solve,
-
18:38 - 18:39can really help solve
-
18:39 - 18:43the biggest challenges in our world.
-
18:43 - 18:47Creativity can be the way
to teach people again -
18:47 - 18:48how to feed themselves,
-
18:48 - 18:50by giving them the power
-
18:50 - 18:52of knowing how to cook.
-
18:52 - 18:56Through education
we can achieve that. -
18:56 - 18:59Education and creativity will be key.
-
18:59 - 19:03If we really give people,
like in Haiti, -
19:03 - 19:08the tools through creativity
to feed themselves, -
19:08 - 19:12the world has hope.
-
19:12 - 19:16Cooking is what makes us
uniquely human, -
19:16 - 19:18it's what differentiate us
-
19:18 - 19:22from everyone else on this Earth.
-
19:22 - 19:26Creativity and cooking, guys,
can give us hope -
19:26 - 19:29that we may have
a better world tomorrow. -
19:29 - 19:33I would like to use another phrase
of Brillat-Savarin, -
19:33 - 19:35"Show me what you eat,
-
19:35 - 19:38and I will tell you who you are."
-
19:38 - 19:41An important phrase,
-
19:41 - 19:44but I will ask Mr. Brillat-Savarin
-
19:44 - 19:47to allow me, in a humble way,
-
19:47 - 19:51to help me update
this powerful phrase. -
19:51 - 19:53I think from now on,
it should be, -
19:53 - 19:57"Show me how you cook,
-
19:57 - 20:02and I will tell you
who you really are." -
20:02 - 20:04My name is José Andrés,
-
20:04 - 20:05I know I feed the few
-
20:05 - 20:08but I really want to be
part of the solution -
20:08 - 20:10of feeding the world.
-
20:10 - 20:11Thank you very much.
-
20:11 - 20:16(Applause)
- Title:
- Creativity in Cooking Can Solve Our Biggest Challenges: José Andrés at TEDxMidAtlantic
- Description:
-
A native of Spain, José Andrés is the chef/owner of ThinkFoodGroup, and responsible of many award-winning dining concepts. In this emotive talk, he encourages and shares his desire to apply the creativity that is often used in the kitchen to create amazing dishes that feed a few, to help find solutions to feed the world.
- Video Language:
- English
- Team:
- closed TED
- Project:
- TEDxTalks
- Duration:
- 20:23