He still loves Indian food, and is probably aware of the power food and flavors have to transport us back to another place. Dr. Kumar also loves to travel and to date has toured four continents. And an essential part of international travel, for most people, is sampling a wide range of local cuisines. There are those who say that people who travel internationally but restrict themselves to foods that are familiar to them, are doing themselves a real disservice.
It is through food, and shared meals, that people truly get to know about the people and cultures that they are traveling in. Food is an easy way to connect with the people who live where you are traveling, and once a conversation begins there is no telling what it might lead to. The common denominator of food thus serves multiple purposes.
But of course, sampling local cuisines isn’t for everybody. Some people may have dietary restrictions that limit the types of food that they are able to eat, and others might be content to eat those foods that are familiar. When he traveled to India as a member of the Beatles, drummer Ringo Starr recalls bringing along a huge supply of canned baked beans, because he was so concerned he would be unable to eat the local foods.
But whenever he ventures out from his home in West Branch, Dr. Vijay Kumar can look forward to sampling whatever cuisines he finds interesting.
