How Cooking from Scratch Connects Us to Our Roots

Every great meal has a heart that runs deeper than the sum of its parts. Just as strong roots make for healthy plants, the foundation of truly nourishing food lies in the quality of the soil it comes from. Visiting Somerset House’s Soil exhibition at the weekend, I felt so close to this idea—watching root systems form around us through different pieces of art, I was reminded that every time we cook from scratch, we are not just preparing food; we are reconnecting with nature, tradition, and the simple joy of eating well.

Soil = flavour

Rich, healthy soil is alive with friends: microorganisms, minerals, and organic matter that feed the plants growing in it. When soil is well cared for, it produces food that bursts with flavour. A carrot grown in this nutrient-dense earth is sweeter and more vibrant than one mass-produced in depleted soil. A tomato ripened in healthy soil will have a depth of taste that no tomato grown hydroponically (in a nutrient-rich water solution) can match. The better the soil, the better the food.

Why scratch cooking matters

Cooking from scratch, though sometimes a labour of love and time, gives us control over the ingredients we use, allowing us to prioritise quality over convenience. When we choose our food ourselves—rather than relying on pre-formed, ready-made meals—we are not only supporting the food systems and farmers we believe in but also feeding ourselves with the best nature has to offer.

These ingredients come without artificial enhancers, flavourings, and additives, allowing us to taste them for what they truly are—not what we’ve been conditioned to think they should taste like. Take sweets as an example: the flavour of a foam banana (explained in the link here) or a gummy strawberry is worlds away from the real fruit.

When I stand in my kitchen with these fresh ingredients, I feel more connected to where they’ve come from—especially when I find little critters hiding between salad leaves or mud clinging to my potatoes. It’s a powerful reminder that food comes from beyond the shops we buy it in, grown by someone else’s hands before ending up in mine.

The journey is as important as the meal.

Cooking doesn’t need to be complex for meals to feel special. Often, when ingredients are at their best, they need very little cooking to shine—meaning less time stirring, braising, or sautéing (a win!).

Equally, if you can find 30 minutes to prepare dinner tonight or carve out a window on a Sunday afternoon to batch cook, the process of using your hands to create something can allow your mind to slow and the journey of making a meal to take hold.

With every ingredient that ends up on our plate, there has been a journey for it to get there. Sometimes, it’s nice for there to be a journey in cooking it too.

I want to leave you with a food memory: What’s one ingredient you’ve tasted that was so full of flavour it left a lifelong impression?