Connection Through Cooking

Some eat to live. Others live to eat.

Terrell Ellis will tell you herself that she’s the second type of person.

Growing up in a family with mediterranean roots (Terrell’s mother was Lebanese), it was all about the food: food as sustenance and food as pleasure. Food as creative expression, celebration, culture. Food as the glue that holds a family or community together.

Terrell developed a passion for cooking powerful enough to draw her into the restaurant business for a number of years, but eventually her career took another direction, and she found herself inundated with the responsibilities of mothering four children of her own.

Recently, though, her kids have flown the nest, leaving her with more time on her hands, as well as a desire to become more involved in the community and to revisit—in a new context—her culinary interest.

Volunteering with Manna Meal was a no-brainer.

She started out working the line on Saturday mornings, where she enjoyed getting to know the guests and other volunteers. There were regulars in both groups, and she looked forward to their weekly catch-ups—stories and life updates accompanied every plate of food that passed between hands. 

Then, just before the pandemic, Terrell had a chance to switch to the kitchen. As much joy as she experienced serving, she was eager to get in on the efforts behind the scenes. Immediately, she was struck by the care that the Manna Meal cooks put into their food, the emphasis on quality, the meticulous use of seasonings.

“I learned some really interesting things from the cooks at Manna Meal—some good recipes, some ways to do roasted veggies I’d never thought of doing—it was always so fun,” said Terrell. “Not only was I giving to them, but I was learning from them, too.”

While it was clear to Terrell that in the Manna Meal kitchen, food was taken seriously, the space was also filled with an air of lightheartedness: music playing in the background, casual conversations, jokes and laughter. She was made to feel like a part of the team, and, as a result, felt great satisfaction from being able to support them and help make their jobs a little bit easier.

“What a wonderful asset these cooks are,” Terrell said. “They all bring real skill to the table. Nothing is being served straight out of a can. It’s an amazing service to the community.”

In Manna Meal, Terrell had discovered a sort of kindred, culinary spirit: one that regarded food, good food, as a basic human right—belonging to all people, no strings attached—and a potent vehicle for connection.