Janet Irizarry

We spend so much time thinking about what happens “out there”: at school, at work, in the world our kids are growing into. But over and over, through My Mindful Kitchen, I’ve seen that some of the most important lessons don’t happen in classrooms or offices at all… or even in “big” moments or lectures. They happen in the kitchen. I was recently invited onto a podcast to talk about how the kitchen teaches leadership, legacy, and love, and the conversation’s been on my mind ever since.

The world is changing — and so must we. For the past two years, My Mindful Kitchen has been a gentle voice in the noise: reflective, nurturing, rooted in mindfulness and gratitude. We’ve invited people to slow down, savor food, and teach children respect for the table. That work matters. It still does. But the kitchen is not separate from the world. It’s where climate change shows up in rising grocery prices and shrinking harvests. It’s where policy decisions echo in empty shelves and food

I’ve spent years watching how food shapes families—and how small shifts in the kitchen can ripple outward into something much bigger. That’s why I created the My Mindful Kitchen (MMK) Method: to help families treat food with care. Because every meal is more than a routine—it’s a chance to bond, teach values, reduce waste, and build a better future.