Ever since I was a child, I've had a problem with eating together with others. I used to attribute this to a noisy environment at home with loud arguments and stress caused by my Dad, or even as I grew older, an assault that happened after a dinner at a man's house. But, the truth of the matter is, much easier to understand than any results of psychological dramas.

A couple of years ago, I spent some time at a hostel in Stockholm, where a Portuguese chef called Dino, also stayed. He noticed my uneasiness at the table, and always put himself next to me, instead of in front of, whenever we had met and played around in the community kitchen. I thought that was fascinating, because all this was done in some kind of silent understanding. Since then, I've noticed that this indeed makes it a lot easier for me to share a meal in good company.
Then, the other day, it dawned upon me! Since we also eat with the eyes, seeing a full plate in front of not only myself but also the person facing me on the opposite side of the table, makes it feel like I have to eat twice as much. And thus, I feel appalled by that with a natural reaction. If you think about it, professional chefs always serve small portions on a large plate to increase the appetite and to make it feel easy to enjoy.
So, wanna have lunch with me? Only, if you don't mind sitting next to me, instead of in front of. Bon appetit!
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