A Recipe for Wellness, Community, and Beauty

The art form of food presentation known as plating is permeating the culinary scene. A modern-day dining experience seems to echo the adage “We eat with our eyes” on a whole new level. Once the plates are served, the iPhones appear, and only after the photo-taking ritual is over does one dive into their beautiful dish. Discussions ensue among tablemates as they ardently study and gaze at each plate as one would a Renoir in the Louvre. This sensory treat of a beautifully presented dish creates anticipation, and once the first bite is taken, these edible works of art offer gastronomic delights as well. Eating well is big business these days, and we have so much to share with you in our annual Culinary Issue.

There is undoubtedly something for everyone to be excited about in this issue, whether locally in our Northwest Florida coastal home or across the globe. Our feature article lauds the highly awarded and loved Bijoux Destin restaurant, located at The Market Shops in Sandestin. Meet its owners, Jack and Leslie McGuckin, in “A Family with Culinary Chops: For the Love of Food.” Next, take a drive along the West Coast in “California’s Hidden Gem: Cruisin’ Central Coast Wine Country” by Anthea Gerrie. Then follow our longtime culinary writer Carolyn O’Neil as she shares new and not-to-miss dining experiences from her time teaching at Florida State University’s London Study Centre in “London Calling! Foodie Finds Across the Pond.” The rich food photography in this issue delivers art manifested through chefs taking their cuisine to higher levels of aesthetic, nutrition, and taste. We guarantee it’ll make you hungry.

On the other side of the food spectrum is giving our bodies the absolute best nourishment. Since food is for both enjoyment and sustaining our health and wellness, I am excited to present Lindsay Tobias, a certified holistic health coach and exercise physiologist who will have a health and nutrition column in future issues of VIE. I recently interviewed Lindsay on our podcast, VIE Speaks: Conversations with Heart and Soul, which has been a great communication platform for exploring in-depth topics and meeting new people. Her twelve-week mind and body program, Keep Your Plants On, has transformed over five hundred clients in the past year since its inception. Everything you need to know about your food, brain, body, and habits is wrapped into twelve modules that include educational videos, grocery lists, meal prep tips, and more. Lindsay specializes in bio-individuality, customizing a plan for each person, as everyone needs something different. “Seeing food as body manipulation rather than nourishment is a topic I am passionate about,” she says. “I want to teach people to view food as something working for your body and not against it—this is where sustainability comes into a person’s life. Enjoyment is the pinnacle of sustainability.”

Lindsay’s goal is to help women break the all-or-nothing cycle, balance their hormones, and restore digestive health. She expounds how “hustle culture” glorifies the God of Productivity rather than listening to and monitoring our well-being. My interview with Lindsay was both informative and enlightening, and I would love for you to listen to what she has to say as she has a wealth of knowledge. She will inspire you!

To all of our readers, we thank you for loving VIE.

To Life and Good Health,