Most people know the US Surgeon General as the nation’s doctor who sets the agenda for health and wellness for the country, encouraging Americans to eat more vegetables and quit smoking, and more recently, giving guidance throughout the pandemic.
But Murthy, who is closing his second term, has reshaped ideas about the nation’s health by prioritizing warnings about gun violence, mental health, and loneliness, which he calls an epidemic.
In his latest project, Recipes for Connection, he says that food is a power connector. Gathering and cooking together, he says, are ways to build friendships, deeper relationships, and community. “Food is much more than calories; it’s the love your mother gave you as a child,” he says.
In this episode of Food People, Murthy shares his dreams for America and how to meet people on a food journey.
Jamila Robinson: I am Jamila Robinson, Editor-in-Chief of Bon Appétit and Epicurious. And this is Food People.
Food People is the show where I get to sit down with the luminaries making big moves in food, from chefs and entrepreneurs to celebrities and activists, because food is something we all participate in. And this week I was honored to sit down with the 19th and 21st US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy. In addition to his public service, Dr. Murthy is the author of the bestselling book Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World. Our conversation centered on the themes of his book and how food and gatherings around the table can help combat what Dr. Murthy sees as an epidemic of loneliness. I hope you enjoy.
Dr. Vivek Murthy, the nation’s doctor, welcome to Bon Appetit. It’s so lovely to have you here in the studio.
Dr. Vivek Murthy: Well, thanks so much. What a treat to be with you.
JR: We are so excited to talk to you, but I first want to start off with a question we ask all of our guests, which is what makes you a food person?
DVM: Well, so many of my memories, my good memories are tied up with food. When I was growing up, my mother, when we would have prayer services, she would always prepare food and we would offer it on the altar, and then we would all eat that food afterward, and that became a symbol of our spiritual practice. I also think when I was growing up, we used to have friends over a lot. My parents came to the country without a whole lot of resources, but they knew community was important, and so we used to gather with friends, and my mom and I and my sister would spend a lot of time together in the kitchen making that food. It was my job to not only help with chopping the vegetables and assembling things, but to keep the list of all the dishes we were making and to cross it off when they were done.