{"id":4044,"date":"2016-08-22T18:29:19","date_gmt":"2016-08-22T23:29:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.loveselfmagazine.com\/?p=4044"},"modified":"2016-08-22T18:27:33","modified_gmt":"2016-08-22T23:27:33","slug":"adoption-and-the-spirit-of-food","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.loveselfmagazine.com\/adoption-and-the-spirit-of-food\/","title":{"rendered":"Adoption And The Spirit of Food"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>An unbelievable story of two families, an adoption of a teenage boy, and the healing spirit of food.<\/strong><\/em>\n

As I began to write this story, I wondered how to describe a journey that is incredible and almost unbelievable in its winding road.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The genesis of the article was a relatively standard nomination. An organic focused Eastern Indian chef was being introduced as a potential candidate for a LoveSelf feature. As I sat down to speak with him, his story quickly became anything but typical.<\/p>\n

Introducing Suresh Miller and the inspiring story that brought him to his role as Executive Chef at Maharishi University. Suresh was born in New Delhi, India to a happy family with four brothers and three sisters. One day, at the age of fourteen, a lady knocked on his parent\u2019s door and asked to adopt Suresh.<\/strong> Really! I told you this was going to be unbelievable. Ready? Here we go\u2026<\/p>\n

During Suresh\u2019s childhood, his father worked for an American woman. This woman had a friend coming to India from the United States\u00a0to adopt a young Indian boy. Suresh describes, \u201cone day this lady came over to ask if she could adopt me\u201d! Of course I asked him if his parents had suggested such a plan? His response was \u201cNope. They hadn\u2019t even considered it.\u201d As you can imagine when Suresh\u2019s loving parents were first presented with such a proposal, their response was an adamant no. This kind lady continued to stop by and speak to the family. Eventually Suresh\u2019s parents agreed to the adoption and through a series of long steps, Suresh became the adopted son of Ted and Linda Miller. How did they eventually come to such a life altering decision? Love<\/strong>. Suresh tells me his biological family wanted a better life for him. Whether you agree or disagree with the decision, know that it came from a place of selfless adoration from two families. Both wanting an amazing life for a teenage boy<\/strong>. And an amazing life he has had.<\/p>\n

Suresh describes his journey to the United States as karma, \u201cI was meant to be here\u2026 everything just fell into place<\/strong>.\u201d He fondly remembers cooking with his Indian father. Together they would slow cook a whole chicken for hours. He would watch his dad add onions, garlic, chilies, ginger, cumin, and coriander. They would eat this healing dish as a family and the spark of his future career was born.<\/p>\n

After arriving in the United States during a chilly Maryland winter, his first impression of the US was \u201cvery very cold\u201d. Then he recalls his horror over breakfast cereal and milk. At one point he started adding pickles to his cereal just to get a reminder of the spice from his home. His dad Tim, a physician, and his mom Linda, a homemaker, very much desired an unbroken connection to his Indian heritage and biological family<\/strong>. They encouraged his meal choices, supported his return trips to India, and continued loving communication with his Indian family.<\/p>\n

Suresh moved throughout the United States eventually arriving in Fairfield, Iowa. His parents are long time member of the Transcendental Meditation movement and felt a special kinship to Fairfield. Suresh immediately loved it. \u201cThis is where I want to be<\/strong>\u201d, he states emphatically.<\/p>\n

His new life in Fairfield, also rekindled his love of food. He was offered an entry level-cooking role at Maharishi University (MUM) and lights up when he tells me about his passion. For the first time he had his own money and even room and board! He began teaching himself to cook and became more and more interested in food as medicine<\/strong>. He later took a role as the first male staff member in an all female meditation group. Suresh led the development of a commercial kitchen and served only organic food to the ladies. Empowered by his success, he returned to school and completed a degree in culinary arts. Suresh\u2019s smile is huge when he tells me he graduated in 2011, \u201cIt is a big deal for me\u201d.<\/p>\n

In 2013 Suresh\u2019s success was awarded with the offer of the Executive Chef post at MUM. He cooks only vegetarian and changed the entire menu from one he describes as \u201ccheese sandwiches\u201d to internationally focused healthy delicious options. Local and seasonal vegetables are always the star.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Suresh is now living the dream. He is married with two children and serving a global student population. Thanks to selfless parents and a lovely mom named Linda, Suresh will forever know that life is indeed a journey of heart.\"Suresh<\/strong><\/p>\n

I asked Suresh about his vision for the future. He desires that we all have direct access to our food. As I say over and over, food directly from the farm tastes different. What is his advice to all of us? \u201cStop messing with nature\u201d, he exclaims. Seek out your local organic farmer. \u201cThey provide us fuel and energy\u201d<\/strong>. Suresh teaches the love of real food to his children. Let\u2019s teach it to all our kids!<\/p>\n

Blessings to our soil, a farmer, and the love of a chef.<\/p>\n

Suresh\u00a0created his Butter Chicken recipe just for LoveSelf. Check it out.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/body>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

An unbelievable story of two families, an adoption of a teenage boy, and the healing spirit of food. As I began to write this story, I wondered how to describe a journey that is incredible and almost unbelievable in its winding road. The genesis of the article was a relatively standard nomination. An organic focused Eastern Indian chef was being introduced as a potential candidate for a LoveSelf feature. As I sat down to speak with him, his story quickly became anything but typical. Introducing…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4066,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[146,148,147],"class_list":["post-4044","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-inspirational-people","tag-adoption","tag-chef","tag-organic-food"],"yoast_head":"\nAdoption And The Spirit of Food - LoveSelf<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Adoption. Two Families. And the Spirit of Food. 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