Chefs communicate through food. We thank we apologize, we comfort, we donate, we celebrate, and yes, we even satisfy hunger by preparing a meal. International Chefs Day is celebrated every year on October 20th.

The day focuses on educating children around the globe about healthy eating. It’s also a day to celebrate chefs who pass on their knowledge and skills to the next generation.

There are almost a million chefs, head cooks, and food supervisors in the United States alone. Chances are you know a few, and there’s also a chance you do not see them as often as you’d like! Chefs are like artistic scientists. A perfect recipe combined with a chef’s intuition to create beauty and an explosion of flavor is like watching magic happen.

While we eat every day and all year long, October is the gateway to the eating season. Think Halloween candy, Thanksgiving dinner with friends and family, Christmas roast beast, and the champagne toast ringing in the new year.

Cooking seasonal foods is fun, and anticipating your favorite food makes it taste much better. Now that the air is cooling off, I cook more soups and stews.

One of my favorite soups to make is pasta e fagioli. This hearty, beefy soup is warm, rich, and comforting. If you serve it with crusty, buttery garlic bread, it’s a complete meal.  

Pasta e fagioli is a traditional Italian dish. The name translates to “pasta and beans.” However, some recipes leave the pasta out entirely. I know, crazy, right?! The soup’s origins date back to ancient Roman times.

This recipe is tried and true, tested in my own kitchen, having served it many times to my family.