In previous “Making of a Soup Challenge Entrant” posts, Soup Challengers shared where they learned to cook, who taught them to cook, and their kitchen tips and tricks. Today they share with you what drives them to devote their time to the kitchen!

Some entrants explained that the essence of cooking—the ingredients themselves—serve as their inspiration:

“One of the best things about cooking and baking for my family and friends is that I can control the quality of the ingredients that go in our meals and treats, so one of my primary inspirations is the ability to create wholesome dishes made with ingredients we can all pronounce. I appreciate New England Country Soup for that reason too, it is great to be able to have their nutritious, all natural soups as an option when I don’t have time to make my own!” Lisa 

“I think the thing that inspires me to cook is the thrill of being able to turn simple ingredients into a spectacular meal and watching my family lick the plate or in this case, bowl, clean.” Dianna

“I’m always really inspired by fresh ingredients, or anything new to me!” Amy

Other entrants love to cook because it is an outlet for experimentation and invention:

“[I’m inspired by] the excitement that every time I go into the kitchen there is an opportunity to create something new and delicious, especially if I get to share that with others.” Stephanie

“I love trying anything new, and food is an obvious place to experiment. I like having variety in my life, so cooking is an easy way to incorporate a little bit of excitement into an otherwise ordinary day. I also enjoy exposing my chidren to different tastes and cultures—I think it is important to encourage kids to try new things at an early age so they don’t get stuck in a rut of chicken fingers and mac and cheese.” Elinor

“I am not one to stick to something that I am familiar with, that being said I want to try new seasonings and new recipes to excite my taste buds and those that I am feeding.  Inspiration is creating something new from the unknown.” Rachael

While some Challengers explained that creating new dishes feeds their craving for a challenge:

“The challenge to create new dishes or twists on old ones makes it a lot more fun to spend hours in the kitchen (it beats yard and house work), not to mention the joy that family and friends experience when they taste new creations.” Andre

“For me, [cooking] is a passion. I enjoy the challenge of creating something completely unique that I can call my own and then having my family and friends try the dish.” Cheryl

“Any unique taste I come across that I like inspires me to create it immediately. I have my immediate and extended family who are ‘foodies’.  I like to cook for them and am happy when they like it.  I also find the kitchen to be a place of creativity like an artist in front of a canvas.  That makes me tick and in itself is an inspiration to me.” Vidya

What is a fun challenge for some is a chance to relax for others:

“Cooking is very relaxing to me and also a way to express myself through the foods that I make. That’s probably why I’m not very good at following recipes and tend to just do my own thing when it comes to being in the kitchen.” Stephanie

“I find cooking to be very therapeutic. It is a creative outlet and I enjoy sharing my food with those I love.” Lisa

And, of course, those friends and family members who have the pleasure of enjoying the Challengers’ dishes serve as inspiration:

“Seeing the enjoyment on the faces of my family and friends inspires me to cook. Cooking is a social affair in my family.” Jamie

“My inspiration comes from my husband, Jere. When I start prepping my recipes he comes out to the kitchen to see what all the good smells are and to get a report of what I am preparing for the evening meal.” Charlene

“I share the same crazy merry-go-round of work, school, sports, music lessons, sleepovers, and whatnot, that so many other families share, but we still go out of our way to make sure that we sit down together for dinner as a family as often as we can, at least 5 or 6 nights a week.”Felice

“[I am inspired]  knowing that my family is getting a healthy meal.” Cindy

“I also chose to do the Soup Challenge on behalf of my mom. She is a wonderful cook and has always been there for us all. She’s had a tough life when she was young but always managed. Growing up I would hear her stores about how they survived during WWII in the mountains of Italy. She once told me, ‘as long as you have potatoes, milk, eggs and flour’ you would never starve.” Emanuaella

“When I was in the kitchen cooking with grandma, it was just the best time. And when I cook today, trying out recipes or kneading bread, it takes me back to that time. It’s a way to reconnect with my past while cooking for my family who are the future.” Amy Wertheim

“The act of cooking, with passion, every night for my family that has improved my skills in the kitchen. “ Jen

And Beryl, who cooks for fellow museum volunteers explains, “Preparing a museum for visitors is hard work and we need plenty of energy to get our chores done.” Beryl

Then there are those entrants who are inspired by the world around them:

“I get inspiration from a lot of areas—being a mom of 3 first and foremost I have the needs and tastes of my family in mind. […] We also like to travel and I’ve definitely picked up new tricks and ideas from that too.” Jasmin

“Anything can inspire me to cook- a nice meal at a restaurant, a day with my family, an afternoon traveling and experiencing new things…” Lesley

“This may sound corny, but everything inspires me to cook! Food and cooking are always on my brain, and I am constantly finding inspiration at restaurants, grocery stores, online, from friends and family.” Dana

Not corny at all! We’ve loved getting to know the fascinating people behind the Soup Challenge, and we hope you have as well! Remember, it’s not too late to become a part of this wonderful community. You have until Sunday night, February 12 to submit your best soup recipes!