Once upon a time Julius Caesar requested the Roman Senate’s approval to wage a war against the Gaelic people. His rationale? They were a potential threat to Rome and could invade at any minute, just like they had 100 years prior. He was also massively in debt. Cicero hit him and the senate with a question: “Cui Bono?”- “Who Benefits?”

This latin phrase helps us think about motives. Who benefits, when you go in to a giant fast food chain and buy a factory farmed, lab created hamburger and seed-oil-soaked fries? When you go to trader joes and buy bags of microwavable orange chicken, or colorful, cheap produce that is somehow always in season?

Who Benefits from the food you eat? Is it you, who is eating nutrient-deficient foods covered in pesticides, weedkillers, and filled with additives and junk? Is it the unnamed workers who are paid minimum-wage or even less, who grow these fruits and vegetables, who process these animals in slaughterhouses, who cook it for you? Who benefits from your mindless consumption?

You are what you eat. Who are you?

Who benefits from you eating real food? Who benefits from you supporting local farmers and ranchers? Who benefits from you going to local restaurants that source high quality, local ingredients?

You go to a restaurant, and the owner is working there every day. He wants to be there. His cooks and servers want to be there. The food they serve is from local farms and ranches. The wine and beer is from local wineries and breweries. The owner knows the name and phone number of every person in the supply chain. When you go there for dinner, who benefits?

You go to the farmer’s market and find the local farm stand that is proudly run by the people who live and work on the property, and you buy the produce that is in season- Who benefits?

Who benefits from mindful consumption? The people who care. The people who are living out their passion, who work hard to feed you, who toil on the land, who cook for you. Who Benefits? Real people like you and me, real people you can meet!

I am working on a fun video project that will highlight some San Francisco restaurants who constantly ask the question “Cui Bono?”. The goal is to have my first video out by Christmas of 2026! So stay tuned.

In the meantime, here are a few San Francisco establishments you should check out: Trad Bone Broth, Camino Alto, Cultivar, Kitava, and 4505 Burgers and BBQ (Beef tallow fries!).

More to come…. Happy eating.