I guess you found out by yourself by now, but just to be sure, I'll tell yoou about the food and general resources.
If one of your cities produce a surplus of food or any other resources (Gildar, Materials, Metal, crystals and so on), it goes into the big resource pool in the top bar and is acessable by every other city for use.
Food is needed for 2 things. To build huts (Later Shantries (only Imperiums) and Houses) that make your cities grow and to build buildings that generate money (merchants, markets...).
I hope I could help.