An intimate conversation about local food
Our food has become part of an international production chain. Much of what we eat travels a long way. During the Embassy of Food curator Jorn Konijn explores the impact with international guests. The episode ‘Food: Local versus International’ is an intimate talk about food and identity with a few new, dystopian dishes that might end up on your plate in the future.
Vivien Sansour is the creator of the Palestinian Heirloom Seed Library and was one of the guests in the episode of the Embassy of Food on Tuesday 20 October. The project of the Palestinian Sansour is a library of forgotten seeds. And an initiative to protect the stories and preparation techniques that go with those seeds.
Farmers seem to stop using traditional seeds for many reasons, which decreases the biodiversity of Palestinian agriculture. With the Palestinian Heirloom Seed Library, Sansour helps farmers to grow the crops that are part of their heritage. She also teaches at schools and encourages children to talk to their grandparents about the dishes of their childhood. The project touches on many aspects of her homeland. From political pressure and climate change to independence and being who you are.
Also in this episode are Mario Mimoso and María Fuentenebro from Sharp & Sour. The two speculative designers from Spain investigated the distance we have to the source of our food and wondered: what would it be like if we took all our food from our own urban environment? Their search for edible ingredients in parks and streets in Barcelona led, among other things, to the development of three dystopian urban dishes.
The episode ‘Food: Local versus International’ is part of a series of lectures that took place during the Embassy of Food, part of Dutch Design Week 2020. The original idea was to serve visitors lunch dishes during the lectures fitting the theme of the day. But because of the corona measures, the events were all digital. If you would still like to taste a bit of food and design, we have published a designer’s recipe for each lecture. So now you can make your own Bokken Bouillon by food designer Annelies Hermsen or the dystopian Urban Pizza by studio Sharp & Sour. Enjoy!
