A delegation of about 50 people is set to take part in Terra Madre Salone del Gusto, the most important international event dedicated to food culture.
Organized by Slow Food in collaboration with the Region of Piedmont and the City of Turin, the 12th edition of Terra Madre Salone del Gusto will be held in Turin, Italy, from September 20 to 24, 2018. Over 5,000 delegates from 140 countries, over 800 exhibitors, 300 Slow Food Presidia, and 500 Terra Madre food communities will gather in Turin.
The delegation from the four Nations that make up Slow Food in the UK will include family farmers, producers, food planners, chef, students, and 20 youth delegates from the Slow Food Youth Network (SFYN), together with Gillian Rodger, SFYN coordinator in Scotland and the UK. This is the first time that such a large youth delegation from the UK is coming to Turin: They will be actively involved in the Terra Madre Arena, a meeting point for all youth delegates from around the world and a place for them to discuss different issues, to learn, and to simply have fun together. Russell Carrington, from the Pasture-Fed Livestock Association, will be one of the speakers at the Terra Madre Forum Rural Youth Networks and Platforms: an International Exchange of Examples and Best Practices (September 20 at 6.30 p.m. – Torino Lingotto Fiere), during which young leaders from the Rural Youth Network will come together.
John Cooke, Slow Food International Councillor for the UK, will also attend the event. Speaking about Terra Madre Salone del Gusto, he says, “I am extremely proud to be part of the international network that is Slow Food, and to represent a delegation that will take part in Terra Madre Salone del Gusto 2018. Food for change is the theme of this 12th edition and I am sure that, through exchange of ideas and dialogue with people who differ in culture, language, and customs, every one of us will return home richer and with new enthusiasm for pursuing our activities and striving for a better future for our planet.”
The International Market, located in the Lingotto Fiere and Oval, will host three representative from the UK showcasing their products: Organico Foods, the Fine Cheese Co., and the Raw Milk Stichelton Slow Food Presidium. An area of the International Market will be dedicated to the Terra Madre Kitchens where chefs from four continents will prepare authentic dishes, using products from their home countries with creativity and passion. From the UK, Slow Food Chef’s Alliance member Steven Brown will give to the public the opportunity to taste traditional flavors of the UK. Steven is a Scottish chef and cookery teacher, passionate about celebrating local and sustainable ingredients and sharing his love for food with children and adults alike in cookery classes delivered across the UK.
Here are some previews of the Slow Food UK presence at Terra Madre Salone del Gusto:
Shane Holland, executive chair of Slow Food UK, food writer and activist in the third sector with regards to food poverty and food skills, education, and access to service, will take part in the Terra Madre Forum Malnutrition and Health Education (September 21 at 4.00 p.m. – Torino Lingotto Fiere), presenting the work that has been done in London regarding child obesity.
To reassure consumers that the fish they buy comes from sustainable supply chains, fishers and companies in the sector are increasingly relying on private certification bodies, such as the Marine Stewardship Council and Friend of the Sea. Caroline Bennett, member and founder of Sole of Discretion, a collective of small-scale fishers who deliver quality, ethical, and sustainable fish, will join the Terra Madre Forum Certified Fish: Vice or Virtue (September 23 at 2.00 p.m. – Torino Lingotto Fiere), during which these certifications will be discussed and their weaknesses highlighted, and an attempt will be made to think of alternatives.
The Scottish artist James P Graham is also coming to Turin. This artist, with the support of the international movement A Plastic Planet with whom he works, has made a proposal to the local council to make Civita di Bagnoregio, where he lives with his wife, the first ‘plastic free’ showcase in Italy. At Terra Madre Salone del Gusto, he will join the Terra Madre Forum Art, Music, Cuisine, and Poetry Allied with the Sea (September 22 at 4.00 p.m. – Torino Lingotto Fiere).
Richard Geoffrey Briggs, Shetland sheep breeder, will take part in the Terra Madre Forum Quality Farming – Sheep and Goats (September 23 at 4.00 p.m. – Torino Lingotto Fiere), speaking about this particular breed, part of the Ark of Taste, that has very tender, sweet meat. Research has shown that Shetland Lamb has significantly higher levels of a derivative of Omega-6 than most lamb meat.
Russell Carrington, who grew up on his family’s farm in Herefordshire and decided to leave his studies in Civil Engineering at Cardiff University to follow a different career, is the former director of the Pasture-Fed Livestock Association. Russell will join the Terra Madre Forum Quality Farming – Cattle (September 21 at 2.00 p.m. – Torino Lingotto Fiere) during which examples of farmers who make the most of local breeds, while respecting the environment and animal welfare will be presented to the public.
This year, besides the events that will take place in the Lingotto Fiere Pavillons, there are many activities programmed as part of Terra Madre In, which will guide the public through Turin’s neighborhoods:
- On September 21 at 3:00 p.m. at Eataly Torino Lingotto, the Taste Workshop Unusual Pairings: Whiskies and Cheeses From The British Isles will take place. The public will have the chance to try a classic and yet unusual combination: the noble grain distillates and the milk of the green British pastures. Five Scottish and Irish whiskies will be selected by Whisky Club Italia, while raw-milk cheeses from the same areas will be selected by Neal’s Yard Dairy.
- On September 21 at 4:00 p.m. at Eataly Torino Lingotto the Taste Workshop God Save The Beer: Britain’s Brewing Traditions will take place. Barleywine, imperial stout, and old ale are just among the examples that the public will be able to sample, along with a selection of UK cheeses.
Taste Workshops and Cooking Schools are paid events and can be purchased online; the Terra Madre thematic Forums are presented by delegates of the network and are open to the public as long as seats are available. Click here for the list of available events, which is constantly updated.
John Cooke – International Councillor for the United Kingdom
Terra Madre Salone del Gusto 2018 Press Office
Slow Food, +39 329 83 212 85 [email protected] – Twitter: @SlowFoodPress
Region of Piedmont, +39 011 432 2549 – [email protected]
City of Turin, +39 011 011 21976 – +39 342 1100131 – [email protected]
To request press accreditation, please click here.
Terra Madre Salone del Gusto is an event organized by the City of Turin, Slow Food, and the Region of Piedmont in collaboration with MIPAAF (Italy’s Ministry for Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies). It has been made possible thanks to its many sponsors, including the Official Partners, GLEvents-Lingotto Fiere, IREN, Lavazza, Lurisia, Parmigiano Reggiano, Pastificio Di Martino and Quality Beer Academy; with the support of Compagnia di San Paolo, Fondazione CRT-Cassa di Risparmio di Torino, Associazione delle Fondazioni di Origine Bancaria del Piemonte, and Coldiretti; and with the contribution of IFAD, the European Union, and CIA (Confederazione Italiana Agricoltori).
Slow Food is a global grassroots organization that envisions a world in which all people can access and enjoy food that is good for them, good for those who grow it, and good for the planet. Slow Food involves over a million activists, chefs, experts, youth, farmers, fishers, and academics in over 160 countries.