The Belgian Beat at Terra Madre Salone del Gusto 2016

A delegation from Belgium is set to take part in Terra Madre Salone del Gusto in Turin, Italy from September 22 to 26, 2016

Organized by Slow Food, the region of Piedmont and the city of Turin, Terra Madre Salone del Gusto, this year in its 11^th edition, is the most important international event dedicated to food culture. 5,000 delegates from 160 countries, over 800 exhibitors, 300 Slow Food Presidia and 500 Terra Madre food communities will take part in the event.

 Slow Food’s delegation from Belgium that will join Terra Madre Salone del Gusto 2016 consists of producers, farmers, film-makers, students and people committed to Loving the Earth and changing the food system for the better. Among them, there will be:

• Patrick Böttcher, coordinator of Slow Food Chefs’ Alliance in Belgium and organizer of the annual event Vini Birre Ribelli which involved over 140 winegrowers and brewers in the 2015 edition.

• Alice Codsi, coordinator of Slow Food Youth Network Brussels and founder of Disco Soupe in Belgium. She also works in the Food Surplus Entrepreneurs Network.

• Filip De Bodt, of Climaxi, NGO working on climate change, sustainable fisheries and social justice. He is the author of two documentaries with the title “Fish and Run” (available in Dutch and English) about sustainable fishing and local fishermen communities. He is now working on a new documentary about European politics in relation to food, fisheries and agriculture.

• Alisson Duprez, of Zero Waste Belgium, local association that promotes avoiding and reducing waste production in Belgium.

• Françoise Leblanc, breeder of the Ardennes Chicken, a product also in the Slow Food Ark of Taste.

• Philippe Lurquin, beekeeper and one of the founders of the ready-to-start Slow Food Presidium of the Belgian Dark Honeybee, indigenous and very rustic race of the European honeybee, adapted to the local climate and flora.

In addition, two chefs from Belgium have been invited to take part in the Chefs’ Alliance Kitchen (recently established in Belgium), and to the Terra Madre Kitchen. Here, top chefs will prepare their original creations using products from Slow Food Presidia, and visitors will learn their techniques and discover the best of the world’s gastronomic culture. Their names will be published here: http://www.salonedelgusto.com/en/#eventi

Do not forget to explore the site, which is constantly updated with all events scheduled.

Terra Madre Forums – Valentino Castle and Torino Esposizioni

The event program includes 40 Terra Madre Forums, designed as a space for sharing and exchange between the delegates of Terra Madre and open to the public. Many topics will be addressed there, such as the environmental impact of eating meat, the scarcity of drinking water, the consequences of monocultural (and often transgenic) agriculture, the value chains of cacao and coffee, the worlds of oils, cheeses and raw milk.

Nick Jacobs from IPES food – the Brussels based International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems – will intervene in Shortening the value chain, a forum focused on alternative distribution methods, exploring how different kinds of collaborations between local farmers and citizens support agricultural systems that are both clean and community-driven.

Taste Workshops

These ticketed events are an opportunity to try unique food and drink from around the world while learning straight from producers and chefs how these flavors came to be. Among the workshops which will explore the flavors from Belgium:

Lambic vrai ou faux – A Master of Food dedicated to Traditional Lambic, a beer also in the Slow Food Ark of Taste, brewed with a method that dates back at least to the beginning of the 19th century. Today, only one brewery in Brussels has remained true to the original production. Jean van Roy, of the historic brasserie Cantillon, will intervene in the Master to compare different versions of this great product.

All the latest news about Terra Madre Salone del Gusto 2016 are online at: http://www.salonedelgusto.com, and it is possible to request the press accreditation here (http://www.salonedelgusto.com/en/info-accreditation/).

For more information please contact:

Slow Food, +39 329 83 212 85 [email protected] – Twitter: @SlowFoodPress

Region of Piedmont, +39 011 432 2549, [email protected]

City of Turin, +39 011 442 3606, [email protected]

Terra Madre Salone del Gusto is made possible with the help of several bodies, among which are the Official Partner: Lurisia, Pastificio Martino, Radeberger Gruppe Italy, Lavazza, Sapori, Iren, Intesa San Paolo; the supporters of the Terra Madre Foundation and Slow Food: Compagnia di San Paolo, Fondazione CRT and the Association of Banking Foundations of Piedmont, Coldiretti. With the support of IFAD, the European Union and CIA. 

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. Among them, a network of around 100,000 Slow Food members are linked to 1,500 local chapters worldwide, contributing through their membership fee, as well as the events and campaigns they organize. As part of the network, more than 2,400 Terra Madre food communities practice small-scale and sustainable production of quality food around the world.