Slow Food Masterclass: Chefs’ Alliance culinary experiences in Kraków

From April until November Kraków (Poland) will host European cooks from the Slow Food Chefs’ Alliance, who work according to the values of the Slow Food movement. Cooking alongside local chefs from the city’s best restaurants will be an opportunity to share experiences and a sustainable approach to gastronomy.

The Slow Food Chefs’ Alliance is a worldwide association of chefs and cooks committed to the principles of good, clean and fair in gastronomy. The Chefs’ Alliance is made up of more than 1,100 cooks from five continents.

Some of these chefs from around Europe will come to Kraków, a city which in 2019 is celebrating its position as the European Capital of Gastronomic Culture, an honor bestowed by the European Academy of Gastronomy.

Each chef will take part in the cooking workshop with local chefs and prepare a special tasting dinner alongside them:

Gísli Matthías Auðunsson (Iceland) – 25.04 at the restaurant Biała Róża

Tiziana Tacchi (Italy) – 18.06, at the restaurant Bianca

Christophe Lancon and Jérome Koehler (France) – during the last week of July, venue TBC

Peter McKenna (Scotland) – 26.09, at the restaurant Na Pole

Luka Lubke and Barbara Stadler – 5.11, venue TBC

A special event will take place in late November/early December for the chef who wins the “Food is Culture” contest. The winning chef will be hosted by the Szara Gęś restaurant and event space. The Food is Culture contest involves chefs from Sweden and Italy, who will be asked to help safeguard and promote gastronomic cultural heritage by coming up with recipes inspired by the European Year of Cultural Heritage and Slow Food’s work protecting biodiversity.

 “The title of European Capital of Gastronomic Culture is a great opportunity for Kraków to present its culinary art in many dimensions” said Elżbieta Kantor, director of the Tourism Department at Kraków City Hall. “Among these dimensions, there is also the Slow Food philosophy, which is particularly valuable for us, when it comes to presenting the great gastronomic heritage of our city, our local, traditional and regional products, and the importance of high quality food and sustainable gastronomy. I have no doubt, that the collaboration between members of the Chefs’ Alliance and local cooks will contribute to a better understanding of the Slow Food philosophy, and the culinary traditions of Kraków.”

“Slow Food has been working since 2009 to develop a network of chefs committed to promoting sustainable food all over the world” affirms Michela Lenta, Slow Food International coordinator for Eastern Europe. “Chefs are an important node for the sustainability of the food supply chain. They influence the production by choosing local, high quality products, and have an important say in defining food trends: they can change consumption habits that are harmful to our health or to the environment. They interpret the histories and ecosystems of their regions with their skill and creativity, supporting local producers who follow the Slow Food philosophy of good, clean and fair, while awakening eaters to the role we all play as custodians of biodiversity. This collaboration will be crucial for strengthening the links and connections among chefs who share the same goal: to safeguard the biological and cultural diversity of our food.”

Details of the project can be found on Facebook at “Slow Food Masterclass Kraków”.

For further information please contact:

Slow Food Coordinator in Krakow – Szymon Gatlik [email protected]

Slow Food International Press Office: [email protected]

Slow Food HQ – April 19, 2019

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.

Slow Food Chefs’ Alliance. Active in 24 countries (Albania, Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Canada, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, France, Germany, Iceland, India, Italy, Kenya, Morocco, Mexico, the Netherlands, Russia, South Africa, Ukraine, Uganda, the United Kingdom, and the USA), the Slow Food Chefs’ Alliance is a large network of chefs committed to promoting and cooking with products from the Presidia and other food communities. Many osterias, restaurants, and pizzerias have already joined the project, and the network is continuously growing and spreading to more countries.