by Kathleen Messmer
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magine streets lined with new, innovative restaurants, ingenious chefs, and steaming plates of goodness at the ready, and you will probably be in San Antonio, Texas, one of two cities in the United States that have been awarded the UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy designation. This alone makes San Antonio one of the most exciting cities to dine in right now Instrumental in attaining that coveted title is Chef Elizabeth Johnson, owner of Pharm Table, an epic organic, plant-forward establishment where the word "Pharm" actually means culinary medicine. Not only was she a driving force behind the city's win, but she is a
wellspring of knowledge regarding San Antonio's culinary history, the very thing San Antonio hung its hat on to achieve the designation
goals. It uses its food and culture to drive sustainable economic development within the community, thereby creating a more robust food heritage
Culinary History
The "Food Medicine Guru”
Spaniards from the Canary Islands founded San Antonio. Then the Germans came in and developed powdered spices to take home the avors of San Antonio. Hence, the Tex-Mex avor palette was born, though the term is a reasonably recent restaurant-born creation. Either way, it was pure genius on the part of both cultures.
Sustainable development goals run parallel to what Johnson is trying to do with Pharm Table, whose mission is to heal the planet and people with food—
The convergence of these two cultures is unique to San Antonio and de nes south Texas cuisine as Spanish, German, and indigenous Indian. The UNESCO designation connects San Antonio to a global network of cities working towards sustainable development
Photos, from left: Israeli-style Hummus & Vegetables ©Kathleen Messmer; Ginger Meal Starter ©Kathleen Messmer; Herbal Tea ©Kathleen Messmer
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ollowing the UNESCO Culinary Trail in San Antonio, Texas
