- The Strangers -
How to make an
Apple Pie
and see the world
17 PSSD DESIGN METHODS | STRANGERS
20th September 2017
ABSTRACT How do you envision a world without boundaries? How about a place on earth where everyone lives harmoniously without differentiating between color, race or ethnicity? In this era of ongoing crisis in Syria, Libya and many other nations, millions of population has to leave their homes and migrate to safer countries. There could be many reasons for immigration and the numbers are only increasing. But the most essential thing is to integrate them with the host community or let’s just call them hosts. So how can we integrate the immigrants and the hosts? When we think about integration, we normally tend to think of it as a complex concept of combining into an integral whole, but here we are taking an approach to start from the basics and comparing it with a simple apple pie. So what is it about integration of immigrants with hosts and an apple pie? This children’s book called “How to make an apple pie and see the world” by Marjorie Priceman deals with the story of a baker, she’s making an apple pie. Easy to make isn’t it? Only if the market is open. But if the market is closed, then the world becomes the grocery store; A deliciously silly recipe for apple pie that takes readers around the globe to gather ingredients. A group of international designers found this simple children’s story as a perfect metaphor for the concept of using food as an incentive for integration. The story uses the idea of collecting ingredients for making an apple pie as a means for learning about different countries, their cuisine and culture. Interestingly, the immigrants and hosts have different culinary backgrounds and why not tap into these differences as the starting point of building a better relationship, bond between the two communities. Food offers so much more to a person than mere nutrition and sustenance. It brings people together, and is the easiest way to open up one’s mind to experiencing a new culture.
It’s not hard to understand how food can be used as a tool to help to build relationships around the world. In this newspaper, we, the Strangers group have created three scenarios to give the recipe for connecting people around the food. We have a vision for integration through food, tried to be explained with a simple example of learning how to make an “Apple pie” and see the world through the ingredients for it. -In a pie, it’s very important the preparation of the filling, it’s the heart of the cake and the first step. In the same way, it’s very important that in our society kids are educated and made aware of in terms of integration.Like little seeds that someday can grow into big trees that shade the society, kids can grow knowing how necessary and wonderful it is to live in a world that is integrated with people from all backgrounds. Live in a connected and harmonious environment with each other. The first scenario is called Seeds for integration. - Creating the dough and base for the pie is the most essential part of any pie. This can be compared to connecting immigrants and hosts as a family, within homes, sharing meals and sharing our kitchen. This is the most essential and first step for bringing a change in the society as a whole. We call this second scenario as the Three sisters soup. - The final step for the pie is its covering, without which the pie would not be complete. Likewise, it is not enough to bring changes just within the homes or in the young ones, but to create awareness and start initiatives within the community as a whole. There arises our third scenario for integrating people through food, involving a large community. We call this scenario as bridging the gap. So come let’s dig in and learn how to make an apple pie and see the world!
17 PSSD DESIGN METHODS | STRANGERS
20th September 2017
SEEDS FOR INTEGRATION If you’re a lover of cooked fruit inside a nice crust you’re sure to understand this recipe. For a good apple pie it is necessary that you dedicate a lot of time for the filling. This is what we want to offer to the readers with our first scenario. Seeds of integration. We start with the food, in general, picking up all the inspirations that allow to open the door of the schools but also houses towards other culture. Immigrants often use food as a means of retaining their cultural identity. People from different cultural backgrounds eat different foods. The ingredients, methods of preparation, preservation techniques, and types of food eaten at different meals vary among cultures. Sometime young students were coming into classes without a real respect and tolerance for cultural differences. It is important that school teach the wealth of diversity and fostering a respect for multiculturalism.
The result of these clubs was significant improvements in skills such as meal preparation and pupils’ ability to cook healthy foods/meals. Also Pupils’ cultural awareness increased significantly after participation in the cooking clubs. This model of multicultural after-school cooking clubs could be adopted by other schools and youth settings in the future help promote cooking skills, healthy eating, and respect across different cultural groups. Ideas like these have real relevance for integration of immigrants and hosts. Readers, think about this little seeds because one day they are to become great fruits, so fresh, ready to be used in a pie.
Maria Colafiglio
So food is one of the best way to begin teaching children about culture and respecting various cultures there by people who follow them. In 2009 Cooking Communities piloted a series of multicultural after-school cooking clubs in UK, these clubs aimed to develop young people’s food preparation and cooking skills as well as to enhance their understanding of different cultures. Each session concentrated on a recipe linked to a different cultural event. Pupils completed questionnaires both before and after attending the cooking clubs to assess their cooking abilities and multicultural understanding.
Source: Unsplash.com
Source: www.salaecucina.it
AROUND THE WORLD IN 12 DISHES http://glitteringmuffins.com/2012/03/03/around-the-world-in12-dishes-2/
THE INTEGRATION DAYS MILAN
Many children enter social environment, such as daycare or school, with limited exposure to people of diverse backgrounds. If they are different than their peers, some children may feel out of place and worried that others won’t accept them. Introducing children to food enjoyed by people from other cultures is a fun way to familiarize them with other cultures, encourages them to be proud of their identities and promotes acceptance of human differences.
Source:www.salaecucina.it
Two years after the Expo 2015, can we say that something has been changed? Reflection on the Expo theme has become a time of sharing and celebration, involving conferences, events and performances. Every aspect and every moment of, as well as every participant at, Expo Milano 2015 defined and moved forward the chosen theme: Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life. Research reveals that 89.9% of the 1200 foreigners surveyed at Expo think that food facilitates a meeting between people. Cooperation is essential if we are to achieve the goal of ensuring sufficient food and food security throughout the world, which is what "Feeding the Planet" means. It is not clear if beyond the premises and promises Expo 2015 has really sensitized civilization to be aware of the food and resources of the planet. Certainly it offered the opportunity to bring different cultures, often in contrast, closer together.
“Around the World in 12 Dishes” is a cook activity, held by "Glitteringmuffins". You will be taking you and your children on a journey around the world by following in Phileas Fogg's footsteps, exploring 12 different countries with your children, by cooking 12 dishes with them, one for each country visited. Not only is it an exciting and different way to learn about cultures, but cooking with children brings a host of benefits – from numeracy to science. So how can you participate in this event? It’s a fully online event guided through the website of Glittering muffins. Do check that out and learn the basics of integration through food with your little one. Hongtao Chen
https://www.motherearthliving.com/Cooking-Methods/soups-on-three-sisters-soup
Milano Ristorazione has decided to propose that this exchange be reciprocal, so that the children, born from parents of different origin from Italy, can know their new country, tasting the different and varied regional cuisines, as well as everyone else can understand the tastes and the customs of many different countries, eating dishes that come from the four corners of the earth. This year first menu was Chinese, but the next one was Lombard and the school year is closing with the Peruvian one. Already on site, however, the menus for the Integration Days scheduled for next year, with other regional menus, Roman and Sicilian, but also African, Indian, ethnic, with the project of a day dedicated to a Middle Eastern menu that it also brings together the great religions of Judaism and Islam. Diversity is a value, a resource for improving ourselves.
Federico De Luca
17 PSSD DESIGN METHODS | STRANGERS
20th September 2017
FOOD SPEAKS LOUDER THAN WORDS
WE 4 FOOD Source: https://www.feedingknowledge.net/home/-/bsdp/6425/it_IT
The WE 4FOOD project is an integration project dedicated to young Italians and foreign immigrants in the Euro-Mediterranean area through food, a vehicle for the knowledge of different cultural identities. The basis of this project is food, seen as a dialogue between different peoples. In total, the project will be dedicated to more than 150 young people in the province of Bari and Matera, who attend hotel and agricultural soles. The results achieved are: solidarity, cooperation and cultural integration among young people through the enhancement and sharing of the different specificities and gastronomic excellences; development of a balanced relationship between man and territory with a view to promotion and enhancement through the excellence of products and ingredients; a greater culture of healthy and conscious nutrition through the knowledge and learning of the different characteristics and specificities of the products; a greater knowledge of the different use of the same ingredients in different cultures. The partnerships present are very important, including: province of Bari, Mediterranean agronomic Institute of Bari, Italian association for the fight against cancer and pays association. The project has identified in the food a vector of cultural identity and knowledge that, through the Mediterranean diet, promoted a healthy and correct diet, favouring local products of the EuroMediterranean area, such as extra virgin olive oil from its extraordinary preventive and protective qualities for health. This first step represents a moment of education of the pupils involved,
to the multicultural and tolerance, in a historical moment of growing migration, of the presence of cultures and creeds from the various origins. The project, through the integration, sharing and exchange of knowledge related to different culinary traditions, has encouraged the promotion of territorial excellence through the enhancement of local specificities related to food and culture of healthy and conscious nutrition. The project, through the integration, sharing and exchange of knowledge related to different culinary traditions, has: - promoted youth protagonism in the processes of building models of dialogue, contributing to the acquisition of values of tolerance and mutual respect as well as the promotion of cultural, religious and linguistic diversity for a more cohesive society; - promoted solidarity, cooperation and cultural integration among young people present in the territories of the partner provinces and those coming from the Euro-Mediterranean area, making use of the professional support of well-known local chefs; - spread the culture of healthy and conscious nutrition through the promotion and enhancement of typical products of territorial excellence; - Implemented modern communication techniques aimed at enhancing the content developed by the project and its dissemination and capitalization.
Martina Barri
Source: www.feedingknowledge.net/home/-/bsdp/6425/it_IT
Source:https://www.wintersschoolfinder.com/articles/schoolfood-around-the-world/
Source: www.feedingknowledge.net/home/-/bsdp/6425/it_IT
BRINGS A SCHOOL COMMUNITY TOGETHER Source: www.feedingknowledge.net/home/-/bsdp/6425/it_IT
Source: Cooking Communities: using multicultural after-school cooking clubs to enhance community cohesion L.A. Gatenby, J. Donnelly, R. Connell, 2011 If there can be said to be an international language these days, then it’s arguably food. Western dress, music and films may be universally adopted, but our global eating habits are broader and we can expect to find sushi in Stockholm, burritos in Bangalore and pizza in, well, any city in the world. When it comes to school food, the story is the same. All over the world, international schools don’t just serve local food. There is almost always a ‘pick and mix’ feel to the menu, partly aimed at tempting the palates of students from many different countries, and partly reflecting just how far reaching different food cultures are these days. At the Nexus international school in Putrajaya, Malaysia, the lunchtime menu is themed, with a different nation’s cuisine featuring each day. Schools will mix and match between cultures every day. A typical week sees the children working their way through Chinese, Moroccan, French and Irish food, though each week finishes with fish and chips on a Friday. As well as being aware that a student body marches on its stomach, international schools recognise that they have a unique opportunity to explore different food cultures, and their students are probably some of the best fed in the world!
The Howard C. Reiche Community School is a true melting pot where 29 languages are spoken and 22 countries are represented. A right place to find the great ingredient of the integration. In the coastal city of Portland, Maine, the right event to bring the community together in the Multicultural Potluck typically held in late winter with the main goal is to get to know each other better, in a big crowd of 400 adults and children. Everyone can bring a favourite dish that better represents their culture that’s include sushi, rice and beans, spaghetti, lasagne, slow cooker meals and burritos. Each year volunteers, parents and teachers, want to learn to their kids how is important know other culture and understand that this is possible through food. The informal atmosphere encourages families to mingle and get know the others. Even the local restaurants donate food items. Everyone can enjoy dishes that come from all the world and know personally the author that for sure have a different background. Little seeds that create a great experience and most important kids that can grow in a world that is more near as we think.
Xueqing Miao
Maria Colafiglio
17 PSSD DESIGN METHOND | STRANGERS
20th September 2017
THREE SISTERS SOUP
Last year saw more than 1 million people cross the Mediterranean to Europe, fleeing their homes and the dire situations in Syria and Libya in search of international protection. Integrating immigrants to host countries is the best solution which would be best for not just the immigrants but also for the host country, not only out of compassion, but also to enable them to contribute to their new host countries - as workers, as tax-payers and as consumers. How to integrate the immigrants and host on a family level? Some anthropologists say that sharing food is what makes us human. There’s nothing else we do that is so central to making us feel part of a group. Sharing food is an opportunity to physically support each other and to share companionship through mealtime conversation. A companion, deriving from the Spanish “con pan” meaning “with bread”, is someone with whom to share your bread. Cooking together and sharing food over dinner within the comfort of homes could be one of the best options for integration. It could be a symbiotic development for all the parties involved and I think it could be best explained with the Native American story of the three sisters. So what is the story of three sisters?
MUSHROOMSHARING KITCHEN REFOODGEE- AN APP FOR INTEGRATION
https://www.behance.net/gallery/18033821/ MUSHROOM
http://thegovlab.org/refoodgee-app-connectsberlin-locals-with-refugees-through-food/ The sharing economy will inevitably become a major part of the global economy, or should we say it has already become one. So what is a shared economy? Or what are the most common examples of shared economy that we know of? It can be car pooling facilities, Air bnb, Bike sharing services and so on. It could be sharing a room,sharing car to the sharing kitchen. The project “MUSHROOM” is a sharing kithcen facility. it is a platform that gives an ultimate cultural food experience for foodie travelers. It’s not just a home-based restaurant, or just a tourist attraction. In foreign places, of course local people have a kitchen; while travelers don’t. The idea is to connect locals and foodie travelers to create their own experience. Locals treat the travelers as guests, and vice versa. Have a plateful of culture, everywhere you go.
Source: https://citiesintransition.eu/publicatie/refoodgee-app
Source: https://www.motherearthliving.com/Cooking-Methods/soups-on-three-sisters-soup
The Three Sisters are the three main agricultural crops of various Native American groups in North America: winter squash, maize (corn), and climbing beans. In a technique known as companion planting the three crops are planted close together. The three crops work together to help each other grow. The maize provides a structure for the beans to climb, eliminating the need for poles. The beans provide the nitrogen to the soil that the other plants use and the squash leaves act as living mulch, creating a microclimate to retain moisture in the soil. And not only does the story of three sisters teach virtues of co-operation, this is a valuable lesson from the nature which teaches us to live symbiotically and help each other grow along with our growth.
A group of German tech entrepreneurs wants to help refugees in their country by providing them with an enriching way to receive meals and make connections to their new communities. Five members of Berlin-based startup Memorado created “Refoodgee,” in 2015, an app that helps pair newly arrived refugees with the city’s locals based on food preferences and shared languages. The Memorado team built the app during a hackathon hosted by the startup in Werbellinsee, Germany. The conference was focused on creating apps to help refugees entering the country with aspects of their daily lives, and “Refoodgee” was one of the products that came out of the event.
Coming back to our topic, by inviting the immigrant home, they feel more welcomed, will be able to learn the language of the host while the host would be able to learn about a new culture and new recipes and enjoy food from around the globe at the comfort of their dinner table. Exactly like our three sisters!
To use the app, refugees and locals can sign up for a free account as either a dinner guest or host. They then provide information including their countries of origin, languages spoken and preferred cuisine. Locals can then invite refugees to a meal, which the refugees can either accept or decline. If the refugee accepts, both sides will get each other’s contact details, and they can coordinate meeting times and plan the meal. How refugees and locals split the cost of the meal is entirely up to them. The Refoodgee team hopes that through preparing and sharing a homecooked meal, locals can provide refugees with food and company, and refugees can share their stories and make new friends. “Refoodgee” is also just one of many efforts to help newcomers integrate into German society through technology. It has been a successful application and many hosts and refugees have great things to say about the benefits of the app on their lives.
Sruthy Padannappurath
Hongtao Chen
In the future ,Restaurant and shops will not be the only places to taste foreign food, people can pay more attention on the process of making food and have a good food experience through cooking with local residents by sharing their kitchen. This is a great way of sharing and bonding through food of different cultures.
Xiaowen Yu
Source: https://www.behance.net/gallery/18033821/MUSHROOM
17 PSSD DESIGN METHOND | STRANGERS
20th September 2017
LOKU: CURIOUS FOOD AND FRIENDS https://www.behance.net/gallery/37867143/Loku-Curious-food-and-friends
https://www.migrateful.org/impact/
https://www.behance.net/gallery/37867143/Loku-Curious-food-and-friends
Nowadays , a lot of people from around the world choose to go abroad to study or working. People new to a city feel it’s tedious and overwhelming to find new friends and feel at home. Meanwhile according to the research ,20% of the locals of Finland eat alone. Eating is one of the basic needs of people, and eating together is a good way to socialise. So food can be the the common factor that connects the above mentioned two kinds of people. In Helsinki,two students of the Aalto University design a project “ Loku” which is a service for the locals of Helsinki. The native residents of Helsinki leads increasingly isolated lives. This project is exploring the opportunities which interest these “new and old locals” and can bring them closer and close the distance between them. It combines three elements to achieve the sense of belonging: friends, knowing the city and its little secrets well; and good food! Loku learns about the user and invite her/him to adventures tailored to their passions, and will also help them curate their own food events. On the Loku platform, one will find efforts by inspiring food initiatives and cultural champions across Helsinki. For the immigrants, food is the most easy things they can access and experience the local culture and life. In the future , more and more food communities will be created ,they are the good platforms for local residents and immigrants to make new friends ,exchange the different culture and information. Also to make new friends and socialise. This is a real initiative which is actually in the process of bridging the cultural gap in Helsinki. Xiaowen Yu
MIGRATEFULRECIPES REBUILDING LIVES https://www.migrateful.org/
Research shows that the tradition of eating together as a family or group is far less common in Western countries than in other parts of the world. Migrateful is a social enterprise where asylum seekers, refugees and migrants teach their traditional cuisines to paying customers, going to their homes.
It is a cookery and language initiative where asylum seekers, refugees and migrants struggling to access employment due to legal and linguistic barriers, teach their traditional cuisines to the public. This project aids their integration process by addressing obstacles of destitution, unemployment and language barriers in the UK migrant community.
There are 180,000 migrants in the UK who do not speak English well or at all, yet the government has cut the English teaching budget by 40% over the last 5 years. Without English these individuals struggle to integrate and access employment and this startup Migrateful is making a positive impact on these people.
There are several stories of immigrants who were helped through Migrateful. Asal is an Iranian who reached UK six months back and joined Mirateful. What is her story? Asal was forced to leave Iran with her children after the political situation became too dangerous. She had trained for seven years as a psychologist there and despite gaining refugee status in the UK, has struggled to find employment due to language barriers and her qualifications not being recognised. She explained: “It’s hard to stay positive through it all. It’s about finding your purpose again. Migrateful is really helping – I am sharing my cooking skills with love and passion again. A lot of my happiest memories are associated with food – In Iran I remember waking up to the beautiful aromas of my grandmother’s cooking”
Sruthy Padannappurath
The chefs of Migrateful are asylum seekers without the right to work, yet unable to access state benefits – leaving them with no way to meet their basic needs. Secondly the chefs are refugees struggling to access employment. 50% of the 125,000 refugees living in the UK are unemployed, despite being more qualified and more educated than the average British person. This is often due to language barriers and their qualifications not being recognised.
https://www.migrateful.org/chef-training/
TASTE THE CITY WITH LOCALS
When in Rome, do as the Romans do. When living in new places, eat as the locals eat. There is no doubt that food can be a bond to integrate people from all over the world. Imagine that when you come to a new city, everything strongly attracts you. You are exciting and can’t wait to start your exploration. But at the same time, it will also bring you some confusion, everything in front you is strange which makes you have no idea about how to choose. The first confusion for most people can be “What to eat”. That is why we have some Apps (such as the well-known one named “tripadvisior”) for who are not familiar with the local food to experience the best local food recommended by millions people. But it is not enough. Travellers always want to explore the new things as much as they can, not only taste local food, but also the culture and integrate with natives. Food exactly has a social function to connect people wherever you come from. So a “social dining platform” named Vizeat came out. It is to enable travellers to discover the authentic food at locals’ home. The using process can be divided into three steps: Discover: Explore thousands of amazing food experiences around the world through VizEat. After choosing which city you desire, you need to select the social eating experience that whets your appetite. Book: Once you’ve made your choice and select the dates you are available. Your host will receive a notification and get back to you as soon as possible.
Share: It’s time to enjoy your VizEat experience! Your selected host is waiting to meet you and share their food story with you. Discover a new culture from the inside and enjoy an authentic experience… which would be made even better with great company and delicious food. Afterwards, you will be encouraged to share the experience on social media with #vizeat, so more people can discover their own local food events too! In this way, you can immerse yourself easily in local food and culture, meet other foreign travellers at your table, and experience the magic of social dining. Think about a cooking class in Rome, a rooftop dinner party in Barcelona, a supper club in London…each of dining will be a great surprise and precious memory for your trip. After VIZEAT experience, many travellers find missing and believe the strongest connections take place sharing a meal. Vizeat has found a way to weave people from all over the world to share personal stories into the dining experience. Because people always want to know the person they’re spending two hours with. That is the magic part of the food- integrates people from all over the world, which can’t be replaced by any other things.
https://www.joiningthedots.org/the-welcome-dinner-project
THE WELCOME DINNER PROJECTJOINING THE DOTS Source:https://www.joiningthedots.org/the-welcome-dinnerproject
Joning the dots is a Sydney based organisation based on the belief that we can all build connections that bring about the changes we want to see in the world. We can achieve this by reconnecting to our inner-self, our community and our sense of place (land/ country/earth). Xueqing Miao
A secondary objective is to hold spaces for existing organisations and change makers which fosters new understandings and nurtures a tangible sense of our inter-connectedness. The welcome dinner project is one of the initiatives of joining the dots. So what is the welcome dinner project?
The primary objective of the food community is to create opportunities for meaningful encounters which not only foster positive relationships between community members but also promote necessary shifts in perception and values.
For centuries, strangers have bonded over the simple act of sharing food and swapping stories. The Welcome Dinner Project uses this ancient notion to unite Australians with refugees, migrants and students newly arrived to the country. The project is an initiative of Joining the Dots - a not-for-profit agency founded by Penny Elsley in 2010.
The effect of these shifts will be a more connected, peaceful society. This in turn will result in the emergence of collaborative endeavours which embrace our collective diversity to sustain positive change towards happier, more resilient and productive communities.
Each Welcome Dinner pairs an average of eight Australians with eight newly arrived people. Everyone brings a dish to share, and an evening of storytelling, eating and friendship-making ensues. Participants can register online to either open their doors or participate in a Welcome Dinner at someone else's home.
Xiaowen Yu
17 PSSD DESIGN METHODS | STRANGERS
20th September 2017
BRIDGING THE GAP So nowadays, more and more design for social food in communities has come out. Such as ‘food tour’ which can be a great way to get a taste for local ingredients and artisan products as well as to learn the history and culture of the region. Cities around the United States also use food, through events such as food festivals, as a way to connect the diverse threads of their communities, and to introduce people to cultures they may not know much about. Communities that offer events like the ones highlighted here show that there is a desire to learn more and connect across those cultural divides. In other words, bridging the gap. Xueqing Miao
http://www.kwic.info/collective-cooking-building-community-resilience-through-food-sharing
M'AMA FOOD Nowadays, we have more and more chances to explore the world through traveling, studying, working or immigrating in a new place. New food is a big part of new life. Because it is not only about a behavior to explore delicious dishes, but also communication and integration with the people who have different culture background from you. Food is a best bridge to connect people from different communities to enjoy the fantastic time together and weave them to share different culture on the table. However, many people have prejudice to the foreign food they are not familiar with. They refuse to try it and even have bad comments on it. That is a big pity. They lose the good chance to learn more about the culture through new food and that is not favorable towards integration.
http://mamafood.it/it/index.html
This is a story that speaks of cooperation, integration but also entrepreneurship. The idea from which this beautiful initiative is born is a catering that came from the world, giving the opportunity to offer to others what everyone can do better.
M’ama Food is an ethnic and solidarity catering where the protagonists are troubled women who are building a new future. They all propose the recipes of their country, reinterpreting them in Mediterranean style, without ever having lost the original essence of the flavors of their distant lands. The women involved have stories of persecution, ill-treatment or escape from countries in war. M'AMA FOOD is more than a catering service! In fact, they want to consider the attention to the good end and the importance of the meeting between different culinary traditions in the world; bring people together and promote mutual understanding; be a way and an opportunity - to learn, discover, and evolve together. In other words, M'AMA FOOD intends to become a good reference point for all users wishing to combine good food with the added value of solidarity and dense choices of meaning. Like attention to fair compensation, recognition of the dignity of women and their work, respect for all the people who have come from afar. Those who decide to try this type of catering will discover dishes of great quality and contribute at the same time to the social integration of women in difficulty and their children. M'AMA FOOD offers everyone the opportunity to explore new boundaries of taste and inviting harmonies of flavors, creating a new community in which the "different" cuisine is an opportunity to learn about traditions and cultures. Martina Barri
EXPO 2015 Source:www.expo2015.org
Two years after the Expo 2015, can we say that something has been changed? Reflection on the Expo theme has become a time of sharing and celebration, involving conferences, events and performances. Every aspect and every moment of, as well as every participant at, Expo Milano 2015 defined and moved forward the chosen theme: Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life. Research reveals that 89.9% of the 1200 foreigners surveyed at Expo think that food facilitates a meeting between people. Cooperation is essential if we are to achieve the goal of ensuring sufficient food and food security throughout the world, which is what "Feeding the Planet" means. It is not clear if beyond the premises and promises Expo 2015 has really sensitized civilization to be aware of the food and resources of the planet. Certainly it offered the opportunity to bring different cultures, often in contrast, closer together.
Through entertainment and the opportunity to discover traditions through flavors and smells, Expo 2015 has become a synaesthetic experience for its guests. Food is a ritual that characterizes every culture and makes it similar. What we recognize in us makes us empathetic. There are no prejudices where there is empathy. At Expo Milano there were all the ingredients to cook our Apple Pie. Food is a vehicle for integration, economic growth, employment and social development. Federico De Luca
17 PSSD DESIGN METHODS | STRANGERS
20th September 2017
OPTIONS FOODLAB http://options.limited/about/ The refugee crisis has brought hundreds of thousands of people to Greece in recent years, seeking safety and shelter or passage to northern Europe. Many have chosen to stay and make the country their home. One of the many cultural changes these new residents have brought with them to their adopted home is food.
With only one (1) restaurant per country ~ we are carefully selecting the best of the best for our attendees! The festival delivers a once in a year experience in which our vendors are encouraged to present The Best of The Best from their countries.
Options FoodLab uses food as a vehicle to learn about sustainability, integration, health, and culture. Options FoodLab puts together very diverse teams to deliver unique events at any venue in the city of Athens. They provide meals for groups of up to 500 people, banquets, buffets, snacks, meal boxes; a food catering service cutomised to needs. They also organise PopUp events around the city with varying frequency. Lastly they organise workshops to learn each other’s cooking techniques and eat new dishes together.
Sruthy Padannappurath
Culture encompasses the customs and traditions of a country. Culture encompasses religion, food, what we wear, how we wear it, our language, marriage, music, what we believe is right or wrong, how we sit at the table, how we greet visitors, how we behave with loved ones, and a million other things, United States is one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world. Nearly every region of the world has influenced American culture, as it is a country of immigrants, most notably the English who colonized the country beginning in the early 1600s. U.S. culture has also been shaped by the cultures of Native Americans, Europeans, Latin Americans, Africans and Asians. Just as cultures from around the world have influenced American culture, today American culture influences the world. The term Western culture often refers broadly to the cultures of the United States and Europe. Source: www.eatoffbeat.com
https://www.facebook.com/pg/optionsfoodlab/photos/?ref=page_internal
Hongtao Chen
AROUND THE WORLD CULTURAL FOOD FESTIVAL Aroundtheworldfestival. Homepage. from http://www.aroundtheworldfestival.com
It’s a way to give newly-arrived refugees much-needed jobs, but it’s also a way to offer truly authentic food from all over the world. Here is a possibility to create a community between different people that want to share their skills and their culture. Everyone can have this possibility, cooks like a professional chef the best dish that you represent. The desire is to expand to other cities where people are curious, adventurous eaters how we are all at the same level near a great plate made with love.
This event is free of charge, with plenty of food and beverages available for purchase. Come enjoy delicious foods from around the world while watching a diverse folk show with singers and dancers from different countries, as well as a fashion show with traditional outfits from some of our participating countries. Around The World Cultural Food Festival creates a Cultural and Educational Experience like no other in the DMV. This event do not only sell food; they showcase, educate and teach their culture through food.
A food you’ve probably never heard of before, prepared by a refugee chef. Eat Offbeat delivers authentic and home-style ethnic meals that are conceived, prepared and delivered by refugees resettled in NYC. Eat Offbeat was founded by Lebanese immigrant siblings Manal and Wissam Kahi. Kahi said “they don’t just want to change the lives of these refugees; they want to change American attitudes as well”. As the Syrian refugee crisis intensified many people in the refugee community who cooked, and that they had an opportunity to both help refugees get settled in their new lives and to change the increasingly negative narrative about what refugees had to offer.
Celebrating the rich intercultural diversity, the Around the World Cultural Food Festival invites you to join us for the second edition of our annual event.
https://www.shareable.net/blog/options-foodlab-refugees-in-athens-as-catalysts-for-social-change
Source: www.eatoffbeat.com
This year, we are introducing a Cultural Fashion Show! We are also encouraging attendees to come dressed up in their traditional costumes and participate in the fashion show.
Options FoodLab is a platform which started out as means to earn some extra money while inadvertently going through the “integration” process for the migrants, most people realised the value was much more than just money. Food can be a source of mental health and wellbeing of the parites involved. Options FoodLab was a one-off experiment that became a full time project for a dedicated team of refugees and volunteers from Greece. Thier first event, held in April 2015, attracted more attention than they ever expected. It was sold out and people were asking for more, so they continued. Senait was the first chef and it was called Senait’s Kitchen in the beginning. Senait’s Kitchen became the OneLoveKitchen, which then became Options FoodLab in 2016. The goals of the FoodLab were based on the real success of that first event, which wasn’t actually the fact that it was sold out, but that it brought many different people together, even if it was just for one night. The events took place on rooftops, in social centres, in co-working spaces and in churches, any place that saw the impact and wanted to support them.
EAT OFFBEAT
http://www.aroundtheworldfestival.com/wp-content/gallery/second-annual-around-the-world-cultural-foodfestival-june-2017/Around-the-world_2017_1-256.jpg
Maria Colafiglio
17 PSSD DESIGN METHODS | STRANGERS
20th September 2017
CHEESE 2017 FOOD ADVENTURE
SET ANOTHER PLACE AT OUR TABLE - ROME Source:www.gnammo.com/gnammers/
Food is a best bridge to connect people from different communities to enjoy the fantastic time together. We can all follow guidebooks—whether they be Michelin or Lonely Planet—but in so many cities, the best things to eat are at the ends of tiny alleys, hidden somewhere on the third floor, nearly lost amid the clamor of hawker markets, or on the counters of food trucks.So nowadays food tours are more and more popular. It can be a great way to get a taste for local ingredients and artisan products as well as to learn the history and culture of the region, One successful case study is “Food Adventure” .It is all about inspirational food tours offering backstage passes to some of Wales’ finest food and drink producers. The half and full-day tours take you behind the scenes at the very finest – and often little-known – foodie destinations, giving you the chance to meet the producers and taste their amazing produce.A typical adventure may include a behind the scenes visit to a farm to meet a farmer passionate about rearing quality meat and then a meal in a fabulous restaurant or pub featuring that produce and a demo by the chef.Other adventures will take you to meet the best artisan food producers in Wales, many of whom don’t open their doors to the public for anyone other than Food Adventure. See a demo to get an insider’s look at what inspires them, or try your hand at making your own creation. Xueqing Miao
Sharing a passion for food, showing one's cooking skills, sitting down at the table with unknown people, thus linking up new relationships. This and much more is Gnammo, a Startup that allows to promote social eating events in different private and non-private locations. A community of about 100 thousand people who believe in the values of sharing, collaboration and socialization. How can Gnammo help integration between different cultures? The answer is found in the flavors and traditions. For Anaya, a Senegalese girl from seven years in Italy, Gnammo was an opportunity to make known the culture of her country and enjoy delicious meals making new friends. "It all started two years ago when I learned of the existence of this platform through Facebook. Because of my economic difficulties, I decided to test myself and launch myself on this adventure.
At the beginning it was a bit hard: not having feedback people didn’t trust and didn’t want to discover my kitchen. Then thanks to Carla, with whom I now organize the dinners at my house, I have acquired the trust and feedback needed to continue. Now I share my evenings almost daily. Thanks to Gnammo, I had the opportunity to meet other people and share stories. I made new friends and I have regular guests. The favorite dish of my guest is my vegetable cous cous, my insider touch makes the difference". It is not just about gains and sharing, thanks to this kind of experiences Anaya has become a symbol in the condominium in which it lives and in the area. The prejudices and the mistrust of people since it arrived have improved. "At the beginning people looked at me badly and often it was very sad to feel marginalized. My cooking allowed me to express myself and my culture. "Senegal is a lively and colorful country, I transform the values of my country in food and people love this.”
Federico De Luca
“There is always something to do, to know, to taste.” http://cheese.slowfood.it
Cheese is a show in the town of Bra dedicated to the world of dairy products and cheese. The event is free and takes place in the streets, squares and courtyards of the historic city center. During the days of the festival you will find countless events, including the cheese market, the house of biodiversity, the great cheese hall and the wine shop, the pizza square, the street kitchens, the beer plaza and food trucks. There are also two cinemas hosting the review Cheese on the screen, the Slow Food Editor bookshop, the taste workshops, the conference space, the stage. The large cheese network, made up of cheesemakers, breeders, refiners, experts, purchasing managers and admirers, has allowed this eleventh edition to exceed the threshold of the 50 countries present.
The 2017 edition is intended as a bridge of dialogue and it does so from its own themes: integration and interaction. Behind some of the best-known and consumed drinks and foods made in Italy, there are often people arriving in our country with the hope of building a better future. Cruelty in the media, unfortunately, is rather focused on engaging in chronicle events, but obscures the great contribution they give to our (which is also their) country. And it is in these contexts that even the most distant states of the world seem immediately closer to our small reality. Martina Barri
17 PSSD DESIGN METHODS | STRANGERS
20th September 2017
TEAM MEMBERS Martina Barri Hongtao Chen Maria Colafiglio Federico De Luca Xueqing Miao Sruthy Padannappurath Xiaowen Yu