[Devotay]

Following on the overwhelming success of Terra Madre 2004, Slow Food will once again convene a "World Gathering of Food Communities" in Torino this October 26-30. This year, in addition to 5000 farmers, fishers, brewers, winemakers, cheesemakers, beekeepers and all sorts of other food artisans from nearly 150 countries, Slow Food has invited 1000 chefs from around the world.

I was a delegate in 2004, and will be again this year (and I'll be blogging it here). Another chef present at the first one was Rick Bayless. I asked him his thoughts when he was interviewed here on ChefTalk, and here's what he said about his experience. Tony Bourdain and Michael Pollan are also among the supporters.

It's important that the Terra Madre network include chefs, because they are the link between the producer and the consumer (although Slow Food prefers the term "co-producer" to consumer, because as Wendall Berry said, "eating is an agricultural act").

Terra Madre will continue to construct a global network of food communities with a vision of a better food system, one that produces food that is good, clean, and fair.

Contempraneously, Slow Food will also produce the Salone del Gusto - the largest food show on earth. Picture the NRA show but exclusively food (no EcoLab), and exclusively artisanal (no jalapeno poppers). In 5 days more than 150,000 people will attend the exhibition, sit in on taste panels and workshops, and learn what Slow Food truly is: Food that is raised with care, prepared with passion and served with love.

[Devotay]

Since Terra Madre 2004, Slow Food has continued to work with food communities all over the world.

The Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity funds Presidia to protect and promote traditional community products threatened with extinction.

TRAINING EXCHANGES have been organized to enable food communities to share experiences, gather information and develop appropriate production methods and strategies of promotion and control. About 100 producers from 15 countries were involved in exchanges in 2004 and 2005.

Slow Food is working to support and restore FARMERS’ MARKETS. It was initiated with a project in Mali, promoted by former Minister of Culture Aminata Traoré and supported by the country’s food communities to restructure the old fruit and vegetable market in the national capital, Bamako.

Slow Food USA has created the TERRA MADRE KATRINA RELIEF FUND, with proceeds from private donations and convivium events throughout the US, to support Gulf of Mexico food communities hit by hurricane Katrina in summer 2005. The beneficiaries — 12 fishermen, farmers and restaurateurs (Leah Chase among them)— will be at Terra Madre 2006 to share their experiences with producers from other continents. To date more than $30K has been raised.

[mudbug]

Devotay,

Thank you for keeping us informed and updated with the news and the sources.

Much appreciated!

[Devotay]

You bet, 'Bug. I can't wait to share stuff about it in my blog, and I'll come by here and post excerpts too!

It's gonna be a fantastic time - so much talent and expertise in one room. I remember in 2004 being just overwhelmed; I'm a pretty egotistical guy (comes with being a chef oftentimes) and so it was a revelation for me to walk into Terra Madre last time and instantly feel like I had the lowest IQ in the room. Talk about a small group of committed individuals out to change the world....