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Slow Food in Practice
What is Slow Food?
Whether standing at a BBQ, kneeling on a tatami mat, or seated at an elegant restaurant, eating is fundamental to living. Elevating the quality of our food and taking time to enjoy it is a simple way to infuse our daily lives with joy. This is the philosophy of Slow Food. With food so central to daily life, it naturally follows that what we eat has a profound effect on our surroundings as well – the rural landscape of the countryside, the duration of tradition, and the biodiversity of the earth. It is impossible to ignore the strong connections between plate and planet. Founded in 1986 in Italy, Slow Food became an international non-profit organization in 1989 and is currently made up of nearly 1,000 ‘Convivia’, or chapters, whose vast network of 80,000 members is the greatest strength of the movement. The international headquarters of Slow Food is located in Bra, Italy. Slow Food works locally as well as with international policymakers such as the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. It has forged friendships with governments throughout the world, consulting for Italy’s Minister of Agriculture, working with New York City’s mayor, and collaborating with the Brazilian government. - SlowFood.com
Michiana Convivium of Slow Food International
The Michigan chapter of the Slow Food movement calls itself the Michiana Convivium. Their Website explains that in America, Slow Food U.S.A. is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to supporting and celebrating the food traditions of North America. The Michiana Convivium meets frequently in Michigan restaurants to partake of very special evenings filled with wonderful food and fellowship. Their mission is to recognize that the enjoyment of wholesome food is essential to the pursuit of happiness. The organization is dedicated to stewardship of the land and ecologically sound food production; to the revival of the kitchen and the table as centers of pleasure, culture, and community; to the invigoration and proliferation of regional, seasonal culinary traditions; and to living a slower and more harmonious rhythm of life.
Chefs Collaborative
Chefs Collaborative is a national network of more than 1,000 members of the food community who promote sustainable cuisine by celebrating the joys of local, seasonal, and artisanal cooking. Founded in 1993, the Collaborative is the only culinary organization that provides its members with tools for running economically healthy, sustainable food service businesses and making environmentally sound purchasing decisions. By educating and inspiring chefs and consumers, Chefs Collaborative seeks to encourage sustainable practices and improve the quality and taste of the food we eat. The network's Website has a listing of members and member restaurants, a library and listing of publications, resources and links, and further information about their specific programs.
Restaurant Villegas in Okemos, Michigan
Restaurant Villegas provides customers with "Contemporary Midwestern" cuisine, which is defined as classic European techniques pared with local ingredients. The menu consists of organic food and items grown locally in Michigan, from places such as the Giving Tree Farm, Black Star Farms, and Earthy Delights.
The Farmers Diner™ in Barre, Vermont
The Farmers Diner™ in Barre, Vermont, demonstrates that buying local foods and making them available to the entire community is possible and profitable. Currently at the Barre restaurant over 65 cents of every food dollar spent goes to farmers and small-scale food producers who live and work within 70 miles of the diner. From the success of this diner on Main Street, The Farmers Diner™ is building more diners, first in Vermont and then regionally, to continue the good work of reviving a strong rural community... The key to supplying family priced dinners with tons of local food is The Farmers Diner™ commissary. The commissary is the hub of the company, bringing in meat and produce right off the farm and preparing these fresh products for use in the restaurant. The commissary allows the restaurant cooks and managers to work just as they would in any other restaurant without having to deal with the significant logistics of handling fresh, local products. The commissary is equipped with the right sized equipment and people who are trained to process fresh products. Quite simply, The Farmers Diner™ combines time-tested restaurant-chain basics with socially-responsible economics and operations. For more information on The Farmers Diner™, please visit their Website. There you will find their full history, a forum, menu information, and investment options.
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