Slow Food Movement

This approach allowed the researcher to critique secondary data and ascertain prominent themes and key points of relevance. 3. 0 Executive Summary/Abstract 4. 0 Introduction 4. 1 Aim To explore gastronomy through the review of literature surrounding the Slow Food Movement 4. 2 Objectives 1. Perform a literature review of secondary sources regarding the Slow Food Movement 2. Contextualise the history/background of Slow Food Movement 3. Identify a working definition of gastronomy in relation to the Slow Food Movement 4. Outline political context and philosophy of Slow Food Movement 5.

Identify prominent gastronomes within the field of gastronomy & Slow Food Movement 6. Apply Slow Food Movement in a contemporary setting 5. 0 Introduction The following literature review will look at the key attributes of the Slow Food Movement whilst outlining the contemporary understanding of the term gastronomy. It will identify prominent gastronomes that have both influenced this understanding and also practise its qualities. 6. 0 Slow Food Movement 6. 1 Background context The origins from which the Slow Food Movement grew started in the city of Bra, North West Italy.

In the 1970’s Bra was a city struggling with the demands of post-industrialisation and suffered from dwindling employment levels. Nevertheless, what did emerge from this era was a strong tendency (for its residents) to form organized groups, something referred to as associazionismo in Italian (Petrini, 2001). This was representative of Italy in a broader context as the 70’s was a time where people began to challenge ‘the hegemony of politics’ – and when the formation of movements was on the increase (Andrews, 2009).

It is here a group of social activists committed to cultural issues affiliated themselves with ARCI (Recreational Italian Cultural Association). This emerging group, which included the likes of Carlo Petrini, Azio Citi and Giovani Ravinale, were leftist-intellectuals that led the formation of the Free & Praiseworthy Association of the Friends of Baralo (Andrew, 2008) which was later considered the ‘nucleus of Agricola Slow Food’ (Petrini, 2001). Their intention was to ‘create awareness of local products’ and to ‘awaken people’s attention to food and wine’ alongside the ‘right to enjoy them’ (Petrini, 2001).

It is at this point in the early developmental stage of the movement we can first identify a belief system of a ‘right to pleasure’ something that has remained a prominent theme throughout the life-span of the movement. From then on Petrini and his associates embarked upon many political activities with regional importance being a primary concern (Andrew, 2008). The group organised food-related events with emphasis on culture and the provenance and integrity of the ingredients involved.

Petrini (2001) recognises that through association with ACRI a network of contacts who shared similar views in regards to food, wine and the enjoyment of, grew throughout Italy – And that these contacts lay the foundations from which the international movement grew. 6. 2 International Context The Slow Food Movement entered the international stage in December 1989 where a Slow Food manifesto was signed in Paris. The manifesto, signed by fifteen countries, focused ‘primarily on quality of life issues’ in a broad context and the promotion of initiatives that ‘encourage’ regional food knowledge and appreciation of food (Petrini 2001).

Carlo Petrini (2001) claims internationality of the movement was present from the beginning due to features like English in its title, assisting worldwide comprehension of the ‘ironic’ name. Nevertheless, there is little supporting evidence available to confirm this. Also, as the term fast-food (spoken in English) is used in Italy, it is more plausible that this name was adopted as a direct antonym to fast food. Andrews (2008) believes a strong reliance upon the Italian culture is prominent in the movement.

He suggests this is the reason countries such as UK, USA and Germany have a large following as they could be considered countries trying to rediscover there own food culture. 7. 0 Gastronomy 7. 1 The Origin & Interpretations We can identify the origin of the word gastronomy to derive from the ancient Greek words, gastros meaning stomach, and nomos ‘the laws that govern’; yet to determine the true definition of gastronomy proves a far more complex issue (www. myetymology. com accessed 23/3/11). The term was first introduced to France in the early 19th century by Jacques Berchoux as a title for a poem (Symons 2001).

Although many definitions are available from dictionaries, websites and famous texts such a La Rouse la Gastronomique, the word still proves ‘devilishly difficult to define’ (Santich, 1996: cited in Symons, 2001). When investigating the term gastronomy, and siphoning through the many interpretations available, two key themes can be deduced. One refers to gastronomy as the enjoyment of gourmet foods and beverages, often in an indulgent manner. For example, Epicureous, an online food resource gives the brief definition ‘The art of fine dining; the science of gourmet food and drink. (www. epicurious. com accessed 23/3/11). This definition however, is limiting by nature, implying gastronomy refers only to fine foods and the enjoyment there of. It is a plausible notion that could have been accurate at certain points in history, perhaps in relation to royalty and aristocrats. The other account promotes gastronomy as a discipline, a study, and a subject in its own right. Santich (1996) offers a more comprehensive approach to the study of gastronomy that encompasses the various attributes that make up ‘food’ in its entirety.

This includes: “The production of food and the means by which foods are produced; the political economy; the treatment of foods, their storage and transport and processing; their preparation and cooking; meals and manner, the chemistry of food, digestion and the physiological effects of food; food choices and customs and traditions… ” (Santich, 1996: cited in Symons, ****) (Santich, 1996: cited in Symons, 2001) This more holistic approach to gastronomy treats the subject as an interdisciplinary science.

It is this understanding of the term gastronomy that will be our core focus as this represents the outlook shared by the slow food movement. 7. 2 Gastronomes of the 19th century Furthermore, discrepancy occurs when trying to establish the true definition of a gastronome. The terms Gourmet and Gastronomist also need to be considered as all three are often misinterpreted as the same thing. A Gourmet is considered a ‘connoisseur of good food; a person with a discerning palate’ (oxforddictionaries accessed 23/3/11). This is more representative of the initial (primitive/traditional) depiction of astronomy that only addresses the consumption of fine foods and the art of fine dining. Many attempts to define and distinguish between a Gastronome and a Gastronomist are offered, often with little synchronicity or correlation. This may be due to the transformation of Gastronomy from a hedonistic activity for the elite, into an interdisciplinary subject. A prominent figure in the topic of Gastronomy is Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin (1975 -1826), the author of Physiology of Taste. He provides the seminal definition “Gastronomy is the scientific definition of all that relates to man as a feeding animal. (Brillat-Savarin, accessed 23/3/11). The time of publishing (1825) shows us that gastronomy was indeed perceived as a multi-faceted and broad subject even in the early 19th century. Stephen Schnieder, a professor of English at the University of Alabama, believes Slow Food Movement and its founders ‘seek to redefine’ gastronomy as a subject by building upon the works of Brillat-Saverin, through ‘endorsing the principles of taste and pleasure’ whilst at the same time promoting food as a cultural issues that are inextricably linked to topics of sustainability, biodiversity and health.

Maurice Edmond Sailland, also known as Curnonsky, was a respected (French) gastronomic figure in the early 19th Century and also the founder of Academie des Gastronomes (Gastronomic Committee, 2001). He was known for quotes such as “La cuisine, c’est quand les choses ont le gout de ce qu’elles sont. ” “Good cooking is when things taste of what they are. ” “Et surtout, faites simple! ” “And above all, keep it simple! ” And Curnonsky shared similar concerns to the modern Slow Food Movement.

He was aware of the internationalism of food, a by-product of emerging hotel-chains at the time, which resulted in him publishing many books on regional cuisine in an attempt to preserve them (www. foodtourist. com accessed 23/3/11). Interestingly he himself was a promoter of food tourism. According to La rouse Gastronomonique he was the first person to ‘coin the term Gastronomades’, a title for food-tourists of regional cuisine (Gastronomic Committee, 2001), and also considered a pioneer in the cataloguing of French cuisine (encyclopedia. arlex, 2011). This shows us that although he held concerns with food becoming standardised through mass distribution, he advocated the enjoyment of regional variety and the distinctions between food preparation they offered. Nevertheless, it is reported that in his later years, Curnonsky was so obese he needed carrying to his chosen eating establishments (Ehler, 2011). Implying he led a self-indulgent life where over-consumption was present and therefore dissimilar to the Slow Food and its members. . 3 Contemporary gastronomes – Carlo Petrini The contemporary view of gastronomy is further solidified and expanded by Carlo Petrini, the key founder and current leader of SF. Petrini is widely reputed and considered an influential gastronome of his era (Andrews 2008). Geoff Andrews (2008), a writer and commentator of Italian politics, acknowledges the works of Brillat-Savarin and also believes Petrini further adds to this by incorporating sustainability, pleasure and fairness.

At the time of writing (The Physiology of Taste 1825) issues of sustainability were not of concern, undoubtedly due to world population being a fraction, 1000 million (Vaughn 2011), of what it is today. The ‘right to pleasure’ refers to Petrini’s viewpoint that every person deserves quality food free from artificial additives, pesticides and antibiotics, which should not be a privilege for the select few. Whereas the topic of fairness addresses that with that ‘right’ comes the responsibility to ensure food producers are treated fairly. In Petrini’s words, concerning his own identity, I am a gastronome. No, not the glutton with no sense of restraint whose enjoyment of food is greater the more plentiful and forbidden it is. No, not a fool who is given to the pleasures of the table and indifferent to how the food got there. I like to imagine the hands of the people who grew it, transported it, processed it, and cooked it before it was served to me. ” This quote clearly shows Petrini differentiates himself completely from the old practises of gastronomy which he acknowledges were present in Italy in the early 18th century up until mid twentieth century (Petrini 2001).

He also believes additional subjects such as botany, anthropology and technology should be inclusive in the subject. This is evident in the University of Gastronomic Sciences course content set up by Slow Food in 2004, intended to bridge the gap between agriculture and gastronomy by incorporating such aspects. In Petrini’s view then, a modern gastronome is someone who has ‘cultural awareness’ and ‘global perspective’ on the current issues surrounding food. And that with this knowledge of food and its production a concern for the world is created.

This conscious consumption is becoming more prevalent in society and many chefs, including influential people such as Jamie Oliver and Hugh-Fernley Whittingstall, are promoting similar philosophies to the Slow Food Movement. In particular, Whittingstall’s fish fight campaign targets the massive over reliance upon three main varieties (cod, tuna, salmon) by consumer and the large amounts of food wastage concerned with commercial fishing (Hugh-Fernley Whittingstall, 2011). This is directly aimed at issues of sustainability and biodiversity linking in with key themes in the Slow Food Movement. . 4 Practical Gastronome – Alice Waters There are many people who do practise some of the aspects talked about, through their business activities and exercising the power of the consumer. Alice Waters, chef and proprietor of the Chez Panisse restaurant (USA) has long promoted the use of organic, pesticide and antibiotic free produce. The author of eight published books and current vice president of the Slow Food Movement International, Waters is also highly committed to educational activities. She pioneered the Edible Schoolyard program that aimed to ncorporate eco-gastronomy into the school curriculum via creating a vegetable plot/garden that allowed students to be involved in all aspects of the food system (chezpanisse, 2011). Through this commitment to her beliefs and later dedication to SF Waters could be considered a practical contemporary gastronome. In an interview with Lesley Stahl for CBS NEWS Waters was confronted with the question; ‘Do you consider yourself a revolutionary? ’ In reply, she stated how in the beginning of her career the philosophy of organic and sustainable were not present, ‘I was just thinking of flavour’ (Stahl, 2009).

Implying she obtained ingredients in that manner purely for sensory pleasure therefore here beliefs must have evolved alongside the changes in society and food systems, possibly with influence from the SFM. Interestingly, Michelle Obama is currently converting a patch of the White House lawn into a vegetable garden with the aid of local school children. The Guardian claims the first lady sought consultation from Alice Waters prior to commencing the project (Green, 2009). This signifies a highly commended status for Waters and may add to certain criticisms of elitism in Waters, and thus the SFM.

In a similar article by the Telegraph, chef and writer Anthony Bourdian, is quoted saying, ‘there is something very Khmer Rouge about Alice Waters that has become unrealistic’, after talking about being in the middle of a recession and the expense of organic food and shopping at markets. Although his statement may be a little severe it does help illustrate the opposing argument of how the expense of such ingredients naturally allow for an exclusive and selective activity. 8. 0 Understanding of the Slow Food Movement 8. 1 The Philosophy

The Slow Food Movement is complex in nature and would be better described as a collective of overlapping activities that work towards a larger ethos. The movement believes that ‘everyone has a fundamental right to the pleasure of good food’ and with that comes a ‘responsibility’ to ensure that the cultures and traditions that allow this are preserved (www. SlowFood. com accessed 30/03/11). Slow Food was the first organisation to coin the term neo-gastronomy – the ‘recognition of the strong connections between plate, planet, people and culture. ’ (slowpix. org accessed 30/03/11).

This multi-disciplinary approach builds upon the works of Santich and his predecessors whilst encapsulating eno-gastronomy, a form of regional and cultural promotion of food and wine (Vigano accessed 30/03/11), and eco-gastronomy which involves the ecology of the planet. 8. 2 The Organisational Structure The structure of the Slow Food Movement is important to us as it highlights the separate sub-groups that each attain their own ‘mission’ collectively contributing to the overall philosophy. The Slow Food International website describes itself as a grassroots organisation, signalling a strong political agenda.

The website informs us that it currently has a ‘network of 100,000 members in 153 countries’ and claims to be actively involved in projects at a ‘local, regional and global level’. The non-profit organisation is largely made up of convivium – local chapters, that operate on a voluntary basis promoting and organising community-food-related events. These convivium however do not incur any stringent regulations and whilst it is highly likely most people involved do believe and endorse the principles of the Slow Food philosophy, how far and to what extent is questionable.

Chrzan (2010) acknowledges that most will be ‘committed to the principles of sustainability’ but argues that the ‘primary reason’ will be to meet like minded ‘food-lovers’ and to ‘share wonderful meals’. If true, this could be seen as a point of concern as the convivium comprise the largest majority of the Slow Food operations. On the contrary, the Movement recognises the value of promoting ethically sourced food; promoted in a local context intern illustrating the food-ways that exist between producer and consumer.

The simple gathering of people using and promoting local or ethically sourced ingredients must hold certain value as it gives recognition and longevity to the produce/producers involved. 8. 3 Stance on Fast Food & Fast Life Much of the literature surrounding SFM claims the opening of a McDonalds in Piazza de Spagna, Rome (1986) was the pinnacle reason the movement emerged, however through our historical research we discovered the true motivations behind Petrini and his fellow activists were deeper and much more complex. Yet this moment was still seminal as it helped highlight the need for greater action and increased efforts.

Petrini (2001) notes how ‘many people see slow food as the direct antagonist of fast food’ whilst continuing to inform us that this is not the case. The president of development for McDonalds (Italy) Maria Resca once stated ‘we are the most famous brand in the world, and we intend to conquer Italy. ’(Petrini 2001). Petrini was aware of this; he understood the scale and magnitude needed to take on a supergiant chain such as McDonalds. According to Petrini the Slow Food Movement preferred to “focus our energies on saving things that were heading for extinction” rather than intentionally seeking new ones to conquer (Petrini 2001).

The direct protest against the opening of a new McDonalds in Rome highlights the movement’s attitude towards this fast-food giant. Yet as we delve further into the literature available it becomes apparent there are far deeper meanings surrounding this matter. An of example of this is the USA Slow Food Movement website where new members are asked to sign up to a ‘Slow Life’ alongside offering advice upon how to live slow (www. slowfoodusa. org accessed 24/03/11). This shows not only opposition to fast-food but an antipathy towards the very foundations it (fast life) comes from.

Falco Portinari, a writer and poet, offered a piece of literature regarding the fast life which was incorporated into the manifesto of 1989 – “We are enslaved by speed and have all succumbed to the same insidious virus: Fast life which disrupts our habits pervades the privacy of our homes and forces us to eat fast food… In the name of productivity Fast Life has changed our way of being and threatens our environment and landscapes. So Slow Food is now the only progressive answer. ” This indicates the movement views fast-food as a by-product of the fast life not an opponent in its own right.

It also helps illustrate the SFM viewpoint of how the food systems have been corrupted through the desire for profit and gain with little or no concern being given for the future well being of the planet and the persons involved in producing these foods. Conclusion Since the 1980s Slow Food has grown from a small grass roots organisation into an internationally recognised movement with over a 100,000 members in 54 countries. As slow Food has grown its incorporated many concerns currently held in society such as sustainability, traceability and ethical procurement.

On top of this, an attempt to reignite the enjoyment of food, in Petrini’s words ‘the right to pleasure’, with a conscience of how that food arrived to you has been made. Through this a new from of gastronomy has entered the public domain. One that builds upon the criteria identified in 1806 by Brillat-Savarin but also includes more relevant and pressing issues affecting contemporary society. The SFM may act as a future platform for addressing the effects of mass produced and homogenised foods however the extent in which the worlds eating habits that have come to depend so heavily upon such foods can be altered or influenced is in question.