What is the Slow Food Movement?
The slow food movement came about as a rebellion against the fast life developed in the twentieth century. Founded by Carlo Petrini in Italy in 1986, the movement sets out to counteract fast living as well as fast food. It does so by encouraging lost culinary traditions that involved eating food from the ground and dinner at the table.
The History of Slow Food
When journalist Carlo Petrini saw how industralised farming was affecting the planet and the way we eat, he decided to do something about it and formed a group of wine-lovers whose aim was simply to promote good local foods and wine.
However it wasn’t until a 1986 protest in Rome that the slow food movement truly began. The year saw the Chenobyl disaster (which destroyed natural food supplies for thousands of kilometers) and the opening of McDonalds near the Spanish steps in Rome. Not knowing what else to do, food lovers (including Petrini) nationwide gathered to protest against fast food.
Three years later, slow food was officiated with its launch in Paris with delegates from 15 countries. It was here Petrini was elected president and remains so today.
Good, Clean and Fair Food
The slow food movement promotes a public awareness of food that is good, clean and fair. It outlines that the food we eat should:
- Taste good
- Be good for us
- Be made with respect to our environment and animals
- Come from producers that are acknowledged and rewarded for their efforts.
The movement is based on the premise that we all have a fundamental right to experience pleasure, and consequently are responsible for protecting the traditions, culture and heritage of food that makes our pleasure possible.
Slow food Education
The slow food movement aims to educate the public of the links between food, farming, politics and the environment. Through various projects and events, it aims to:
- Defend foods by enhancing awareness of foods heritage, and the qualities lost with the rise of Industrialization, corporate culture and fast food.
- Educating on the taste of food where one can experiment and question different flavours often taking by us for granted.
- Organise food events, such as fairs and farmers markets, where consumers can taste and buy foods of only the highest of quality.
Slow Food Networks Today
Slow food today can be found in 132 countries with a total of nearly 100,100 members. Slow Food Australia has itself 42 branches whose events are organized by passionate volunteers.
Volunteering members come from all walks of life, and include:
- Farmers
- Consumers
- Teachers
- Chefs
- Writers
- Artisan food makers
- Families
- Students
- Food and wine merchants
Slow Food Australia participates in the development of both domestic and international projects, and through a board of director’s works with the individual local branches to enhance community awareness.
If you wish to find out more information, please visit the official website at: http://www.slowfoodaustralia.com.au
Originally published on Apr 08, 2010
