Slow Food is a global, grassroots movement with thousands of members around the world that links the pleasure of food with a commitment to community and the environment. It was founded in 1989 in Italy.
I had the chance to share a meal in Lebanon with Catherine Gazzoli, the CEO of Slow Food UK at Restaurant Mounir Broumana and got to know her and the Organisation more. Of Italian heritage, Catherine Gazzoli was born in Geneva, Switzerland, and educated in New York City at the United Nations School. She launched Slow Food UK at Highgrove with HRH The Prince of Wales and was named by Channel 4’s 4Food as one of “Britain’s most inspiring foodie ladies”.
Slow Food is a non-profit, member supported association, with charitable educational programmes, Slow Food was created to counter the rise of fast food and fast life. Slow Food works to reconnect people with where their food comes from and how it is produced so they can understand the implications of the choices they make about the food they put on their plates. They encourage people to choose nutritious food, from sustainable, local sources which tastes great. Slow Food runs a number of educational projects and a Local Group network of over 50 Groups which promote and enjoy the Slow Food way of life at a local level.
Each of Slow Food's 100,000 members around the world are part of a convivium – a local chapter – that brings the Slow Food philosophy to life through the events and activities they organize in their communities: From simple shared meals and tastings, to visits to local producers and farms, conferences and discussions, film screenings/festivals, taste education courses for children and adults, promoting farmers' markets or supporting local and international campaigns. Members enjoy coming together to share the everyday joys of food and to get to know their local foods and producers and spread that knowledge.
Join the international movement today
