When Chefs and Anarchists Meet - Slow Food Nations Denver

On this week's show, we're bringing listeners along to Slow Food Nations 2018 in Denver, Colorado. The event celebrates slow and sustainable food systems through summits, workshops, and a street festival.

The festival’s theme for this year was Food for Change, and Slow Food USA’s Executive Director Richard McCarthy was more than ready to share his thoughts with us, particularly about food’s potential to be an antidote to our society’s polarizations. 

Next, we meet Paolo di Croce. Paolo’s been involved with Slow Food since the late ‘90s, and starting in 2005, as Secretary of Slow Food International’s Board of Directors. He joins us to discuss the international scope of Slow Food’s work.

Professor Raj Patel describes his observations about the festival and how small-scale organizing can help bring about a more fair and equitable food system.

We also learn about Mexico’s chapter of Slow Food from founder Alfonso Rocha. Alfonso is passionate about protecting traditional Mexican foodways and the people who bring it to the table.

And we hear a sample from Slow Food Nations’ late-night summit, which brought together Chefs Rick Bayless and Massimo Bottura for a conversation about the power of community kitchens.