Public Servant Lifestyle

A unique cultural project whose aim is gastronomic biodiversity!

'Slow Food' - as opposed to fast food - is a cultural project that defines a philosophy of enjoyment and a programme to educate taste, while safeguarding traditional wine making and gastronomic heritages and informing consumers.

Slow Food is an international movement, formed in response to a brand new branch of McDonalds being opened up at the foot of the Spanish Steps in Rome in 1986. The man who spotted this latest set of yellow arches in a seemingly out of place setting turned out to be an Italian journalist: Carlo Petrini. Horrified, he set about organising his response - a diametrically opposed (to the idea of homogenous global food outlets) movement, which eventually came together in 1989. That response eventually turned into the Slow Food movement, a group which now has 83,000 members in 45-plus countries. Gastronomic biodiversity, taste and enjoyment are still its bywords.

The movements manifesto states its mission best: "In the name of productivity, Fast Life has changed our way of being and threatens our environment and our landscapes. So Slow Food is now the only truly progressive answer.

This is what real culture is all about: developing taste rather than demeaning it. And what better way to set about this than an international exchange of experiences, knowledge, projects?"

This - part of a wider statement of intent - was endorsed and approved in 1989
by delegates from 20 countries and stands to this day.

Take it Slow

Slow Food members are organised into 560 local convivia. In Italy there are about 35,000 members and 340 convivia (in Italy, known as connote). In the rest of the world, there are about 220 convivia and the number is continuing to grow. The condotte in Italy and the convivia worldwide are the linchpins of the Slow Food movement and interpret and represent its philosophy at local level.

Though Slow Food's head offices are in Bra, in Piedmont, in the north of Italy Slow Food UK, the British arm of the international Slow Food movement has recently announced
that its new national headquarters will be based in Ludlow, Shropshire. The office,
which is due to open in November, will be run by Fiona Richmond, the Slow Food UK
Co-ordinator, who is currently based at Slow Food’s international headquarters in Bra,
Italy.

Ludlow was one of four areas which submitted bids to host the office. The other three
were Edinburgh, Cumbria and Highlands & Islands, of which Edinburgh was the other
shortlisted candidate. "A huge amount of effort went into the bids and we were presented with a very difficult choice," said Sue Miller, Chair of Slow Food UK's board of directors. "Ultimately Ludlow's offer was considered by the Board to be the strongest. As well as its fine reputation for quality food and drink and its strong environmental credentials, we felt that there was a tremendous commitment from the town and local agencies to ensure the success of the office. In short, we felt that Ludlow was the spiritual home of Slow Food and would provide the ideal base from which to work for a high quality, responsible food culture in the UK."

Slow Capital

"We're immensely pleased and proud, and look forward to welcoming Slow Food UK to
our fine town," said Graeme Kidd, Mayor of Ludlow who co-ordinated the town's bid.
"Ludlow is already the UK headquarters of Cittàslow, the 'slow town' organisation, and
now we can really claim to be the UK's 'Capital of Slow'. I'm sure we will be working in
very positive ways with Slow Food over the coming years, to mutual benefit."
The national office will give the movement a stronger presence and focus in the UK,
enabling the development of its projects, including protecting biodiversity through the
Ark of Taste and Presidia; promoting taste-education; building a network of producers,
cooks, the public and educators through Terra Madre; and offering greater supporter to
the local convivia (groups of members) and their activities.Other offices have been opened in Switzerland, Germany and New York and in Paris.

The head of the condotta or convivium is the fiduciary or convivium leader, who, through the members and the central office:

Organises food and wine events and initiatives

Creates moments of conviviality

Raises the profile of products

Promotes local artisans and wine cellars

Organises tasting courses and taste workshops

Promotes new food and wine developments and knowledge of the products and cuisine of other areas

To read more about the Slow Food movement in the UK, check out: www.slowfoodludlow.org.uk

Slow Food UK is the movement’s seventh national association (the others are Italy, Germany,France, Switzerland, the USA and Japan). Slow Food UK is a not-for-profit limited company set up to manage the growth and development of the movement in the UK. There are currently more than 2000 members across the length and breadth of the country, organised into 41 active local groups called convivia. Each convivium is different, but all have the aim of celebrating and protecting the traditional foods of their region, giving visibility to small-scale farmers, fishermen, growers, breeders and artisan producers.

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