Food Forever Experience Bonn

Local chefs, activists, development experts, change makers and creatives gather in Bonn, Germany to serve up action on the SDGs

2 May 2019, Bonn, Germany– Eifel olive, wild peach, birch blossoms and piquanté peppers are on the menu today as more than 1,500 decision-makers, activists, experts, business leaders and creatives from over 130 countries, gather at the World Conference Centre to take action for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Food Forever Experience, Bonn will showcase what we might be eating in the future if we embrace some of the weird and wonderful foods yet to break into the culinary mainstream.

Chefs, including Jean-Marie Dumaine, Founder and Chef of Vieux Sinzing; David Mahlberg, Executive Chef of The Protea; Erik Oberholtzer, Co-Founder and Chairman of Tender Greens; and Whapow Founder, Ingo Puhl, will prepare inventive dishes and drinks using a range of curious ingredients that may soon play a larger role in our diets.

Dishes will also feature hemp seeds, stone clover, and the blue-green algae spirulina – a fast and sustainably growing microorganism, rich in nutrients and proteins. In addition, guests can try foods containing birch sap – a slightly sweet-tasting juice that is rich in minerals and has a history of medicinal use throughout Northern and Eastern Europe; and a jelly made with the leaves of the Rooibos shrub native to mountainous parts of the Western Cape in South Africa, which thrives in harsh, dry conditions.

The chef challenge is being organized by the Food Forever Initiative, an awareness raising campaign linked to the UN’s goal of achieving Zero Hunger and is part of the annual SDG Global Festival of Action organized by the UN SDG Action Campaign.

The Food Forever Experience is part of a global event series aimed at educating and inspiring audiences to celebrate food diversity and take action to support conservation efforts.

“We are proud to have the Food Forever Experience as a new and exciting part of this year’s SDG Global Festival of Action,” said Hannah Messenger, Global Events Manager, UN SDG Action Campaign. “We are really inspired with how Food Forever is transforming an SDG indicator (Target 2.5) from a hidden line on a policy document to a tangible, inspiring and applicable action that every day citizens can take. At the UN SDG Action Campaign, we believe that the goals will only be achieved if everyone takes action and having this Experience as part of the networking reception is the perfect way to encourage SDG actors that every goal, every target, every indicator matters and it’s time to innovate to see the behaviour change needed to meet them.”

The Food Forever Experience will take place in the plenary hall of the World Conference Center from 17:30 to 18:30.

Festival participants are also encouraged to attend the Food Forever Initiative’s educational session, What’s On Your Plate: Advocating for a more resilient and delicious future, on the following day in the Rhine Lobby from 11:00-12:30. The session will showcase Food Forever projects and the work of its partners to highlight the importance of food diversity now and in the future.

Crop Trust Executive Director, Marie Haga said: “The best way to reach people’s hearts and minds is through their stomachs – and this event will give them plenty to chew on. it’s more important than ever that we drive action to meet SDG 2.5, and The Food Forever Experience provides an opportunity to do that in an exciting, inspiring and tasty way.”

Journalists who would like to attend the event, please Register here. The entire three-day conference, including the press moment, will be live-streamed online: http://webtv.un.org. For interviews and inquiries, please contact: Cierra Martin, Crop Trust Communications Officer, ([email protected]) +49 (0) 171 1165036.

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NOTES TO EDITORS

Social

Follow Food Forever: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@FoodForever2020)
Follow the Festival and event: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram(@SDGAction ) Facebook, Twitter (@GlobalGoalsUN)

The official hashtag for the event is #SDGglobalFest #LetsPlantTheSeed

Photos

Crop photos: http://bit.ly/bonn-crop
Food Forever Experience photos: http://bit.ly/ffx-bonn
Session photos: http://bit.ly/ffi-bonn-session
Videos from the SDG Studio will be available on org/sdgmediazone

Dishes

Rote Oliven in Olivenöl mit Bärlauch – Jean-Marie Dumaine
Eifel olive – Jean-Marie Dumaine
Walnusstapenade (black paste of walnuts from the Rhine valley) – Jean-Marie Dumaine
Weinbergpfirsich auf Sahnequark mit Steinklee (wild peach on curd cheese with sweet clover) – Jean-Marie Dumaine
Stuffed Peppadew with Cumquat-Goji-Relish and Rooibos-Jelly on Chickpea puree – David Mahlberg
Hemp Chawanmushi with Spring Peas and Birch Blossoms – Erik Oberholtzer
Whapow Spirulina Smoothies – Ingo Puhl

About the Chefs

Jean-Marie Dumaine, Vieux Sinzing: Master of wild herbs and discoverer of German truffles, Jean-Marie, has found his second home in Sinzig from his homeland in Normandy and created the culinary attraction of the region with the VIEUX SINZIG. Born in Normandy in 1954, after completing his training as a cook, he first worked in various regions of France before gaining new experience in Germany. Sinzig was opened in 1979 where wild herbs of the region take center stage.

David Mahlberg, the Protea: David started his training 2008 in the Kongresspark Bad Honnef and finished it in 2011. After his studies, he worked in the Maritim Hotelin Königswinter until mid 2012 when he later joined the Restaurant Bastei in Bad Godesberg where he worked until 2015 as Sous-Chef. His love of South African cuisine soon followed when he began working in the Restaurant „Springfontain Eats“ by Jürgen Schneider. His first solo endeavour is the Protea, which opened in 2018 where he serves as Executive Chef.

Erik Oberholtzer, Tender Greens: Erik Oberholtzer is chef, social entrepreneur and food activist. He is co-founder and chairman of Los Angeles-based Tender Greens, a healthy food restaurant chain. While growing the Tender Greens brand with his team, Erik has stayed true to mission, leading initiatives on food security, urban agriculture and organic farming. Erik sits on the boards of Sustainable Economic Engines of Los Angeles (SEE-LA), LA Kitchen, The California Restaurant Association and Big EQ Campaign. He holds advisory roles with The Berkeley Food Institute, Farmshelf and is a global champion of Food Forever. Erik speaks internationally about his passion for food justice, social entrepreneurship, mindfulness, health and wellness, supply chain integrity and championing the role that chefs can play in solving global problems. He splits his time living in New York City and Venice, Calif., with his dog, Bowie, and can often be found meditating, exercising or enjoying a thoughtful meal with friends.

Whapow: Whapow is a food-tech company with the mission to bring photosynthetic microorganisms onto the menu at scale, fit for human consumption, as new staple ingredient in iconic food and beverages and in partnership with the world’s chefs and food services companies.