Chefs' Manifesto

Podcast Series

On 25 January, the Chefs’ Manifesto in collaboration with the Crop Trust and Food Forever will launch the 3rd Season of the Chefs’ Manifesto Podcast and Case Study Series! The Chefs’ Manifesto Podcast is a resource for chefs to share stories of action on sustainable development tied to the UN SDGs through the Chefs’ Manifesto community.

The Crop Series

Each of the six episodes in this season – to be launched weekly for the next two months – will feature one particular crop, taking listeners on a journey to different parts of the world, with chefs and experts sharing their insights and stories, discussing the history and significance of the crops, and how each of them has the potential to support the transformation of our food systems.

Meet the hosts

This season will be hosted by three chefs from the Chefs’ Manifesto network:

Each chef is hosting two episodes: Chef Alejandra episodes 1 and 2, featuring potato and sorghum; Chef Lorna episodes 4 and 5, featuring sweet potato and millet; and Chef Tom Hunt episodes 3 and 6, featuring coffee and wheat.

Podcast Episodes

Episode 1 – Potato: the prolific tuber (Airs 25 January)

Episode 1 provides insights and stories on the prolific tuber potato. The history of this crop is discussed from country-specific perspectives, with Ireland represented by Chef Janice Bracken and Peru by Chef Diego Oka. The chefs explore how to best prepare and cook potato, to preserve its nutrients, make use of its wide diversity, but also how to present them in an attractive and healthy way on the plate. Alejandro Argumedo, Andes Amazon Lead for the Swift Foundation, shares his thoughts at the end of the podcast on the benefits of potato for alimentation and agriculture.

Episode 2 – Sorghum: the camel of crops (Airs 1 February)

Episode two focuses on sorghum, an under-appreciated crop that is mainly grown in Africa. Chef Ali Mandhry, a sorghum champion, shares recipes and his passion for this crop working from his home in Mombassa, Kenya, whilst Meymuna Hussein shares a narrative about her journey from East Africa to America and the importance of sorghum in her culture and cooking. Expert Eva Weltzien, pre-breeding consultant from ICRISAT wraps us up by championing the sustainable impact sorghum can have if we produce and use it as an alternative to more pollutant crops.

Episode 3 – Coffee: the diversity of our daily grind (airs 8 February)

In the third episode you will learn about the famous crop coffee! Chef Daniel Kaplan and Chef Aylin Yazıcıoğlu talk about how coffee is an integral part of their respective cultures but explain how it can be produced and consumed in a more sustainable and careful way along the production chain. Experts Rolando Cerda and Sarada Krishnan in the last part of the episode address the urge to act on the coffee production chain in order to produce better and in a respectful way for people and planet, and most importantly, to safeguard biodiversity.

Episode 4 – Sweetpotato: the root to health (airs 15 February)

The fourth episode is all about sweet potato! Given its rich nutritional content, the sweet potato is one of the most consumed crops in Africa. Chef Kiran Jethwa and Chef Yi Wen share recipes and stories about this fantastic healthy crop from their respective parts of the world. Maria Andrade from OFSP then joins the discussion and reinforces the importance of sweet potato for many people and communities around the globe and particularly in Africa where this crop often becomes a substitute for meat.

Episode 5 – Millets: climate smart seeds of the future (airs 22 February)

This week’s episode features everything you need to know about the great crop millet! Chef Vanshika Bhatia and Chef Mokgadi Itsweng share their experiences cooking and experimenting with millets in their kitchens and make listeners fall in love with this fantastic ingredient. A discussion with Shivali Sharma from ICRISAT follows on how many sustainable benefits millets can bring to the table.

Episode 6 – Wheat: our great grain (airs 1 March)

This last episode is all about the probably most famous crop: wheat! Pastry Chef Sahar Parham Al Awadhi and Chef Eduardo Garcia will share their simple, healthy and tasty recipes involving this great grain and expert Filppo Bassi from ICARDA then joins the discussion to give more context and knowledge on wheat.

 

The Chefs’ Manifesto

The Chefs’ Manifesto is a chef-led project that brings together 800+ chefs from 80 countries to explore how they can help deliver a sustainable food system. As chefs bridge the gap between farm and fork, the Chefs’ Manifesto empowers chefs with a framework tied to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. This framework consists of simple, practical actions chefs can take and is grouped in 8 Thematic Areas, including reducing food waste, focusing on plant-based ingredients, respecting the earth and its oceans, and supporting livelihoods. With its second Thematic Area calling for action to protect biodiversity and improve animal welfare, the Chefs’ Manifesto is partnering with the Crop Trust and Food Forever on the third season of the Chefs’ Manifesto podcast, spotlighting six diverse crops. The Chefs’ Manifesto is facilitated by the SDG2 Advocacy Hub.

 

To learn more about the podcast, as well as the crops and chefs featured, click here.

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