By Laura Stec
E-mail Laura Stec
About this blog: I've been attracted to food for good and bad reasons for many years. From eating disorder to east coast culinary school, food has been my passion, profession & nemesis. I've been a sugar addict, a 17-year vegetarian, a food and en...
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About this blog: I've been attracted to food for good and bad reasons for many years. From eating disorder to east coast culinary school, food has been my passion, profession & nemesis. I've been a sugar addict, a 17-year vegetarian, a food and environment pioneer, macrobiotic, Master Cleanser, ayurvedic, and officially-designated health-nut or party-girl (depending on the year). Professionally, I've worn many industry hats including: line cook, corporate chef, Food Coach, caterer, product developer, restaurant reviewer, culinary school teacher, corporate wellness educator, food co-op clerk, author, and even Cirque-du-Soleil lead popcorn concessioner! For years I managed an outdoor kitchen, deep in the bear-infested woods of Tahoe, and also for hospitals (the most unhealthy kitchen I ever worked in?), Singapore high-rises, mule-pack trips, Canadian catholic rectories, and more events than I could ever recall. Yet I still keep discovering. Actually, I adapt everyday by new lessons learned from teachers, customers and students. However there is one food truth I now hold sacrosanct: Eaters are motivated by pleasure. So no matter what we discuss here - recipes or restaurants, food politics or pairings, local events, food as art, or even as God, I will always come from a high-vibe, party perspective. Oh I do still long to change the world with great tasting food, but know in my heart, "If it ain't fun, it don't get done!" So - wanna come to the Food Party? By the way - it's a potluck.
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Edible Education begins this week!
This uniquely UC Berkeley course, now in its twelfth year, invites students and the broader community to engage in learning about food systems innovation and entrepreneurship.
Edible Education invites renowned experts – changemakers from all sectors – to share their visions and experiences to further our understanding of food’s critical role in our culture, well-being, and survival.
Edible Education is led by Will Rosenzweig, UC Berkeley Haas School of Business professor, and founder of Republic of Tea.
Speakers include Alice Waters, Michael Pollen, Marion Nestle, and David Mas Masumoto.
The full speaker schedule is available here.
The course runs Jan 18 – April 26th. Participate in a lecture or two, or stay for the whole course. If you miss this week, just come next week.
Edible Education 101 is open to all. It’s where food and innovation dine together, so come hungry to learn and leave full of inspiration. Register to attend the classes live in Berkeley, or online – both free!
If you have time, do your homework before class starts.
Homework this week:
Read:
“The Pleasures of Eating,” by Wendell Berry
Listen:
“The Food System was Designed to Fail” a Food by Design podcast
Watch:
“Roots So Deep” trailer
Also, don't forget
The Food Party! book group returns next month. We will read
Food Fight, A Citizens Guide to the next Food and Farm Bill by Dan Imhoff, in preparation for passage of the Farm Bill, a federal package governing our national food system. It's renewed every four years; fall 2023 is the estimated time for passage.