You can now watch every single presentation from this summer's Planting Thoughts Symposium at MAD Foodcamp, the Copenhagen food festival and chefs' congress organized by René Redzepi. Over the course of a dizzying two days, some of the world's great chefs, foragers, food thinkers and academics spoke about matters mostly related to the natural and how chefs and food people should care to educate themselves in order to effect some positive change in our food systems and society.
All the videos are worth a look, but if you don't have ten hours to spare, here are six that will give you a good idea of what went down. There's Redzepi's introductory remarks, David Chang on his new obsession (the concept of "microbial terroir"), and Andoni Aduriz' mind-bending cooking demonstration, which earned a rousing ovation. Also included are three of the most compelling presentations from the non-chefs: Harold McGee on the science behind plant flavor, Tor Nørretranders on the virtues of the hunter-gatherer, and Hans Herren on what the food systems of the future can and should look like.
René Redzepi: "An Introduction"
Rene Redzepi introduction from Symposium on Vimeo.
David Chang: "Food Microbiology: An Overlooked Frontier"
David Chang from Symposium on Vimeo.
Andoni Aduriz: "Natural and Cultural Ecosystems"
Harold McGee: "The Flavors of Plant Life"
Harold McGee from Symposium on Vimeo.
Tor Nørretranders: "From Wild to Tame — And Back Again"
Tor Nørretranders from Symposium on Vimeo.
Hans Herren: "Food Systems of the Future"