A Spanish culinary centre's quest for a chef-activist in India

The Basque Culinary Center is on the hunt for an Indian chef who is transforming society through gastronomy

April 05, 2018 03:59 pm | Updated April 06, 2018 11:35 am IST

This is the age of the chef-activist. They’re rising up all over the world, from shantytowns in Peru to dinner parties in New York. Now, organisers of the Basque Culinary World Prize, are looking for one from India.

The global prize, awarded by the Basque Government in collaboration with the Basque Culinary Center (set in San Sebastian, Spain), is now in its third year. An annual award for a chef whose work has had transformative impact beyond the kitchen, it is judged by an interdisciplinary jury of chefs and academics. The winner receives €100,000, which he or she will devote to a project that expresses the transformative power of gastronomy.

Candidates will be evaluated by a committee chaired by Elena Arzak (chef at the three Michelin-starred Arzak restaurant in San Sebastian), who will choose a list of ten finalists. The 2018 winner will be chosen in July from these finalists, by a jury of members of the Advisory Board of the Basque Culinary Center. Chaired by the chef Joan Roca (Spain), this will include Gastón Acurio (Peru), Ferran Adrià (Spain), Massimo Bottura (Italy), Michel Bras (France), Dominique Crenn (USA), Yoshihiro Narisawa (Japan), and Enrique Olvera (Mexico), among others.

Gastronomic professionals and institutions can nominate chefs until May 31, via www.basqueculinaryworldprize.com. MetroPlus interviews the people behind the award.

Bittor Oroz, Deputy Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food of the Basque Government.

The last few years have seen the rise of the chef activist. But how much of an impact can a chef really have on society?

Chefs from around the world use their knowledge, leadership, transformative drive and creativity to create transformative changes in society. The last 40 years of Basque “new cuisine” have been a clear example of this. The secret of that revolution, which we could apply to today’s chefs, lies in a clear commitment to innovation, in the ability that chefs have to be at the vanguard of gastronomy in different areas of society, creating a sustainable ecosystem that’s richer, more human and more modern. In short, a better society. 

 

What are ways Chefs can collaborate with the government to improve the communities they live in?

Chefs, as part of the gastronomy of a country, of a community, are a fundamental part of the value chain of food, a chain that starts with the primary sector, product suppliers, then the processing and ending in gastronomy. Bearing in mind the transformative capacity that chefs have, they can be facilitators, driving forces, inspirers of new initiatives and can offer a perspective that’s different to traditional approaches which seeks solutions to social problems, which at the end of the day affect us all.  

Why is the Basque Culinary World Prize important? To the Basque Country and to the rest of the world. 

The idea is that shared values in Basque society such as the culture of effort, commitment, self-improvement, dedication to transformation and equal opportunities for women and men are associated with the image of the Basque Country and become our calling card at an international level.

By launching this award in the Basque Country, it reaffirms the spirit of this region, while at the same time it offers new reasons to trust that it is a top class gastronomic destination which does not tire of offering more and better reasons to visit and enjoy it.     

 

Joxe Mari Aizega, Director of the Basque Culinary Centre

The prize celebrates gastronomy as a force for change - what are the most interesting examples you have seen of Chefs who are changing society from their kitchens?

Members of the international council of the Basque Culinary Center are a good example. René Redzepi from Denmark not only reinvented Nordic cuisine but tipped the scales in favour of local food, making us more aware of new forms of sustainable production and consumption.

 

Elsewhere, Gastón Acurio made clear to the authorities in his country how gastronomy could drive the Peruvian economy if approached as a national brand. The Pachacutec Cooking Institute showed how gastronomy could be an important tool for social mobility.

In Brazil, Alex Atala made the world turn towards the Amazon and now leads the ‘Fruto’ movement, set up to help find responsible relationships with food. People such as Dan Barber are investing in the development of sustainable agriculture in the metropolis that is New York. In Italy, Massimo Bottura is behind Food For Soul, a foundation for rethinking food waste and developing new cultural paradigms (against the backdrop of the 1.3 billion tones of food thrown away annually). The list goes on.  

Why do you think that Chefs are increasingly getting involved with social activism?

Because they understand the true reach of their profession. The 21st-century chef knows that there is much more behind what we put in our mouths than protein or nutrients. There’s culture, economy, politics, communication and even ethical problems connecting us to one another. Understanding this gives a chef great scope for action.  

Has it become more challenging to be a chef? Ten years ago people only expected a good meal, now they also expect a Chef to have a political stance, do social out reach and have an active social media presence.

Perhaps what has changed is the degree of awareness amongst chefs today, of the other areas linked to food: science, health, education, development and even public policy.

We are convinced of the importance that the gastronomy sector can achieve when its main players take on a level of responsibility, which makes others listen when they bring a creative perspective to conventional problems. 

 

Why is it important that Indian chef’s participate? 

We know that the industry is full of talent, entrepreneurship and tradition. We want to be able to share moving stories with the world which show the transformative power of gastronomy, and we know that India can provide examples. After three editions of this prize, there has yet to be an Asian finalist, which is why it is so important for us that we invite them to take part.  

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