Article about the EcoGastronomy Porgram courtesy of Sam Burch, UNH Journalism Major
Each and every person relies on food daily, and yet few of
us know where our food comes from, what it’s made of, and the effects it has on
our body. Well enough is enough, The University of New Hampshire now has a
program called EcoGastronomy that educates students on the sustainable and
healthy way to grow, cook and eat food. In only its fourth year, the program is
a collaboration of courses, integrating elements of sustainable agriculture,
hospitality management, and nutrition all into one.
The major was first established after a visit from Carlo
Petrini, the founder of an international movement that promotes local, healthy
food called Slow Food. UNH became the first university in the United States to
sign the organization’s Slow
Food Agreements of Intentions and Collaborations , a set of principles aimed at connecting “institutions that
defend biodiversity and sustainable food production” (Mofga). Subsequently in
2008, the Board of Trustees approved EcoGastronomy as a dual-major, making UNH
the first university in the country to provide such a program.
Offered only as a dual-major, students must accompany
another major with EcoGastronomy; however, this was no issue for Amanda Parks,
a senior at UNH majoring in both Nutrition and EcoGastronomy, “At first I
wanted it to be its own major, but there are definitely benefits of having it
as a dual-major. The curriculum can easily be intertwined with different
majors, giving people from the history department, to art, and beyond a chance
to connect with principles of sustainable food systems and food communities.”
Electing to study EcoGastronomy as a dual-major provides students with a unique
perspective that they may not get focusing on one field only. As Parks made it clear, “Not only am I
learning about the science and health of food, but I can tie all the
sustainable production, food procurement, and tasteful enjoyment aspects of
EcoG into my primary major.”
The diversity of the program results in an assorted course
load and possible professions after graduation. Some students enroll in the
program to learn how to cook, others want to make changes in food policies, and
many want to work with farms or help community food production.
Students see the value in this, Parks who plans on promoting
local seafood campaigns after graduation said, “While graduates of the program
may not pursue a related field, studying EcoG gives everyone the opportunity to
learn and be a knowledgeable consumer with potential to change the current food
system.” A food system that is
struggling to accommodate for such a large population, as publically
scrutinized corporations like Monsanto Company increase production of genetically
modified organisms.
Colleen Schriefer, the program assistant of EcoGastronomy at
UNH, echoed this sentiment saying, “Most people should care about where their
food comes from, and it can be startling when you find out. We should know what
food does to our bodies and whether it helps or it hurts. We should know how to
stay healthy.”
Thus, to fight the rise in unhealthy eating options, the EcoGastronomy
program connects classes from 13 different majors and proposes students take such courses as the
Culture of Vegetable Crops, Crop Production Technologies, Community Nutrition, and
Systems Thinking for Sustainable Living. So from soil health to cooking and
culture, the program gives a list of selections designed to assess the current
means of farming and food productions.
In these courses, students learn through field and lab work,
from farm to kitchen use, in addition to a mandatory semester abroad at either
the UNH-in-Italy EcoGastronomy program in
Ascoli Piceno, Italy or the Burgundy School of Business in Dijon, France. Both
options give students the opportunity to learn about food aesthetics and see
the farm to fork method of cuisine first hand.
The semester in Italy focuses on the creation and
appreciation of food, food technology processes, the language and
cross-cultural courses. Students stay in the small city of Ascoli Piceno, and
get to take part in Terra Madre, a conference of food communities which program
director Dan Winans described as “the food Olympics”.
For the semester in France, students stay in Dijon, in “the
heart of the best wine region on the planet” according to Winans. This option
stresses the art of French living with wine product and tasting classes in
addition to food and wine tourism.
Both abroad programs study permaculture and the development
of self-sustaining agricultural systems. Moreover, there is an emphasis on the
sociology of food and wine and how production and consumption of each leads to
connections among communities. These trips offer students an opportunity to increase
their understanding of food systems and as Schriefer put it, “gain confidence
in their field and expand their perspective”.
Christina Wolf, a graduate of UNH who studied EcoGastronomy in
Durham and abroad in Ascoli Piceno,
Italy had only positive things to say about the experience, “The trip was
unforgettable. We studied food science and aesthetics as well as cooking
authentic meals that were a staple of the Ascoli Piceno culture. The time spent
was essential to our EcoGastronomy studies, it was very hands-on and helped familiarize us
with the differences between the United States and Italian food systems.”
The potential for Ecogastronomy is immense, formed on the
foundation of growing and raising healthy eating options and carving a deep
connection between food and community. Such a system could build a productive
and well-nourished network of people, a key component in the fight against fast
food. The motive behind the UNH program is simple and deserves consideration: grow
and prepare food with care, using nutritious, quality ingredients while
promoting a more sustainable world.
Sources
Daniel Winans: Director of UNH Ecogastronomy Program
Colleen Schriefer: Program Assistant for Ecogastronomy
Program
Amanda Parks: Senior studying Ecogastronomy and works in
food service
Christina Wolf: Alumni of UNH who studied Ecogastronomy and
abroad in Italy
