Food connects people and creates community. Understanding the journey of our food from farm to table helps us to build a more resilient and regenerative food system. Restaurants – from local street food vendors to high-end dining – carry the responsibility to honour the story of each person that made a meal possible. Inspired by the international Slow Food Movement, the pillar Slow Taste is all about where we eat, what we eat, and the journey it took to get there.
People
Food systems consists of a chain of people, and Slow Taste members try to keep this chain as short as possible. By creating close relationships with local farmers, fishermen, market vendors, and cooks, Slow Taste members contribute to a socially, ecologically and financially sustainable food system. Food culture is ever evolving, and by fusing traditional Zanzibari cuisine, members embrace local food habits as well as playfully evolving it.
Planet
To sustain Zanzibar’s ecosystem, Slow Taste members aim to source locally, seasonally and organically where possible, promote sustainable seafood choices, champion indigenous species and offer a wide variety of plant-based food options. By continuously searching for initiatives to reduce waste streams and limit single used plastics members attempt to reduce their impact on the islands fragile waste management system.
Progress
A transparent supply chain contributes to fair pricing and values being shared at every step throughout the chain. Slow Taste members understand the importance of compliance and believe that it – in a context where formal structures are not always the norm – strengthens mutual trust between partners. It benefits not only individual businesses, but the broader economy of the island – directly or indirectly, and in the short term and long term.