Food writing: enhancing the human condition

Saturday, May 26 2018, 18.00hrs - 19.00hrs, at John Henry Brookes Lecture Theatre, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford

Part of Oxford Brookes University’s ‘THINK HUMAN: Festival of humanities and Social Sciences’

Claudia Roden, Bee Wilson and Jeremy Lee, in conversation with Donald Sloan

 

Our distinguished speakers will explore the power of food literature to enhance our lives. Whether cookery writing that reveals the nature of cultural heritage, works of food history that highlight changing social conditions, or campaigning journalism that tackles corruption in the food industry, different forms of food literature play vital roles.

Claudia Roden is one of the world’s most respected food writers. Her work, known for being meticulously researched, is focused on the historical and cultural dimensions of national and regional cuisines. A Book of Middle Eastern Food, first published in 1968, was followed by around 20 more books including Mediterranean Cookery, The Food of Italy and The Book of Jewish Food. She has won many awards including six Glenfiddich Awards, two Andre Simon Awards and a James Beard Award in the US.

Bee Wilson is a food writer, historian and journalist. She began her professional writing career as food critic for the New Statesman, and went on to write for The Guardian, The Sunday Times, The Times Literary Supplement and The New Yorker, amongst other publications. She has written five books and her latest, First Bite: How We Learn to Eat, won a special commendation at the 2017 Andre Simon Awards.

Jeremy Lee is Chef Proprietor of Quo Vadis, in London’s Soho. Before taking up his position at this venerable restaurant he spent many years at the Blueprint Café, owned by Sir Terrence Conran. His articles have appeared in numerous publications, most recently The Guardian. He is credited with playing a key role in revitalising the reputation of British cuisine.

Donald Sloan is Chair of the Oxford Cultural Collective and a Patron of the Jane Grigson Trust. He was previously Head of the Oxford School of Hospitality Management at Oxford Brookes University.

 

For more information, and to book, follow this link.