Colin Tudge is suggesting the formation of a UK grassroots Renaissance Movement and inviting topics for inclusion in its agenda. My priority objective would be the strengthening of our Food Culture, let me explain why.
In January I reported that Britain’s consumption of ultra-processed foods had just broken the 50% mark, the highest in Europe. A look at the table of other European countries showed a clear link between the strength of food culture and the consumption of raw ingredients versus ultra processed foods. Germany and Ireland were not far behind us, whilst the lowest consumption of ultra-processed foods was in Italy (13.4%) followed by France (14.2%). Ultra-processed foods are linked with poorer health outcomes and obesity rates. In addition to health benefits, countries with strong food cultures do not tend to import as much food, their native ingredients being of utmost importance. The rapid loss of our farming and agricultural land has been enabled by our willingness, even eagerness, to eat imported foods. Once agricultural land has been built on we cannot reverse this, and so time is very short to address our lack of food security.
Supermarkets are always telling us that they only supply what customers want, although the “letters page” of my daily newspaper would suggest that not everyone agrees. To make our views heard we have to vote with our purse. We have to make it so clear that governments, as well as schools and all those responsible for public procurement, clearly understand what is important to us. In business jargon we have to walk the walk, not just talk the talk.
What does a strong Food Culture look like?
In December 2025, Italy became the first country to achieve official recognition for its food culture by UNESCO under their “Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage”. It describes their culture as being rooted in seasonality, regional diversity, family traditions such as long Sunday meals, and promoting sustainability. UNESCO also provides a degree of protection against imitation, which includes both ingredients and recipes. So, for example, if you commit the crime of using cream in Carbonara, you should desist from disrespectfully calling the dish as Carbonara. If you look again at the description of the culture, aspects such as seasonal, regional and family meals on Sunday, might also have been used to describe British food culture 50 years ago because there wasn’t much choice, but we have dropped them since the choice became available.
Primarily, I think a strong Food Culture demonstrates a genuine interest in food, which includes how the ingredients are produced and how dishes are cooked. It would also include taking time with food as a central part of everyday. No sandwiches eaten at the desk as you work, no ready meals eaten in front of the television. Instead, you would have families and friends gathered around a table talking to one another and including some discussion about the food itself. The separation of the act of eating and social contact is one that mystifies those from countries that have a strong food culture such as Italy and Greece. There, even brief consumption such as a coffee, is taken drunk from a cup and saucer at the counter where a couple of pleasantries can be exchanged. They are horrified to see people in the streets of the UK carrying drinks in paper cups!
Food Culture is just a subset of Culture
Food Culture is just a sub-section of a wider cultural heritage whether that be common to a place e.g. a country or region, or a belief e.g. religious or lifestyle. It describes a group of people who share a similar way of life that is reflected in what they eat. It is not static but is rooted in a common history.
When some aspect of cultural heritage is threatened, it often strengthens the importance of those aspects that remain. For example, the sense of cultural heritage is much stronger in Wales and Scotland, both of whom have nationalist movements, than in England whose Anglo-Saxon roots have received fewer threats since the Norman Conquest of 1066. People are also a product of the land. That connection has grown ever weaker since the Industrial Revolution, but it is of extreme importance to the strength of a Food Culture. These things help explain many of the differences between the food cultures of say Britain and Italy. Italy only became a united country in 1870, covering land of very different climates from the Alps in the north to just off Africa in the south. There is no one food that these diverse terrains have in common. Although pasta is considered the one defining food of Italy; it is made, and served, quite differently in the north than the south. I read recently that the comedian Chris McCauseland was frustrated that he could not find anywhere in the whole of Rome serving ragù! Of course not, and what a waste of an opportunity to experience the culinary traditions of Rome whilst there, but also how very British – you can find an interpretation of ragù in almost every town here!
To feel truly committed to a food culture it is important that we don’t just ape others, yet expressing geographical identity can now be seen as unwelcoming of those who don’t share the same roots. I would argue to the contrary. Having visitors from another country always helps you to see your own food culture with fresh eyes.
One of my roles within Slow Food was to organize trips for Italian students from the University of Gastronomic Sciences. They always wanted to go to a pub and drink English beer. They loved having traditions, such as paying for a round explained to them, and enjoyed playing our traditional pub games. Sadly, this is now a gravely endangered part of our culture but an example of something unique to our culture and, in my opinion, very much worth saving.
What difference can it make to have a banner under which to link all of the individual grassroots initiatives that might exist?
Calling again on my experience with Slow Food, I would say that the grassroots activities were a real strength. However, the movement was twenty years old by the time it was introduced in the UK, and the name of Slow Food was very powerful in Italy. The potential of that was realised by many producers in the UK, so it did not have time to evolve gradually but was instead quickly overwhelmed by the clamour of self-interest. A new movement would have the advantage of enabling organic growth and have the added benefit of being recognised as being British.
I would be interested to hear your views on what aspects of our Food Culture still hold good and are worth preserving. I’ll return to them in next month’s blog.
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