Not Just for the Body – Food and Culture Discussion Series

Introducing “Not Just for the Body”: a series of gatherings hosted by the Hotel and Restaurant Museum focusing on food, consumption and our relations to it.  Inspired by the multiple ways of learning, gathering, connecting through eating and consumption rituals, the series will work with art workers and practitioners who emphasize consumption and gathering in their practice to take over the space and share their rituals and knowledge with the gatherers. 

The series is part of the Hotel and Restaurant Museum project, which has received funding from the Finnish Heritage Agency.

For any additional questions please contact Yasmin Ibrahim at yasmin.ibrahim(at)hotellijaravintolamuseo.fi

Next event: Fermenting Dialogues by Andrea, 26.01.2025, 13:00-17:00

Pre-registration is required to participate. The event is fully booked.

Join us for a Sunday workshop where we explore the age-old art of fermentation and its deep connections to food, culture, sustainability, and belonging. In this session, we will focus on making Sauerkraut using the traditional ”dry fermentation” method. We’ll also dive into conversations about the bigger picture – exploring issues of food sovereignty, access to food, colonial practices, sustainability, and what it truly means to have a regenerative food system.

Fermentation is not just a preservation technique; it’s a way to connect with our past and with each other. This workshop is designed as a collective experience, where we share knowledge, reflect on our food systems, and discuss the cultural and political aspects that shape what we eat. Through guided dialogue, Andrea invites you to reflect on questions like: What do sustainability and true food sovereignty look like? How can we move away from extractive practices and create systems of food that nourish people and the planet? What role does food play in our sense of belonging and identity?

In addition to the hands-on learning of how to make sauerkraut, Andrea will cover the essential ”do’s and don’ts” of fermentation, how to tell if your batch is on the right track and answer your questions on how to know your ferment is not going bad. We’ll use accessible, everyday objects to help facilitate the process, so no fancy equipment is necessary.

The workshop is designed for beginners and those with fermentation experience. Our conversation will evolve based on the participants, and so we hope you join us with an open mind and a willingness to explore the intersections of food, politics and sustainability.

Each participant will be leaving with Sauerkraut from the workshop. For that we ask if you can bring:

• 500 ml (approximately) glass jar with a lid, preferably a sealed lid. It is ok to recycle a jar you have used, a jar from a store-bought product, or a second hand jar (e.g. Suolakurkku glass jar or a seal jar)
• A small weighted glass object such as a shot glass or candle holder that is not too thin. Same applies, can be recycled. (picture examples below)
• Any extra spices you would like to add to your own jar of Sauerkraut. (any spices from your culture, that are dear to you or you would like to experiment with)

Previous events:

24.11.2024 Exploring Edible Ecologies by Alejandra Alarcon
27.10.2024 Lafidi Sunday by AK
28.9.2024 ’Decolonising Therapy’ sensory cooking performance by d.a.h.n
21.9.2024 Poetic workshop with Kairos Kollective as part of the Y-event in Tanssin talo
31.8.2024 Subcontinental Helsinki – Book Launch & Discussion with Muniba Rasheed