Slow Food Night – August 2009

Posted on September 8, 2009. Filed under: Slow Food Night - Cuban Style Family Dinner (August 2009) |

“Slow Food” is a non-profit, eco-gastronomic member-supported organization that was founded in 1989 to counteract fast food and fast life, the disappearance of local food traditions and people’s dwindling interest in the food they eat, where it comes from, how it tastes and how our food choices affect the rest of the world.

To do that, Slow Food brings together pleasure and responsibility, and makes them inseparable. Today, there are over 100,000 members in 132 countries.

The Sri Lankan Slow Food movement was started in June of 2009 with Chef Leo, Ramya Jeerasinghe, Prasanna Hettiarachchi and Charitha Abeyratne of Saaraketha getting together to register the “Slow Food Colombo” convivium.

Since the inception Slow Food Colombo along with the Mount Lavinia Hotel has been actively promoting this concept among Sri Lankan consumers. The Slow Food movement recognizes the strong connections between the plant and the plate, thereby giving a strong focus on the farmer.

Slow Food is good, clean and fair food. We believe that the food we eat should taste good; that it should be produced in a clean way that does not harm the environment, animal welfare or our health; and that food producers should receive fair compensation for their work.

We consider ourselves co-producers, not consumers, because by being informed about how our food is produced and actively supporting those who produce it, we become a part of and a partner in the production process.

The first Slow Food Night event was held on the 18th of July at the Mount Lavinia Beach Hut which showcased different “Tastes of the Indian Ocean”. This allowed the guests to enjoy a variety of exquisit seafood cuisines prepared by Chef Leo and Chef Lee.

The second Slow Food Night was held on the 28th of August 2009, which was themed the “Cuban Family Style Dinner”, which was beautifully prepared by the Chefs of Mount Lavinia Hotel head by Chef Leo. Sparkling wines and scrumptious dishes along with Cuban music and dancing, made the evening a memorable and enjoyable one.