Food became a unique bridge between memory, culture and identity at a special event organized to mark the 80th anniversary of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). An inspiring session of storytelling of almost forgotten foods and cooking was organized focusing on the concepts of food heritage, innovation and sustainable development, where the flavors of the present and the past blend together in a soft warmth.
Farida Akhtar, Advisor to the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, was present as the chief guest of the event. Her lively reminiscing about childhood food memories took the entire session to another level—as if the smoke of the old kitchen, the clay stove, the taste of the hands of grandparents came alive again.
Her lively interaction with the children added an intergenerational bridge to the event; The stories of grandparents’ and great-grandparents’ eating habits resonate with lost food traditions.
Many almost forgotten dishes are showcased, freshly prepared by Julian Sheetal Botlero, Executive Chef of the Intercontinental Hotel, and Adnan Zahid, Chef of Crop Promotion. The elegant presentation of traditional crops, spices, and climate-tolerant varieties becomes a small yet vibrant exhibition of Bangladesh’s food history.
