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Waves of famine have made people move and emigrate. During the Crusades, many people’s cultures were torn apart and religious doctrine
imposed with rules on what you could and couldn’t eat. The conquest of the spice routes brought about Colonialism, its new power structures, and the Opium Wars, the
reverberations of which are still having an effect on our lives today, politically and culturally.
All over the world, distinct tastes, eating habits and food culture give us identity and sense of belonging. Wars can tear nations apart, but what brings
people together is food, irrespective of political beliefs. Many problems can be solved sharing food around the table. A modern day solution to crisis is The Great Oven
project which builds giant community ovens in war-torn places. It offers food relief but also brings peace and conviviality between different cultures. Delight in the senses is
a basic human trait. Food gives us common ground and from here conversations begin and problems are solved.
