Rome (Italy), Hybrid Event, 18/10/2023
In celebration of the International Year of Millets 2023 (IYM2023) there will be a Master Chef Challenge on 18 October 2023 at 12:00 CET during the 2023 World Food Forum Flagship event in the Sheikh Zayed Centre (FAO, HQs) and broadcasted via FAO webcast and UN Web TV. Four famous chefs, representing different regions, will engage the audience in a culinary journey that celebrates the versatility and nutritional benefits of millets.
Get inspired by chefs Anahita Dhondy (India), Fatmata Binta (Ghana), Mokgadi Itsweng (South Africa), Rodrigo Pacheco (Ecuador), a jury, including Lynnette Neufeld, Director ESN, chef Sanjay Thakur (India) chef Arlette Eulert (Peru) and Zengfa Ji, Deputy Director of the International Cooperation Division, Hebei Provincial Academy of Agricultural Sciences (China).
Do not miss the opportunity to expand your culinary repertoire, ask questions to the chefs and taste the delicious dishes made from millets.
Millets are a diverse group of small-seeded grasses, cultivated for thousands of years across different cultures and continents. Millets’ diversity and ability to thrive on arid lands with minimal inputs make them a valuable contribution to healthy diets and nutrition in many countries.
Promoting millet cultivation can be an important contribution to biodiversity – one of the many actions needed to increase the resilience of ecosystems and mitigate the impacts of climate change. By supporting smallholder farmers who are constrained by water scarcity or lack of inputs to sustainably grow millets and bring them to market, we can enhance their livelihoods.
Making changes to our dietary patterns, including millets in our diets, presents each of us as individuals with an opportunity to make a small contribution towards multiple United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at once.
Millets, as whole grains, can be an important part of healthy diets – offering various nutrients including essential minerals, vitamins and dietary fibre. How they are prepared, however, is a critical consideration to maintain and enhance their nutritional value.
This 60-minute event will take place as a cooking challenge where the chefs will showcase the unique flavours and textures of these ancient grains with tastes from around the world. Young moderators will engage with the chefs during the cooking process to gather insights on their dishes.
Agenda
| Time | Agenda item and presenter |
|---|---|
| 12:00–12:05 | Welcome and introduction by the moderators Ms Lindsey Hook and Ms Rachel Brown, World Food Forum, FAO |
| 12:05-12:10 | Opening remarks Contribution of millets to healthy diets, Launch of the IYM Global Recipe Book Ms Lynnette Neufeld, Director of the Food and Nutrition Division (ESN), FAO |
| 12:10 –12:55 | Cooking challenge · Chef Anahita Dhondy (Ms): India · Chef Fatmata Binta (Ms): Ghana · Chef Mokgadi Itsweng (Ms): South Africa · Chef Rodrigo Pacheco (Mr): Ecuador |
| 12:53 –12:58 | Closing remarks by Mr Fenton Beed, Senior Agricultural Officer, Plant Production and Protection Division (NSP), FAO |
| 12:58 – 13:00 | Final words & invitation to the millets tasting by Ms Lindsey Hook & Mr Kazuki Kitaoka, Global Coordinator, World Food Forum, FAO |
Whether you are a seasoned chef or an enthusiastic novice, this event will inspire you to embrace the bounty of millets and expand your culinary repertoire. The audience will have the opportunity to ask questions and taste the delicious millet dishes after the challenge.
Our food choices have the power to shape a better future – for ourselves, for the environment and for generations to come.
Let’s embrace millets and their role in promoting sustainable, resilient and inclusive food systems!
Interpretation in English, French and Spanish will be available.
Register here.
