9 November 2011

LESSONS FROM FOOD WRITERS

Over the past weekend I attended a stunning conference for the NZ Guild of Food Writers in Nelson. Suffice to say Nelson turned it on and you can read about it in the blog I posted following this one.

Conferences can be tenuously useful. But this year we had outstanding plenary sessions alongside some worthwhile networking social occasions and our ‘forum-on-wheels’ afternoons that gave us the opportunity to get around the region and really meet the food, beer and wine movers and shakers. It was a learning opportunity for all food writers and some of the big NZ names attended.

But the biggest names were on the speaking programme. Lyndey Milan of Sydney kicked off with her take on the ever changing world of the food writer. She’s sassy, opinionated and clever. She has continued to evolve her career and pointed out the not-so-obvious; "Walk away from a job you are doing really well, even though it may be the hardest thing you have ever contemplated." (I wish she’d given me that advice two years ago.) Lyndey is real life evidence that seizing, or making, new opportunities is achievable and possible. She had opinions I could identify with, especially “Masterchef is merely a game show.” We all loved her.

Following that illuminating talk, three Christchurch food heroes shared their food stories of their terrible past year. Chef Jonny Schwass, caterer Tina Duncan and TV celebrity Richard Till all entertained and enthralled us and I know it was not only me weeping quietly into my hanky at their stories. It was a well received session and our continuing sympathy goes with them all.

Next day it was the turn of the seafood industry and with Ropata Taylor of Wakatu Inc talking on the history of the region and his tribe's relationship to the land and sea, Rachel Taulelei of Yellow Brick Road who is a fish broker in Welleington whose office is a phone, and Danette Olsen of the Cawthron Institute, heading the research team for the aquaculture industry. We were stimulated and informed. I hadn’t thought about the supposed well meaning so-called guardians of our fishing resources who constantly advise us to only eat certain fish because of their sustainability. In fact our strict fishing quotas are managing the resources nicely thank you. What we should be considering when we buy our fish is the way they have been caught and how they have been treated.

And finally the impressive Chief Judge of the Culinary Quills Awards, Rita Erlich from Melbourne. Rita is experienced, respected and a really thorough food writer. She noted that the standard of food writing in New Zealand is excellent in many cases and was quite honest in her appraisal of the work she’d seen. But, she said, the singular most important focus in our food writing should be to convey a sense of place. I could not agree with her more. It is such a pity more editors, the ones who make the decisions about just what is published were not there to hear Rita. Experience is everything and the relationship of the food writer to an audience and how they can be influenced on their eating habits is crucial. Local, fresh and simple are not just buzz words for food. These trends are central to our economy, and should be the very first consideration for good health and enjoyment. So why do we have to suffer food columns and recipes here in New Zealand that are syndicated from papers and magazines written elsewhere for a different market? Thanks Rita and all our other speakers for your food for thought. Literally.

Pic. Rita Erlich, me and Lyndey Milan at the WOW Museum