Smithsonian Food History Weekend goes virtual – and it’s free to attend

Last evening, Washington’s Smithsonian Institute opened its sixth annual – and first virtual – Food History Weekend with a live gala announcing the recipient of the Julia Child Award, Danielle Nierenberg, Co-Founder and President of Food Tank. The theme of the weekend, hosted by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, is Food Futures: Striving for Justice. The event brings together food innovators, activists, educators, entrepreneurs, chefs, and scholars for conversations aimed to inspire a broader understanding of the history of food in America and the role we all play in shaping the future of food.

The event continues today and tomorrow with a series of talks and panel discussions with titles such as Why Food Justice Matters, Cooking Up History: Resilient Culinary Traditions within the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma, Last Call: Beer Futures, A Better Deal for Food Workers, and more.

Speakers and panelists include many culinary giants such as José Andrés, Dan Barber, Jessica B. Harris, Rick Bayless, Kim R. Ford, Jacques Pépin, and Julia Turshen. The discussions also features chefs, agriculture workers, community organizers, food writers, and more. The event’s website also includes links to resources including books, a reading list, and a handful of recipes.