O que você coloca no prato muda o mundo | Mariana Bacci | TEDxSãoJoséDosCampos

Key Concepts

• Food Design: A discipline that views food as a field of project, encompassing the design of food, experiences, services, and systems to improve people's relationship with food. It integrates gastronomy, design, anthropology, and sustainability.
• Regenerative Agriculture/Food Systems: Practices that aim to heal the environment (soil, water, biodiversity) and human relationships, going beyond mere sustainability.
• Invisible Impact of Food: The environmental, social, and climatic consequences of food production, distribution, and consumption that are often overlooked.
• Food System: The complex network of activities involved in producing, processing, distributing, consuming, and disposing of food.
• Food Waste: The significant portion of food produced globally that is lost or discarded.
• Food Security: The state of having reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food.
• Environmental Impact of Food: The contribution of the food chain to global greenhouse gas emissions.
• Systemic Approach: Considering all aspects of the food chain, from origin to consumption.
• Local Consumption: Supporting local producers and products to strengthen economies, reduce transportation, and preserve geographical identity.
• Bioma: The characteristic flora and fauna of a region, emphasizing the importance of understanding the ecological context of food.
• Commodity vs. Food: Distinguishing between mass-produced, undifferentiated agricultural products and food with a story, origin, and cultural significance.
• Innovation in Food: Moving beyond performance-driven products (supplements, meal replacements) towards technologies that redesign the food system for sustainability and regeneration.
• Transparency and Information: Empowering consumers with knowledge about their food's origin and impact to drive change.

The Invisible World on Our Plates: A Food Design Perspective

This discussion redefines "food design" beyond mere aesthetics and Instagrammable presentations, arguing that each plate holds a complex world of environmental, social, and climatic impacts. The core argument is that our food choices are not just about taste but are deeply connected to culture, memory, territory, and ultimately, have the power to drive regenerative practices.

The Global Food Crisis: Production vs. System

A critical point raised is the paradox of global food production:

• Food Waste: According to the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations), one-third of all food produced globally is wasted.
• Food Insecurity: Simultaneously, over 735 million people worldwide face hunger.
• Systemic Issue: The problem is not a lack of production but a flawed system of cultivation, distribution, and consumption.

The Environmental Footprint of Our Meals

The transcript highlights the significant environmental impact of the food chain:

• Greenhouse Gas Emissions: The food chain accounts for 34% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
• Political, Environmental, and Cultural Choice: Each meal is presented as a political, environmental, and cultural decision.

Understanding Food Design: A Project with Purpose

The concept of "design" is defined as "projecting with purpose." Food design, in this context, is:

• Origin: Emerged in the 1990s with Spanish designer Martí Guixé, who was the first to view food as a design field. He famously predicted a future without the need for cooks.
• Academic Structuring: Dr. Francesca Zampolo in Italy developed the academic methodology of "Food Design Thinking."
• Interdisciplinary Nature: Food design is an intersection of gastronomy, design, anthropology, and sustainability.
• Goal: To innovate and improve people's relationship with food by designing food, experiences, services, and systems.
• Global Movement: Gained traction in Europe through institutions like Politecnico di Torino, Politecnico di Milano, and Design Academy Eindhoven, focusing on food innovation and sustainability. In Spain, schools like Elisava and IED explore gastronomic experiences.
• Brazilian Context: Introduced in Brazil around 2010, initially focused on product development. The first Food Design course in Latin America was offered in 2017 at IED, with the speaker being a graduate. Brazil is now a significant player in Food Design in Latin America and Europe, connected to global innovation and regeneration initiatives.

Personal Journey and the Brazilian Reality

The speaker shares their personal discovery of food design:

• Exploration: Nearly 10 years ago, while researching gastronomic experiences in Brazil and Europe, the speaker delved into haute cuisine.
• The Design Process Behind Gastronomy: It became evident that behind incredible culinary experiences lies a design process.
• Ferran Adrià's Insight: Catalan chef Ferran Adrià emphasized that "cooking is designing from ideas, but creativity needs method." He had designers like Luke Huber on his team, who developed the "manualing" methodology.
• Adapting to Brazil: The speaker realized that simply replicating European models in Brazil is insufficient due to the country's unique context of inequality and disorganized food systems.
• Brazilian Statistics:
  • Hunger affects 6.48 million people (IBGE).
  • Consumption of ultra-processed foods has increased by 25% in the last 10 years, particularly among children (Fiocruz report).
• Food Design as a Tool for Regeneration: Consequently, Food Design in Brazil must extend beyond product and experience creation to become a tool for social and environmental regeneration.

Food Design in Practice: The Serra da Mantiqueira Example

A real-world application is presented from the Serra da Mantiqueira region:

• Territorial Transformation: Local producers are revitalizing their territories through award-winning olive oils, specialty coffees, and artisanal beers.
• Impact of Local Consumption:
  • Strengthens families and generates income.
  • Reduces transportation needs.
  • Minimizes climate impact.
  • Reinforces geographical identity and preserves food culture.
• Core Principles: Redesigning production chains, valuing the biome, and reconnecting people with the origin of their food.

Beyond Aesthetics: Understanding Our Food's Journey

The discussion prompts critical questions:

• Biome Awareness: Do you know the biome of your plate?
• Commodity vs. Food: What is the difference between a commodity and a food item?
• Generating Value: Food design aims to create value by helping us understand the impact of our choices: origin, story, and carbon footprint.

Innovation vs. Nutrition: A Fork in the Road

The current landscape of food innovation is examined:

• Technological Advancements: Technologies exist for food printing, protein synthesis, and lab-grown ingredients.
• The Question of Purpose: Are we producing nutrition or just innovation?
• The World Economic Forum: Reports that 60% of food innovation is focused on performance products like DI, supplements, and meal replacements.
• Food Design's Alternative Path: To use technology as an ally in redesigning the food system through collaboration and co-creation.

Regeneration: Healing and Empowering Change

Regeneration is defined as more than just sustaining; it's about healing:

• Healing the Planet: Soil, water, and biodiversity.
• Healing Relationships: Human connections.
• Consumer Power: Industry change is driven by consumer demand.
• Transparency and Information: These are powerful tools for transformation.
• Communication: Essential for this journey.

Conclusion: The Power of Conscious Choices

The summary concludes with a call to action:

• Seeing Beyond the Plate: When looking at your plate, look beyond the macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates) to see the territory, culture, memory, labor, environment, health, and the potential for regeneration.
• Transformative Impact: What we put on our plates changes our world, and the world of everyone.
• Actionable Design: Design for a better future can begin now, with your next meal.