The Slow Food in the UK Ark of Taste & Cooks Alliance programmes

Ark of Taste programme is a catalogue of small-scale quality products threatened by industrial agriculture, environmental degradation and homogenization, to preserve the edible biodiversity of our planet. These products are at either imminent or potential risk of extinction. In the UK we invite nominations for British food products, to raise awareness and protect our food heritage, so that they may be rediscovered and returned to the market.

Fast life, industrial production methods and excessive legislation are among the reasons that we are losing so many of our traditional foods and drinks. With their demise we also lose centuries of expert knowledge and cultural traditions. We lose choice, flavour and the varied landscapes and wildlife associated with traditional farming. In short, we lose biodiversity, putting our future food security at risk.

As it is often easier to find food from half way across the world than what is produced on our doorstep, we are in danger of losing the link between our food, the land, and the people who produce it.

Slow Food in the UK has seen tangible results for the small-scale producers working with us to revive these foods, and retain and sustain the local jobs surrounding these economies. By preserving these foods, creating a market and preserving them as part of the landscape, our long term objective is preserving Britain’s edible biodiversity, and with this, its food security.

2016 saw the British Saddleback Pig board the Ark of Taste as the 100^th product, and the UK Ark has since grown to 200

Each nation within the UK has its own Ark of Taste advisory board which scrutinises applications, which in the first instance should be made to arkoftaste@slowfood.org.uk

The Cooks’ Alliance engages British based chefs in actively championing small-scale producers, and promoting good quality local and sustainably produced food.

The Cooks’ Alliance invites chefs and professional cooks from all settings who share our Slow Food ethos and are keen to work with our UK Ark of Taste programme. We encourage cooks to use seasonal forgotten foods, helping us to raise awareness of these traditionally British products. We have been forging new relationships between chefs and producers, creating the important foundations to defend our edible biodiversity.