A “Month of Taste” to rethink how we eat

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Having participated in the Week of Taste (Semaine du Goût) since 2010, Geneva has been named City of Taste 2021. This will see almost 70 restaurants take part in the Month of Taste. Large numbers of people are committed to raising the profile of local, seasonal produce all year round. But they will be redoubling their efforts from 16 September to 16 October 2021 to come up with creative and healthy recipes with a low environmental impact. 

Exploring food

The event is an opportunity to highlight local artisan producers and take a broader look at our habits so as to promote more diversified, ecological and seasonal food.

Restaurants are one of the main players in the shift towards more sustainable food; the Month of Taste will be showcasing what they are doing to encourage eating well. For Alfonso Gomez, Administrative Councillor for Sustainable Development, “It is essential to remind people of the importance of a balanced local diet to shrink our carbon footprint. The resilience of our society will depend in part on moving towards a local economy with short distances and neighbourhood shops.”

A competition with a richer prize

There will be a competition to reward the most outstanding participants. To mark this special edition of the City of Taste, and also to help a restaurant industry that has been through a very tough year, the prize has been significantly increased. This has been made possible by the support of partners such as Genève Terroir, the State of Geneva (Cantonal Sustainable Development Department) and industry associations represented by the Geneva Society of Cafe Owners, Restaurateurs and Hoteliers (SCRHG), the Professional Restaurateurs and Hoteliers Association (GPRH) and the Geneva Hoteliers Society (SHG). At the end of the Month of Taste, six prizes will be awarded at a ceremony to be held on Wednesday 13 October in the Palais Anna et Jean-Gabriel Eynard. 

A challenge and a forum

The launch of the Month of Taste coincides with the start of the "food challenge" being organised jointly by the City and the University of Geneva. Participating households will be encouraged to spend a month increasing the proportion of local products in their shopping and reducing their meat consumption. In addition, the Sustainable Food Forum will take pace from 11 to 16 October 2021. This will bring together farmers and local stakeholders to discuss what’s on our plates and our relationship with food. Cookery workshops and demonstrations will be looking at issues like food waste, agricultural production methods and vegetarian cooking.