Zimbabwe

Chido GOVERA

Chido Govera, as many African orphans girls, was offered at the aged of 10 a way to scape poverty and hunger: to marry a 40 years old man. At the age of 11 she participated in a project where she learned to grow mushrooms. Her foundation “The Future of Hope” teachs orphans about mushroom farming.

UK

Allan JENKINS

Allan Jenkins is editor of Observer Food Monthly. He was previously editor of the Observer Magazine, food and drink editor on the Independent newspaper and once lived in an experimental eco-community on Anglesey, growing organic food on the edge of the Irish sea. Allan Jenkins es el editor de Observer Food Monthly. Precedentement fue el editor de Observer

Australia

Gayle QUARMBY

The Outback Pride Project is promoting the Australian native food industry by developing a network of production sites within traditional Aboriginals communities. The cultivation of Australian native food provides indigenous Australians with jobs and training in horticulture and the food industry. In this way, the project also acknowledges the intellectual property of the traditional uses

India

Dr. Vandana SHIVA

Philosopher, activist, writer and anti-globalization author, Dr. Vandana Shiva plays a major role in the global Ecofeminist movement. She has authored more than 20 books an she received the Right Livelihood (ALTERNATIVE NOBEL PRICE) Award in 1993, The Blue Planet Award in 2007, The Save The World Award in 2009, The LennonOno Grant for Peace

United Nations

Dr. Hilal ELVER

Dr. Hilal Elver is the United Nations’ Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food. She grew up in Turkey, where she earned her Ph.D. from the University of Ankara Law School and began her teaching career. Her expertise was soon pressed into government service when the Turkish government appointed her as the founding legal advisor

USA

Dominique CRENN

Dominique Crenn transforms memories into food in her poetic, modernist and imaginative restaurant, Atelier Crenn, which was the first restaurant with a female head chef to be awarded with two Michelin stars in the USA. She lectures widely, including at Harvard, and attends many conferences all over the world. Dominique Crenn received the “2015 Augie

Venezuela

Maria Fernanda DI GIACOBBE

Among many other social projects, Maria Fernanda works with 700 “Cocoa Women” in order to bring thru entrepreneurship an answer to social changes in Venezuela. She works with women’s communities in Margarita Island and she strongly believes that trained women are the key for preserving the local identity. Entre muchos otros proyectos sociales, María Fernanda trabaja

The Netherlands

M. TOL & N. ZEROUALI

For Merijn Tol and Nadia Zerouali what matters most is the kitchen through the eyes of the women. The cuisine of the Middle East, south of Europe, and Maghreb countries are based on the women. Its their stories, its their heritage, and they consider themselves as humble interpreters of their work. But the bond between

Colombia

Leonor ESPINOSA

The aim of FUNLEO Foundation is “the preservation of Colombia’s food traditions while highlighting sustainable practices and local production”. This assists Colombia’s black, indigenous and peasant communities, by helping them to develop and market their traditional crops and ingredients. The FUNLEO motto is “Gastronomy for Development” and, as Leonor Espinosa explains: “We try to develop the

France

Karina DOVROTVORSKAYA

Born in 1966 in St Petersburg, Karina Dobrotvorskaya graduated from the Saint Petersburg National Academy of Theatre Arts. Holds Ph.D in History of Arts after writing her doctoral thesis on Theatre Culture of Art Nouveau. Continuing further as executive professor at the same Academy for 6 years, she gave lectures on Western European theatre, and wrote over

Bolivia

Kamilla SEIDLER

Born in Copenhagen, Kamilla Seidler is the chef of Restaurant GUSTU, which is Melting Pot Foundation Bolivia’s first project. GUSTU’s objective is to endow the youth with abilities and knowledge to start their own businesses, creating a value chain that constantly vitalizes Bolivian cuisine. GUSTU is ranked N°32 by the “Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants”. Nacida en

Joanna Savill

Joanna Savill is a longtime journalist and events director who specialises in food, travel and gastronomy. She has written for most major food publications in Australia, edited the country’s most prestigious restaurant guide and presented a long-running TV series on Australia’s many diverse food cultures, farmers and artisan producers. She is widely known for her

USA

Jessamyn RODRIGUEZ

Jessamyn W. Rodriguez is the founder and directora general of Hot Bread Kitchen—a social enterprise also known as “the United Nations of Bread.” Since 2008, she has transformed the organization from a visionary idea into a thriving commercial bakery and workforce development program in New York City, employing over 60 people. In that time, Hot Bread

Portugal

Isabel SOARES

In January 2014 Isabel Soares and a handful of volunteers started a cooperative called Fruta Feia, or Ugly Fruit, which in its short life is already verging on a kind of countercultural movement. It has taken off with hard-pressed consumers, won applause from advocates outraged by Europe’s skyrocketing food waste and provided a backhanded slap to

Ethiopia

Immaculada GUIXE

Oxfam Intermon is a non-governmental development organization (NGDO) and part of Oxfam, a confederation of 17 affiliates working in more than 90 countries as part of a global movement for change. Oxfam has been working in Ethiopia for over 30 years, supporting communities with long-term development and responding to humanitarian crises. Among others, they help

UK

Thais Compoint

Thais Compoint is a Corporate Social Responsibility and Diversity Consultant with over 15 years of a solid international experience across industries. She received the 2015 Diversity Leader Award by the prestigious American “Profiles in Diversity” Journal, as one of the diversity officers who advanced Diversity & Inclusion in the corporate world. She led successfully the

USA

Ruth REICHL

Ruth Reichl is the author of Delicious! a novel published in May 2014. She was Editor in Chief of Gourmet Magazine from 1999 to 2009. Before that she was the restaurant critic of both The New York Times (1993-1999) and the Los Angeles Times (1984-1993). Ms. Reichl has authored the critically acclaimed, best-selling memoirs Tender at the Bone, Comfort Me with Apples, Garlic and

Brazil

Roberta Sudbrack

Sudbrack’s determination to make haute-cuisine with simple and local ingredients made dining at her former restaurant “Roberta Sudbrack” (Rio de Janeiro) one of the best experiences Brazil. Her keyword is respect and her cuisine has only 3 ingredients: hands, fire and brains. That says it all. Roberta was the first chef cooking at Brazil’s presidential