by Steve Dawson.
November 6, 2016… a day that will live in culinary and musical infamy!
Ok, maybe not quite. But at this year’s Creating a Place for Food Gathering, in Dieppe, New Brunswick, there was more than just networking and learning on the menu.
After beginning the annual assembly of Our Food Southeast NB’s community partners by recapping and celebrating some of this year’s successes within our regional food system, it was time for something completely different…. Disco Soup!
So what exactly is Disco Soup?
Disco Soup is a movement which began is Paris in 2012, with the goal of raising public awareness on the issue of food waste. The concept is fairly self-explanatory, there is disco, and there is soup… with the key premise being that the soup is made from surplus ingredients, that may have otherwise been discarded. And for the disco side, the meal is prepared, cooked and enjoyed in a fun group environment, creating a festive and musical atmosphere, one that is not only educational but that celebrates the joy of cooking and dining together.
In recent years, the phenomenon has spread across Europe and beyond. There are now many variations of Disco Soup being practiced across the globe (some even featuring salads, fruit juices or smoothies) and everyone is free to customize their individual event, as long as they respect the organizations Discommandments.
The principles of Disco Soup were well articulated at the Creating a Place for Food Gathering by workshop hostess Laura Reinsborough, on behalf of Slow Food Cocagne Acadie. During an inspiring introduction, she not only provided the relevant background information, but helped set the mood for the session. And if anyone still needed additional motivation to get their toes a tappin’ and their knives a choppin’… the funky retro grooves emanating from Laura’s disco playlist took care of that in quick order…
Soon the slicing and dicing, and stirring and cooking were in full swing!
But this wasn’t just a fun break from the more serious presentations and discussions of the morning, it also provided an excellent opportunity for informal mingling and networking, among the dozens of like-minded individuals representing a diverse cross-section of the food movement in Southeast New Brunswick and beyond.
And of course, informal meetings often end up being the most fruitful… or the most “vegetable-ful” in this case. Sorry, I can’t help myself 
The workshop then segued into midday lunch and learns, where our freshly made soups – 3 tasty varieties – were a perfect complement to the warm baguettes, artisanal cheeses, and local preserves already on hand. Then, it was on to a busy afternoon of panel discussions and small group breakout sessions, to finish off a productive, enjoyable and very delicious day!
If you’d like to learn more about Disco Soup and maybe even host one of you own, check out this video.
Steve Dawson is the Community Connector with Our Food Southeast NB. He likes food and ideas… and really likes ideas about food.
