Place at the Table festival: A taste of Scotland's place in Commonwealth
A new food themed festival will kick off in Glasgow in July - with a host of celebrated and famous chefs taking part.
Whilst Glasgow is in the international spotlight during the forthcoming Commonwealth Games, leading chefs, food writers, television broadcasters and cultural figures will gather for Place at the Table, a festival that celebrates the city’s diverse food culture and explores Scotland’s relationship with Commonwealth nations.
The festival is a collaborative initiative between the Oxford Cultural Collective, University of Glasgow and Glasgow Life, the charity which delivers culture, events and active living in Glasgow.
Familiar faces include Andi Oliver, presenter of the BBC’s Great British Menu; broadcasting legend Kirsty Wark; poet, playwright and Scotland’s former Makar, Jackie Kay CBE; and renowned US historian Dr Jessica B. Harris, whose book High on the Hog inspired her Netflix series of the same name, will use food to explore Scotland’s place in the world.
As Dr Peggy Brunache of the University of Glasgow explains, food cultures provide an ideal lens through which to view Scotland and Glasgow’s complex shared history with other countries.
She said: “Glasgow needs to consider new and engaging ways to discuss its participation in Trans-Atlantic slavery, British imperialism, and their legacies, including racism and prejudice.
“As the city expands through diverse communities, our love, curiosity, and passion for food provides a channel to (re)examine these difficult histories and embrace a hopeful future that reclaims and honours our shared heritage.”
Whilst the various talks and panel discussions will focus on challenging issues, the festival will also adopt an optimistic, forward-looking approach, as outlined by the festival’s lead curator, Don Sloan, who said: “Glasgow’s restaurant scene is the most visible representation of its creative, diverse culture. We will take the opportunity to acknowledge the city’s wonderfully talented community of chefs and food writers, who are shaping its’s welcoming and inclusive character.”
Place at the Table will also include three high-profile dinners, each focused on distinct aspects of our shared food heritage. Chef Ajay Kumar, proprietor of Swadish in the Merchant City, will be joined by Romy Gill, the respected chef and broadcaster who began her international career in Scotland, to prepare the opening night dinner on 30 July.
As Ajay noted: “Our menu and discussion will explore how Indian cuisine has evolved as a defining part of Scotland's food landscape, shaped by migration, shared histories, local produce and generations of cultural exchange.”
Dinner on 31 July at the Drygate Brewery is from chef Julie Lin and podcaster and food writer Noby Leong, and will be a Malaysian feast.
As Noby explained, the dinner will provoke new thinking: “While the foods of migrant communities are enthusiastically consumed, migrants themselves are often ignored or devalued. As food writers and chefs, we can tell our personal stories, promote cultural understanding and help everyone move forward together.”
The festival’s closing dinner, on 1 August, will be held at Celentanos at Glasgow’s new Arthouse Hotel. Chef proprietor Dean Parker will be joined by Andi Oliver and Pam Brunton, owner of Inver restaurant on Loch Fynne, to prepare dishes that combine the distinct culinary cultures of Scotland and Caribbean nations.
Tickets and information
Place at the Table: food, drink and Scotland’s identity, is a festival staged collaboratively by the Oxford Cultural Collective, University of Glasgow and Glasgow Life. Tickets are on sale now.
The full festival programme can be viewed on the Oxford Cultural Collective website, which contains links to booking pages.
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