'Four Generic Futures' from food futures scenarios, looking at the relationship between food, well-being and the environment.

The scenarios were translated into a five course tasting dinner (with the Discipline scenario split into two courses). We designed dishes that would illustrate the tastes, ingredients and processes likely to be used in food and cooking in each of the four scenarios.

At the dinner, as a dish was served, the host proposed discussion topics/questions for that course, in the form of a short speech and a toast that used the dish instead of a slideshow to illustrate the scenario. The participants were asked to have a conversation about the scenario and the questions. They could take notes on the table cloth, guided by a 'table host' - a moderator who helped guide the discussions. The discussions were summarised at the dessert table.

Continue scenario where the world continues business as usual, organic agriculture is industrialised, free market reigns and consumers are addicted to tastebud stimulation…

Collapse scenario, a post “resource wars” environment, where industrial food systems and agribusiness collapsed…

Discipline scenario, where humanity learns from our mistakes and enforces/begins creating a culture of descent…

Transform scenario, a future thriving on closed-loop industries, living in green food-forests or Bucolicities, and enjoying “astro-gastro”…