The Viand began in November 2005 with a “we shut down the WTO in 1999” celebration. We cooked and served all day with the intent that people would not get uncomfortably full, as they tend to get on that other november holiday… In 2006 the Viand ran nearly monthly as a small plates feast. In November, 2006 more cooks started to join the Viand, and a mission statement and procedures were organized. This collective of 5 chefs ran Viands from January-August 2007, at which point several of the chefs moved from Los Angeles, and have been continuing to host Viands separately.
pleasure and quality in everyday life can be achieved by slowing down, respecting the convivial traditions of the table, and celebrating the diversity of the earth’s bounty. let’s put the carriers of this heritage – farmers, artisanal producers, and home cooks – on center stage.
the viand is a monthly small-plates slow-food feast. all of the food comes from local farmers markets and artisanal producers and everything we serve is hand-made. we see it as part of the process of re-learning cooking and community and we see it as a part of one of the major (and successful) social movements of our time, which is changing the food system, supporting small farmers and increasing pleasure and health of food.
in order to share our perspectives and skills, viand chefs also give cooking classes, kitchen advice, and accompaniment in farmers market shopping
From The Viand Zine, Issue 1, 14 April 2007