Why it's Important to Celebrate Food Provenance and Heritage

Chefs play a pivotal role in ensuring transparency, knowledge exchange and respect for the food that ultimately ends up on our plates. Provenance should be celebrated and justified with open communication with customers and among our food and drink communities. 

I believe we all collectively and individually have a responsibility to communicate the stories of the producer with the consumer, bearing in mind that the consumer doesn’t always know which questions to ask. Whatever the farming method, be that conventional, organic or regenerative, the farming story involves everyone from the agricultural world to the general public. Together with the agricultural and fishing industries, we can help combat the current epidemic of mass misinformation. 

Social media is a hugely powerful tool. It’s literally in our hands and, when treated with respect, can be a significant source of connection and engagement. It’s immediate, accessible and free. The biggest mistake that a company, business, organisation or individual can make is underestimating its potential and the time needed to invest in it. 

The provenance of our food should be a crucial part of the education of our children. Simply knowing where our food comes from gives each and every one of us a deeper understanding of the world, nature and the circle of life. Whether you live in the town or in the country, on the coast or inland, bridging that gap is what I aim to do with my regular writings and my books.

So much has changed in farming and fishing over the last 40 years. The technological revolution continues apace across all aspects of these industries. One hugely significant change is how farmers and fishermen are now interacting with the public, involving them in the supply chain, marketing their crops and catch, and defining where a farming or fishing business sits within the wider environment.

I believe wholeheartedly that we need to support our food producers now more than ever before. We need to ensure we educate the general public and communicate the right details – especially about regenerative agriculture and aquaculture – rather than incomplete or sensationalist information. People should be empowered to make informed decisions that are good and right for them. 

Consumers want to know where their food comes from and they love a good story. I am passionate about educating people from every generation and background about where our food comes from, and sharing convenient, delicious recipes and heartfelt stories from the farmers and fishermen themselves. This is so important: without these producers, there is simply no food. It’s up to all of us to share these stories in an accessible, informative and entertaining way, counteracting the ill-informed noise that can so often take higher precedence than scientific fact and truth.

Education and food are some of the most pressing matters in the world; a focus on these issues must come from the top down to have any impact and longevity. Food is a fundamental human right, and the very fact that we are nurturing our nature to produce food for the nation is incredible. 

As we enter an exciting new age, there is a glimmer of hope for the future for farming and fishing. They both must be prioritised above everything else, because food is at the centre of everything. Collaboration and communication are key, and provenance is at the heart of this.

It’s our opportunity, our responsibility and our privilege to help set the food story straight, in Britain and beyond. Our stories can change us, and they can also change the world. Let’s celebrate provenance together. 

About Jenny Jefferies

Jenny Jefferies is a Love British Food Ambassador, a mentor and a member of The Guild of Food Writers and a member of The British Guild of Agricultural Journalists. Jenny’s passions are supporting our food producers, educating all generations about food provenance, highlighting our heritage, traditions and culture in our farming and fishing communities and giving a voice to women in both the agricultural and fishing industries. Jenny shares her regular musings about food provenance for Love British Food. You can follow Jenny at @jennyljefferies.

About Love British Food

Love British Food is a grassroots-driven organisation dedicated to making high quality, nutritious, British-grown and -produced food available to all sectors of society, particularly the most vulnerable. Love British Food Fortnight is a highly anticipated event that encompasses the enormity of food and drink in the UK, hoping to bridge the gap between producer and consumer in an educational, informative and entertaining way through stories, recipes, menus, tastings, activities and celebrations. To stay up-to-date on all the festivities happening across the length and breadth of the country between 20th September and 6th October 2024, follow @LoveBritishFood. 

Here are some UK food and drink festivals coming up in 2024 that help celebrate provenance:

• Aldeburgh Food & Drink Festival
• Provenance Festival
• The Good Food Festival
• Speciality & Fine Food Fair
• The Great British Food Festival
• St. Albans Beer & Cider Festival
• The Sturminster Cheese Festival

Celebrate Provenance is one of 10 key focus areas of the Food Made Good Standard, the only global sustainability certification developed especially for the hospitality industry. Wherever your restaurant is in the world, we can help you work towards a more sustainable future. Learn more about the Standard here or get in touch with any questions at standard@thesra.org.

All photos courtesy of Jenny Jefferies.