Edible Education 101: Food Access; Security; and Sustainability with Michel Nischan Video Lecture | Edible Education: Understand Food & its production - Personal Skills

- GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.
WELCOME BACK TO EDIBLE EDUCATION
101 AFTER YOUR WONDERFUL SPRING
BREAK.
I AM WILL ROSENZWEIG I AM YOUR
GUIDE FOR THIS ELLIS TRUST
COURSE FOR THIS SEMESTER.
MANY OF YOU THINK OF ME AS A
FOOD PROFESSOR OR ENTREPRENEUR,
BUT THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW I AM AN
OBSESSIVE CONSTANT GARDENER.
I THOUGHT I WOULD INDULGE YOU
WITH A FEW PICTURE OF MY GARDEN.
IT IS A REMARKABLE SPRING WE
HAVE HAD WITH LOTS OF RAIN AND
LOTS OF NEW BLOOMS, RED BUDS,
THAT'S WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE WHEN
YOU ARE LAYING UNDER AN ORANGE
TREE.
HOW ABOUT THAT?
ALL RIGHT.
WITHOUT FURTHER ADIEU TONIGHT WE
RESUME OUR JOURNEY FOLLOWING THE
RISE AND FUTURE OF THE FOOD
MOVEMENT.
YOU WILL RECALL THAT THIS COURSE
IS A TECHNOLOGY FREE ZONE.
I ALSO WANTED TO KNOW IF ANYBODY
TONIGHT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE AN
ANNOUNCEMENT OR ASK A QUESTION
BEFORE THE LECTURE BEGINS?
ANY ONE HERE WANT TO DO THAT
TONIGHT?
I ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT TO YOU
THAT THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY
THAT SUMMER AT THE BERKELEY FOOD
INSTITUTE FOR A SUMMER STUDENT
COMMUNICATIONS ASSISTANT THAT
MAY BE GOOD FOR SOMEONE WHO
LIKES WRITING AND SOCIAL MEDIA
AND COMMUNICATION.
IF YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT
IT GO TO THE BFI WEB SITE AND
LOOK FOR THE APPLICATION WHICH
IS DUE APRILá26TH.
IF ANYBODY NEEDS A
RECOMMENDATION, CERTAINLY TAKING
THIS CLASS IS A GREAT
PREPARATION FOR THAT ROLE.
MYSELF OR THE TEACHING ASSISTANT
WOULD BE HAPPY TO PUT A GOOD
WORD IN FOR YOU TO THE FOLKS WHO
RUN BFI.
SHOULD WE DO THE ATTENDANCE NOW?
TAKE OUT YOUR ICLICKER, PLEASE.
THIS IS A QUESTION FROM YOUR
READING YOUR WENDELL BERRY
READING.
ARE YOU READY?
GO AHEAD.
AN INDUSTRIAL EATER,
A DOES NOT KNOW EATING IS AN
AGRICULTURAL ACT.
B IMAGINES THE CONNECTIONS
BETWEEN EATING AND THE LAND.
C ASSOCIATES WITH FARMING AND
THE LAND.
ROHINI WILL TELL US WHEN SHE IS
GOING TO CUT OFF THE VOTING.
- FIVE SECONDS.
- FIVE SECONDS.
OKAY.
LET'S SEE.
NO MORE VOTING.
WHAT DOES THE CHART SAY?
WHAT DO YOU SAY ROHINI, IS THAT
THE RIGHT ANSWER?
- THAT IS THE CORRECT ANSWER.
- VERY GOOD.
LOOKS LIKE MOST EVERYONE READ
THE READING THIS WEEK.
THANK YOU.
WE WILL LOG THAT IN TO B
COURSES.
NOW, WE ARE HAPPY TO PRESENT YOU
WITH THE NEXT WRITING
ASSIGNMENT, YOUR FINAL
ASSIGNMENT FOR THIS COURSE.
WE PUT A LOT OF THOUGHT INTO
THIS, AND WE HOPE THAT YOU
REALLY ENJOY THE ASSIGNMENT.
I AM GOING TO GO OVER THE
ASSIGNMENT WITH YOU NOW AND WE
ARE GOING TO POST IT OR IT MAY
ALREADY HAVE BEEN POSTED TO B
COURSES.
THE REMEMBER THE LEARNING
OBJECTIVES FOR THE COURSE WERE
TO ACQUAINT YOU WITH THE
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES IN
THE FOOD SYSTEM, INTRODUCE YOU
TO A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE
SHAPING THE CONVERSATION AROUND
THE FOOD SYSTEM, HELP YOU
DEVELOP THIS KIND OF SUPER POWER
OF TRANSPARENCY, BEING ABLE TO
SEE THROUGH THE OPACITY OF
INDUSTRY LABELLING, OF FARMING
PRACTICES, ALL ACROSS THE SUPER
PRY CHAIN AND START TO
UNDERSTAND HOW THINGS ARE
CONNECTED.
FOR THE FINAL ASSIGNMENT WHAT WE
WANT YOU TO DO IS THINK ABOUT
THE ISSUES THAT YOU HAVE BEEN
PRESENTED WITH IN THE CLASS AND
PICK ONE THAT IS PARTICULARLY
INTERESTING TO YOU.
LET ME READ TO YOU THE
ASSIGNMENT.
THROUGHOUT THE SEMESTER SEVERAL
CHARGED TOPICS SUCH AS LABOR
RIGHTS, ANIMAL WELFARE,
LABELLING TRANSPARENCY AND
CONCENTRATION OF POWER HAVE BEEN
SHOWCASED IN EDIBLE EDUCATION
101.
CHOOSE ANY FOOD SYSTEMS ISSUE
THAT IS IMPORTANT TO YOU AND
THAT YOU ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT
AND IDENTIFY AT LEAST TWO
PERSPECTIVES ON THE TOPIC.
IDENTIFY THE ISSUE'S DIFFERENT
STAKEHOLDERS AND DESCRIBE THE
POSITIONS THEY HOLD AND THE
TENSIONS THAT EXIST.
SO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO IS PICK
THE ISSUE AND THEN IDENTIFY AND
RESEARCH AT LEAST TWO
PERSPECTIVES THAT DIFFERENT
PEOPLE OR GROUPS HOLD ON THAT
ISSUE AND IDENTIFY AND DESCRIBE
THE TENSIONS THAT EXIST.
DESCRIBE THE COMPETING ISSUES IN
DETAIL.
NOW TAKE A STAND.
WHICH PERSPECTIVE DO YOU BELIEVE
IS THE RIGHT APPROACH FOR PEOPLE
AND PLANET AND WHY?
NEXT, DEVELOP A PERSUASIVE
MESSAGE ABOUT THIS ISSUE FOR A
SPECIFIC AUDIENCE THAT DOESN'T
SHARE YOUR VIEW.
DESCRIBE YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE
AND PERHAPS WHERE YOU WILL FIND
THEM, ARTICULATE YOUR ARGUMENT
AND FIND THE DESIRED OUTCOMES
YOU WOULD LIKE TO ACCOMPLISH.
DEVELOP AN APPROACH AND A PLAN
FOR HOW YOU WILL SHARE YOUR
MESSAGE WITH THIS SPECIFIC
AUDIENCE.
YOUR GOAL IS TO GENERATE THE
GREATEST IMPACT BY CHANGING
MINDS AND BEHAVIOR.
WILL YOU CONDUCT AND PUBLISH
RESEARCH, MAKE OR DISTRIBUTE A
FILM, ORGANIZE A MARCH, WRITE A
BOOK, START A BUSINESS?
WHAT WOULD BE THE MOST EFFECTIVE
METHOD TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS?
USE YOUR IMAGINATION AND BE AS
SPECIFIC AS YOU CAN BE.
FINALLY, HOW WILL YOU MEASURE
THE IMPACT OF YOUR EFFORT?
IT'S A LOT OF CREATIVE THINKING
AGAIN, NOT UNLIKE THE FIRST
QUESTION.
AND WHAT WE REALLY WANT YOU TO
BE ABLE TO DO IS PICK AN ISSUE
THAT YOU CARE ABOUT, RESEARCH,
DESCRIBE THE DOCUMENT, DEFINE
AND DEFEND YOUR OWN POSITION
DEVELOP A STRATEGY AND PLAN FOR
PERSUADING THE AUDIENCE AND
DESCRIBE THE OUTCOMES YOU WOULD
LIKE TO ACHIEVE AND HOW YOU
WOULD MEASURE THEM.
PAPER IS GOING TO BE DUE ON OUR
LAST CLASS MEETING APRILá26TH AT
6:00áP.M.
SO BEFORE CLASS STARTS, FOUR TO
FIVE PAGES DOUBLE SPACED.
HOPE YOU REALLY ENJOY THIS
ASSIGNMENT AND IT BRINGS SOME
REAL THOUGHT PROVOKING ACTION
INTO YOUR LIFE.
OUR HOPE IS THAT OUT OF THIS
CLASS WILL COME SOME COMMITMENT
THAT EACH OF YOU WILL MAKE TO
GENERATING A HEALTHIER AND MORE
SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEM.
I THINK I NEED HELP FROM THE
TECHNICAL PEOPLE, ROHINI, WITH
THIS.
THIS MIGHT NEED NEW BATTERIES.
THANKS.
BEFORE YOU LEAVE, ROHINI WE ARE
GOING TO DO THE ICLICKER THING
AGAIN.
BRIAN, CAN YOU TAKE CARE OF
THAT?
WE ARE NARROWING DOWN ON DATES
FOR THE FIELD TRIP TO GREEN
STREAM FARMS.
THIS COULD BE A WONDERFUL, HANDS
ON EXPERIENTIAL VOYAGE FOR YOU.
WE ARE NARROWING IT DOWN TO FOUR
DATES.
FRIDAY MAY 5TH AND 6TH OR THAT
LAST WEEK OFá-- WHAT IS IT?
RRR WEEK.
RRR.
- THE NEXT WEEK IS SORT OF THE
END OF FINALS.
SO COULD YOU LET US KNOW WHICH
IS YOUR FIRST CHOICE JUST SO WE
HAVE THIS INFORMATION IF YOU ARE
PLANNING TO COME, AND THEN NEXT
WEEK WE WILL FIND OUT HOW TO
ORGANIZE THE TRIP AND NARROW
DOWN A DATE AND CONFIRM WITH
BOB, SEE IF ALICE CAN JOIN US.
- A QUESTION?
- THESE ARE ALL FRIDAYS AND
SATURDAYS.
- PROBABLY GO UP THERE IN THE
LATE MORNING AND HAVE LUNCH OR A
PICNIC.
IT'S IN SONOMA COUNTYá-- IT'S AN
HOUR?
OKAY, YEAH.
YOU WANT TO COME BACK BEFORE THE
TRAFFIC GETS CRAZY.
PROBABLY LATE MORNING, COME BACK
EARLY AFTERNOON.
OKAY.
YOU CAPTURED THAT INFORMATION?
- YEAH.
- GREAT.
I THOUGHT IT WOULD ALSO BE FUN.
WE ARE IN CLASS 111.
WE ONLY HAVE THREE MORE CLASS
MEETINGS.
I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE
INTERESTING FOR US TO RETRACE
OUR STEPS.
IF YOU REMEMBER ALICE WATERS LED
OFF THE COURSE WITH HER FOCUS ON
VALUES IN THE FOOD SYSTEM
ESPECIALLY SLOW FOOD VALUES.
SHE WAS FOLLOWED BY MAS
MASUMOTO.
HE TALKED ABOUT THE ROLE OF THE
FARMER AND THE JOY OF
COLLABORATING FROM THE FARM TO
THE TABLE AND WITH CUSTOMERS.
VERY ELOQUENT.
THEN ROBERT RICE JOINED US AT A
VERY CONTENTIOUS TIME.
WE HAD A BIG PROTEST ON CAMPUS
THAT NIGHT AND HE TALKED A LOT
ABOUT THIS MERGING OF ECONOMIC
POWER WITH POLITICAL POWER AND
STRATIFICATION OF OPPORTUNITY IN
THE CULTURE TO A REALLY
UNSUSTAINABLE POINT.
WE TALKED ABOUT THE
CONCENTRATION OF POWER THAT WEEK
WHERE A LOT OF THESE LITTLE
COMPANIES ARE GETTING GOBBLED UP
BY BIG COMPANIES, AND IN SOME
CASES THE BIG COMPANIES ARE
TRANSFORMING THE LITTLE
COMPANIES BUT AT THE SAME TIME
THERE'S A LOT OF DISRUPTION
GOING ON ABOUT WHERE THINGS
SETTLE OUT.
NAOMI STARKMAN TALKED ABOUT AN
INDEPENDENT PRESS IN THE FOOD
SYSTEM.
SARU JAYARAMAN WAS HIRE BEFORE
THE SECRETARY OF LABOR WAS ABOUT
TO BE CONFIRMED BUT THEN WAS
REJECTED OR RESIGNED AT THE LAST
MINUTE.
THAT WAS POWERFUL TO HEAR HER
FOCUS ON RESTAURANT WORKERS,
WAGES AND RIGHTS AND ALSO THE
TRIANGULATION WITH ISSUES OF
SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN THE FOOD
INDUSTRY.
THE FOLLOWING WEEK WE TALKED
ABOUT THE MICROBIOME AND THE
SCIENCE OF DIETS AND THE SCIENCE
OF PERSONALIZED NUTRITION.
WE HAD DR.áBRUCE GERMAN AND
CHRISTOPHER GARDNER AND JUSTIN
SONNENBURG AND HIS FAMOUS
PHOTOGRAPH OF THE MICROBIOME.
WE HAD THE FOOD TECH INNOVATION
SHOWCASE.
WE HAD HAAS BERKELEY ALUMS
TALKING ABOUT AUTOMATED MEAL
DELIVERY TO THE KITCHEN OF THE
FUTURE TO PLANT BASED PROTEINS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
HOPEFULLY THAT WILL WORK NOW.
THE NEXT WEEK WE HAD ANNA LAPPE
TALKING ABOUT HOW WE WERE GOING
TO CEASE 9 BILLION PEOPLE ON A
WARMING PLANET AND SOPHIE EAGAN
DESCRIBED HER RESEARCH FROM
DEVOURED.
NEXT WEEK WE HAD RAJ PATEL AND
MICHAEL POLLAN FOLLOWED BY GARY
HIRSHBERG AND PAUL SHAPIRO FROM
THE HUMANE SOCIETY AND WE HAD
DAVIA NELSON FROM THE COWGIRLS.
TONIGHT WE HAVE A FANTASTIC
GUEST.
I AM SO HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO
INTRODUCE YOU TO MICHEL NISCHAN.
HE'S A HERO OF MINE A THREE
TIMES JAMES BEARD AWARD WINNING
CHEF AND SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR,
THOUGHT LEADER AND REALLY
AMAZING SOURCE OF INFORMATION
FOR SO MANY PEOPLE.
HE PROBABLY, MORE THAN ANY ONE I
KNOW, HAS BROUGHT TOGETHER THE
TENANTS OF HEALTH AND
SUSTAINABILITY AND ACCESS
THROUGH FOOD IN A WAY THAT IS
JUST REALLY SCALING UP TO
INCLUDE A WHOLE GROUP OF PEOPLE
WHO MAY HAVE BEEN LEFT OUT OF
THE FOOD MOVEMENT, I KNOW THAT'S
AN ISSUE THAT IS IMPORTANT WITH
THE PEOPLE IN THE CLASS THAT HAS
COME UP A LOT, HOW DO WE
DEMOCRATIZE THIS FOOD MOVEMENT
AND MAKE IT ACCESSIBLE TO
EVERYONE.
I DON'T KNOW ANY ONE WHO HAS
DONE MORE TO MAKE THAT A REALITY
THAN MICHEL.
HE'S THE FOUNDER OF WHOLESOME
WAVE YOU WILL LEARN MORE ABOUT.
I WANTED YOU TO SEE HOLE SOME
WAVE MISSION STATEMENT.
WE TALKED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE
OF CLARITY OF MISSIONS.
I LOVE THIS.
WHOLESOME WAVE EMPOWERS UNDER
SERVED CONSUMERS BY INCREASING
AFFORDABLE ACCESS TO FRESH,
LOCAL FOODS.
UNDERNEATH IT I LOVE THIS
MAGNITUDE OF THE PROBLEM.
44 MILLION AMERICANS SPEND
$70áBILLION IN SNAP PROGRAM FOOD
STAMPS ANNUALLY, PLUS 63 BILLION
OF THEIR OWN MONEY ON GROCERIES
EQUALLING $133áBILLION ANNUALLY.
THAT IS A HUGE MARKET.
WE ARE WORKING TO UNLOCK THAT
PURCHASING POWER BY SHIFTING HOW
THE MONEY IS SPENT.
WHAT A CLEAR STRATEGY, AND WHAT
A GREAT VISION.
I AM SO HAPPY TO WELCOME MICHEL
NISCHAN
TO OUR PODIUM.
(APPLAUSE)
THIS THING DOES NOT SEEM TO BE
WORKING.
- THAT'S OKAY AGAIN.
ING THANKS A MILLION.
THANK THE UNIVERSITY FOR
CONVERTING THIS GREAT SPACE SO
WE CAN HAVE A GREAT CONVERSATION
AT THIS IMPORTANT TIME.
EDIBLE EDUCATION, I THINK IT IS
TIMELY TO HAVE A CURRICULUM
AROUND EDIBLE EDUCATION.
I HAVE BEEN A CHEF FOR OVER 37
YEARS AND WORKED ON MY
GRANDFATHER'S FARM BEFORE THAT.
MY WHOLE LIFE IS ABOUT FOOD.
I THINK IT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT
THING IN THE WORLD.
NOW OTHER PEOPLE ARE LEARNING
THAT MAYBE I AM NOT COMPLETELY
WRONG WITH THAT.
SUPER SPECIAL THANKS, WELL, TO
YOU FOR LEADING EDIBLE EDUCATION
AND THE AMAZING THINGS YOU HAVE
DONE PROVING THAT YOU CAN MAKE
MONEY AND YOU CAN MAKE GOOD
THINGS HAPPEN AT THE SAME TIME.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS
INCREDIBLE.
WHEN WE CAN LOOK AT THE ECONOMIC
POWERS THAT EXIST IN THE
EVERYDAY LIFE OF PEOPLE AND WE
CAN CONDUCT OUR BUSINESSES IN A
WAY THAT TAKES CARE OF THEM,
TAKES CARE OF OUR PLANET, TAKES
CARE OF US AND OUR FAMILY AND
CREATE MEANINGFUL CHANGE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ENTIRE BODY
OF WORK, WILL.
WHAT I WILL DO REAL QUICK IS
JUST KIND OF GO THROUGH AND GIVE
YOU A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT AND
BACKGROUND, WHY I DO WHAT I DO,
A LITTLE BIT OF THE HISTORY AND
HOW THAT LED TO THE FOUNDING OF
WHOLESOME WAVE.
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MY CAREER AS
A CHEF, TALK ABOUT SOME PRETTY
INTERESTING AND POWERFUL NOTIONS
THAT WE HAVE DISCOVERED AROUND
OUR WORK, WHY I THINK IT IS KIND
OF THE PERFECT TIME IN THIS
WHACKY ENVIRONMENT, POLICY
ENVIRONMENT WE ARE LIVING IN
TODAY.
I AM GOING TO LEAVE A LITTLE BIT
OF TIME AT THE END FOR QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS.
WE HAVE A SHEET I THINK OF SOME
QUESTIONS THAT FOLKS SENT IN.
I WILL GET TO A COUPLE OF THOSE
AS WELL.
WITHOUT FUR TOUR ADIEU UNLESS
YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS, I WILL JUST GET
STARTED.
IS THAT COOL?
EVERYBODY GOOD?
AWESOME.
MY MOM WAS ONE OF 13 CHILDREN ON
A FARM IN SOUTHEASTERN MISSOURI.
MY DAD WAS ONE OF 12 CHILDREN ON
A FARM IN WESTERN KENTUCKY.
I SPENT MY CHILDHOOD GOING TO MY
GRANDMOTHER'S FARM IN
SOUTHEASTERN MISSOURI WORKING IT
BECAUSE HE COULDN'T AFFORD FARM
WORKERS ANY MORE.
MY BROTHERS AND MY COUSINS SPENT
6 WEEKS LEARNING HOW TO RAISE
ANIMALS, BUTCHER ANIMALS, RAISE
FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, RAISE
CORN, HARVEST THE STUFF, DRIVE
COME POST PILES, COOK, CAN,
PICKLE, CURE, EVERYTHING.
BY AGE 12 I COULD COOK COLLARD
GREENS, BLACK EYED PEAS
BLINDFOLDED.
I COULD SALT, I COULD CURE, I
COULD PICKLE.
I COULD DO ALL THOSE THINGS.
I THOUGHT IT WAS NORMAL.
WHEN MY PARENTS FELL ON HARD
TIMES WHEN I WAS 18 YEARS OLD IN
HIGH SCHOOL ME AND MY OLDER
BROTHER HAD TO MOVE OUT OF THE
HOUSE BECAUSE THEY HAD TO DOWN
SIZE.
MY MOM SAID MICHEL YOU WILL BE
OKAY, YOU CAN COOK SO YOU CAN
EAT AND GET A JOB AT A
RESTAURANT.
IN 1978 I STARTED AS A BREAKFAST
COOK AT A TRUCK STOP.
IT'S STILL THERE TODAY.
YOU CAN GO VISIT IT.
THE INTERESTING THING WAS, AS I
STARTED WORKING RAPIDLY THROUGH
THE RESTAURANT BUSINESS, BACK IN
THE LATE 70'S AND EARLY 80'S ALL
OF THE CHEFS WERE FROM EUROPE.
NO YOUNG AMERICAN WHITE PEOPLE
COULD COOK.
I WAS AN ANOMALY.
I MOVED RAPIDLY THROUGH THE
SYSTEM.
A CHEF SAW THE WAY I COULD WORK
WITH ANIMALS AND THE WAY I COULD
CURE AND PICKLE AND BRAISE THAT
OTHER AMERICANS COULDN'T.
THEY WOULD SAY I WANT YOU TO BE
MY SOUS-CHEF.
I WOULD SAY WHAT'S THAT?
IT'S $5 MORE AN HOUR.
I WENT FROM A COOK AT A TRUCK
STOP TO A SOUS-CHEF IN THREE
YEARS NO CULINARY SCHOOL.
IN THAT THREE-YEAR JOURNEY WAS
THIS BIZARRE ANOMALY.
I AM WORKING WITH THESE FRENCH,
GERMAN CHEFS WERE SHOWING ME
THESE TECHNIQUES MY AUNTS AND
MOTHER DIDN'T KNOW.
MIRACULOUS STUFF PURE CLARITY
STOCKS REDUCING IT IN A GLASS
AND FILL THE LAYERED FLAVORS.
THEY WERE PERFECTLY HAPPY WITH
PERFECTLY ROUND PINK TOMATOES
COMING IN THE BACK DOOR OF THE
RESTAURANT SAYING THAT'S A GOOD
TOMATO BECAUSE THEY ARE ALL THE
SAME SIZE.
THEY WERE LISTLESS.
THEY DIDN'T TASTE GOOD.
I SAID TO MYSELF, WOW, I CAN
ACTUALLY OUT COOK SOME OF THESE
GUYS.
I AM GOING TO BE A CHEF AND I AM
GOING TO OUT COMPETE EVERYBODY
BECAUSE I WILL GO OUT IN TO THE
COUNTRY SIDE AND BUY FROM
FARMERS AND COOK THE FOOD MY
GRANDFATHER RAISED ME ON AND I
WILL HAVE THE BEST RESTAURANT IN
THE MIDWEST.
THEN DISAPPOINTMENT SET IN.
I MADE DOZENS OF VISITS TO FARMS
KNOCKING ON DOORS HAVING DOORS
SLAMMED IN MY FACE.
I MADE DOZENS OF PHONE CALLS.
I THOUGHT I WOULD BE ABLE TO
FIND EVEN THE WHEATS, THE OATS,
THE CORN, SOY GROWERS WHICH WAS
IN CENTRAL WISCONSIN THAT THEY
WOULD HAVE A VEGETABLE PLOT LIKE
MY GRANDFATHER DID THREE ACRES
SO WE CAN DO ALL OF THE CANNING
AND PICKLING.
NOBODY HAD A FAMILY VEGETABLE
PLOT.
I OFFERED MONEY IN ADVANCE TO
HAVE PEOPLE GROW STUFF FOR ME.
I WAS WORKING REALLY, REALLY
HARD ONLY TO LEARN THE WAY THAT
I WAS RAISED BECAME EXTINCT JUST
LIKE MY GRANDFATHER'S FARMHOUSE
DID.
IT REALLY FORCED ME INTO MY
FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH ADVOCACY.
THE WAY THAT I WAS RAISED THAT I
THOUGHT WAS NORMAL WAS SOMETHING
THAT HAD FAST BECOME NEARLY
EXTINCT.
HOW COULD I LET THAT HAPPEN?
HOW COULD I NOT KNOW THAT THAT
WAS GOING ON?
IS NOW THAT I KNEW THAT HOW
COULD I EVER LET THAT STAND?
I PERSEVERED.
PAID PEOPLE IN ADVANCE FOR FOOD.
THE FIRST YEAR I PAID OUT 4800
IN ADVANCE TO FARMERS TO HAVE
THEM GROW STUFF FOR ME SO I
COULD MAKE A PLATE LIKE THIS.
WHERE DO YOU GET A GOOD CARROT
AND TOMATO AND EGGPLANT, YOU PAY
SOMEBODY IN ADVANCE.
WE HAD TO GO PICK THE STUFF.
I WILL PAY YOU NOW AND I WILL
PAY YOU THE REST WHEN YOU
DELIVER IT TO ME.
THEY ARE LIKE, DELIVER?
I AM NOT GOING TO DELIVER FOOD.
I AM A FARMER, MAN.
I DON'T DELIVER STUFF.
SO WE PICKED IT UP.
I WENT THROUGH DOZENS OF CALLS.
ALL OF THE PHONE CALLS I MADE
AND THE VISITS I MADE, THE FIRST
YEAR I WAS LUCKY 5 PERCENT OF
THINGS IN MY COOLER CAME FROM A
LOCAL FARMER.
MAYBE 2 PERCENT.
I WASN'T MEASURING.
I KNOW THERE WAS A LITTLE CORNER
OF MY COOLER THAT I COULD PUT MY
STUFF FROM THE LOCAL FARMERS I
COULD GET.
THE REST OF IT CAME FROM CISCO.
TODAY I CAN MAKE A HANDFUL OF
PHONE CALLS AND HAVE 100 PERCENT
OF EVERYTHING THIS MY RESTAURANT
COME FROM A LOCAL PRODUCER.
FARM TO TABLE HAS BECOME KIND OF
THE NORMAL THING FOR MANY.
ODDLY IT'S A BOUTIQUE.
VERY SMALL.
IT RAISES A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
ONE QUESTION IS THIS.
IF ONLY UP STALE ANDá-- UP SCALE
AND HIGH CONCEPT RESTAURANTS CAN
AFFORD TO PLAY IN THIS AND
CUSTOMERS CAN AFFORD 20 OR 50
FOR AN ENTRE ARE THE ONES WHO
CAN AFFORD THIS, THE WHOLE FOOD
SHOPPERS.
IF EVERYONE CAN AFFORD
SUSTAINABLE FOOD THEN CAN OUR
FOOD SYSTEM BE TRULY
SUSTAINABLE?
THAT'S A KEY QUESTION.
ANOTHER QUESTION, CAN JUST
FARMER'S MARKETS MAKE A
DIFFERENCE IF WE TRIPLE THE 8800
FARMER'S MARKETS THAT WE HAVE
TODAY WORKS IT MAKE A MEANINGFUL
DIFFERENCE IN A COUNTRY THAT HAS
CLOSE TO THREE QUARTERS OF A
BILLION ACRES OF LAND IN
CONVENTIONAL AGRICULTURE AND
PRODUCTION.
IF ALL OF THE CURRENT PO TEAK
RESTAURANTS CONCEPT THAT FEEDS
THE LUCKY 5 PERCENT WENT FARM TO
TABLE TOMORROW THE ONES THAT
AREN'T WORKS THAT MAKE A
DIFFERENCE WHEN FAST CASUAL HIGH
CONCEPT RESTAURANTS AND WIDE
TABLE CLOTH RESTAURANTS ONLY
MAKE UP 1 AND A HALF PERCENT OF
THE ENTIRE FOOD SERVICE
INDUSTRY?
SO, BIG TARGET WHEN WE TALK
ABOUT CHANGING OUR FOOD SYSTEM.
JUST A COUPLE OF BOUTIQUE
MOVEMENTS WHERE THAT DREAM IS
BECOMING A SMALL WHAT I CALL A
MICRO REALITY.
NOW WE HAVE 64 MILLION AMERICANS
WHO ARE LOW INCOME.
THAT'S THE 44 BILLION PEOPLE
THAT RELY ON SNAP ALSO KNOWN AS
FOOD STAMPS.
THERE'S ANOTHER 21 TO 23 MILLION
DEPENDING ON THE YEAR THAT ARE
FOOD INSECURE.
THEY HAVE TROUBLE PUTTING FOOD
ON THE TABLE AT ALL TONIGHT LET
ALONE ANY GOOD FOOD.
THAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.
DEFINITELY AREN'T EATING IN ANY
OF THE RESTAURANTS I MENTIONED,
LET ALONE BEING ABLE TO AFFORD
THE BASIC INGREDIENTS TO PUT A
HEALTHY MEAL ON THE TABLE.
BECAUSE IT REPRESENTS 20 PERCENT
OF THE AMERICAN POPULATION, I
THINK IT'S AN INTERESTING SECTOR
TO LOOK AT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT
HOW DO WE GET LARGE AMOUNTS OF
PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY BUY IN TO
PARTICIPATING IN A CHANGED FOOD
SYSTEM.
TO DO THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT
WHAT THEY ARE SPENDING ON FOOD.
WILL MENTIONED IT EARLIER IT IS
ON THE WEB SITE 70 BILLION IN
SNAP ANOTHER 63 BILLION IN
MONEY.
LET ME HELP YOU UNDERSTAND HOW
BIG THAT MARKET IS.
IN 2012, THE LAST DATA AVAILABLE
FROM WAL-MART, 55 PERCENT OF
THEIR SALES WERE $244áBILLION
WAS GROCERIES IN ONE YEAR.
GLOBAL, ANNUAL GROCERY SALES.
THAT'S MORE THAN HALF OF
WAL-MART'S GLOBAL ANNUAL GROCERY
SALES.
JUST UNDER SERVED CONSUMERS,
THAT'S A BIG MARKETPLACE.
IT'S MASSIVE.
IT'S MASSIVE.
COULD IT BE THERE'S AN
OPPORTUNITY HERE?
I THINK THERE IS.
IT'S A LOT OF MONEY.
TO UNDERSTAND THE OPPORTUNITY WE
HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT EVERYBODY
IS EATING.
THIS IS THE DEAL.
CARAMELIZED DRINKS AND CONDENSED
SOUPS.
MANY OF YOU MAY DO THIS.
YOU COOK THE RAMEN NOODLES, YOU
SOFTEN THEM UP INSTEAD OF
PUTTING THAT LOUSY SEASONING
PACKET IN THERE YOU STIR IN A
CAN OF CREAM OF CHICKEN SOUP OR
CREAM OF CELERY OR TOMATO SOUP.
A VERY POPULAR RECIPE IN A FOOD
DESSERT COMMUNITY UNDER SERVED
RURAL COMMUNITY IS MINUTE RICE
WITH CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP.
POOR MAN'S RISOTTO.
FILLS YOU UP.
A BOX OF THAT AND A CAN OF THAT
FEEDS 4-6 PEOPLE DEPENDING ON
THEIR SIZE FOR LIKE PENNIES,
RIGHT?
THAT'S KIND OF LIKE THE DEAL.
SO THEN WE HAVE TO ASK A FEW
MORE QUESTIONS, RIGHT?
I HAVE TO ASK YOU GUYS A
QUESTION.
WHY IS IT THIS IS THE ONLY THING
ON THE DINNER TABLE?
HOW MANY PEOPLE THINK BECAUSE
HEALTHIER FOOD OPTIONS AREN'T
AVAILABLE WHERE ALL OF THIS
OTHER STUFF IS IN THESE
NEIGHBORHOODS THAT IT IS A LACK
OF ACCESS?
LACK OF ACCESS.
THAT IS A WORD YOU HEAR A LOT,
FOOD ACCESS.
LACK OF EDUCATION, MAYBE IT IS
BECAUSE EVEN AS PEOPLE FOUND
BROCCOLI TO CUT INTO FLOOR
RECEIPTS AND PEEL THE STEMS AND
CUT IT INTO CUBES TO ADD TO ONE
OF THE MEALS, NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE
UNDERSTAND WHAT A HEALTHY FOOD
CHOICE IS OR IF THEY ENCOUNTER
IT THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO COOK
IT OR PREPARE IT, LACK OF
EDUCATION.
OKAY.
CULTURE.
SURELY THERE'S A CULTURAL
CONTEXT.
IF YOU ARE FROM CAMBODIA, YOU
HAVE FUZZY WATERMELON.
FROM TENNESSEE, COLLARD GREENS
AND BLACK EYED PEAS.
IF YOU ARE FROM MAINE YOU LOVE
CHOWDER.
SOMETIMES PEOPLE WILL ACTUALLY
GO TO A GROCERY STORE,
ESPECIALLY AN UNDER SERVED
COMMUNITY WHETHER URBAN OR
RURAL, IT IS LIKE BANANAS AND
REALLY BAD ROMAINE LETTUCE.
THERE'S NOT SOMETHING THERE THAT
THEY UNDERSTAND OR LIKE.
HOW MANY THINK IT IS A CULTURAL
COMPONENT, THE CULTURE MIGHT BE
A BARRIER.
ACCESS IS A BARRIER, EDUCATION
IS A BARRIER, CULTURAL CONTEXT
IS A BARRIER.
UNDERSTAND THE TRUE ANSWER, WE
NEED TO UNDERSTAND FIRST THE
RESOURCES THAT CONSUMERS
STRUGGLING WITH POVERTY HAS IN
THE CONTEXT OF WHAT IT COSTS TO
PUT A HEALTHY MEAL ON THE TABLE.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE GOT
TO DO.
LET'S LOOK AT THIS.
THAT'S A HEALTHY MEAL.
YOU GOT A CHICKEN BREAST, GOT A
WEDGE OF LIME, GOT SWEET
POTATOES, QUINOA, SOME LETTUCE.
THAT LOOKS PRETTY GOOD.
MANY BELIEVE THIS EXPENSIVE AS A
MEAL SHOULD BE EASY FOR FAMILIES
IN POVERTY STRUGGLING TO PUT
FOOD ON THE TABLE.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THE
SWEET POTATO AND THE LETTUCE
TAKE THAT OFF THE PLATE, RIGHT?
A CULTURAL DIFFERENCE.
IF YOU DON'T LIKE SWEET
POTATOES, ARE SWEET POTATOES
GOING TO MAKE IT ON THE POINT?
LACK OF EDUCATION.
WHAT DO YOU DOá-- IF YOU LIKE
SWEET POTATO BUT YOU DON'T KNOW
HOW TO COOK IT, IS IT GOING TO
END UP ON THE PLATE?
LACK OF EDUCATION KIND OF LEADS
TO, WELL LET'S JUST GO TO THE
FAST FOOD RESTAURANT AND GET A
VALUE MEAL, 5 BUCKS, BURGER,
FRIES AND A COKE.
WHAT ABOUT COST?
THIS PLATE COSTS 3.50 CENTS,
WHICH IS $0.06 MORE THAN A SNAP
SHOPPER GETS TO SPEND ON FOOD
PER PERSON FOR THE ENTIRE DAY.
YOU GO BUY ALL OF THAT STUFF
FROM SCRATCH YOU PUT IT ON THE
TABLE TONIGHT YOU TOOK ALL OF
THE MONEY YOU HAVE FOR FOOD
TODAY AND PUT IT IN THAT MEAL.
YOU HAVE ONE MEAL PER DAY IF YOU
WANT TO EAT THAT WELL.
THAT'S A BIG DEAL.
THE TRUTH IS HERE'S WHAT'S FOR
DINNER.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT EASY MAC $0.88
MULTIPLY THAT THREE TIMES AND
YOU ARE ACTUALLY SAVING A LITTLE
BIT OF MONEY BUT YOU ARE GETTING
THREE PLATES OF SOMETHING ON THE
TABLE FOR THE FAMILY TODAY.
I SUGGEST THE ONLY TRUE BARRIER
WHEN IT COMES TO UNDER SERVED
CONSUMERS MAKING A HEALTHIER
FOOD CHOICE IS LACK OF
AFFORDABILITY.
WE HAVE SEEN WITH OUR WORK IF
YOU MAKE AFFORDABILITY HAP THEN
IN SOUTH BRONX PEOPLE IN HARLEM
TAKE 2 OR 3 BUS TRANSFERS TO GET
TO IT.
ACCESS IS A CHALLENGE BUT IT IS
NOT A BARRIER IF AFFORDABILITY
IS THERE.
ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I AM GOING
TO READ AHEAD.
THERE WAS AN ARTICLE IN THE NEW
YORK TIMES THAT SAID PUTTING
GROCERY STORES AND UNDER SERVED
COMMUNITIES IN FOOD DESERTS DOES
NOT RESULT IN HEALTHIER PLACES.
MY ANSWER TO THAT WAS, DAH.
IF YOU PUT A MERCEDES BENZ
DEALERSHIP IN ALABAMA AND SPEND
$10áMILLION MARKETING WHY A
MERCEDES IS BETTER THAN A USED
PICKUP TRUCK, AFTER FIVE YEARS
YOU ARE NOT GOING TO SELL A
SINGLE CAR BECAUSE ALL OF THE
PEOPLE IN RURAL ALABAMA WHERE MY
BROTHER LIVES CAN AFFORD A USED
PICKUP TRUCK.
THEY KNOW THE MERCEDES IS
BETTER, SAFER FOR THE FAMILY,
ABS BREAK SYSTEM, THEY ARE NOT
BUYING THAT CAR.
THEY KNOW IT IS BETTER.
JUST LIKE MORE UNDER SERVED
CONSUMERS KNOW THAT FRUITS AND
VEGETABLES IS SOMETHING THEY
SHOULD BE EATING TODAY THEY KNOW
IT, IF THEY CAN'T AFFORD IT THEY
ARE NOT GOING TO BUY IT.
THE WHEN IT GETS TO A BEDROCK
AMERICAN VALUE OF RIGHT OF
CHOICE, DO YOU TRULY HAVE THE
RIGHT TO FEED YOUR FAMILY BETTER
IF YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO MAKE THE
PURPOSE?
THAT'S AN IMPORTANT QUESTION.
I THINK AFFORDABILITY IS THE
BARRIER.
LET'S TALK ABOUT COST
OPPORTUNITY.
WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
WHAT HAPPENS IF WE SHIFT THE
$133áBILLION TO MORE SUSTAINABLE
FOOD, TO LOCAL HEALTHY FOOD,
WHAT COULD DO TO THE FOOD
SYSTEM?
IN 2007 DIET RELATED DISEASE
COST AMERICA THIS MUCH MONEY,
$800áBILLION.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE SEEN
THE AUSTIN POWERS THING, THAT'S
SO OLD SCHOOL NOW.
IT'S LIKE, WILL AND I ARE KIND
OF LIKE, OH, A NEW MOVIE.
THAT'S LIKEá-- THINK ABOUT THAT
FOR A SECOND.
THESE ARE ALL DIET RELATED, DIET
PREVENTABLE DISEASES.
IN 2015 IT JUMPED UP TO
$1.4áTRILLION.
$1.4áTRILLION.
THAT'S A LOT.
A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO I WAS AT A
MEETING WITH A WHOLE BUNCH OF
CONVENTIONAL FARM PEOPLE.
IT WAS LIKE BIG AG, OTHER FOLKS
AROUND THE ENERGY OF WHAT'S THE
FUTURE LOOKS LIKE WHEN WE DON'T
HAVE A CABINET YET THAT HAS ALL
OF THE APPOINTEES FOR DEPARTMENT
OF AGRICULTURE.
MIKE CONWAY FROM TEXAS,
REPUBLICAN, HE'S A CHAIR OF THE
HOUSE AG COMMITTEE GOT UP AND
DELIVERED THIS ELOQUENT,
EMOTIONAL, BEAUTIFUL, HEART
WRENCHING TALK ABOUT HOW HE WAS
STRUGGLING AND HAS DECIDED THAT
HE WOULD NOT STAND IN THE WAY OF
ELIMINATING THE MCGOVERN-DOLE
WORLD HUNGER ACT AT 1.7áBILLION
A YEAR, THAT AS A YOUNG SENATOR
HE VISITED AFRICA, HE VISITED
MADAGASCAR, HE SAW THE PROGRAM
IN PLACE, HE SAW THE HAPPINESS
AND THE JOY THAT IT CREATED
AMONG FAMINE STRICKEN
POPULATIONS, HE SAW THE AMERICAN
FLAG ON THE BACK OF THE FOOD, HE
HAS VESTED THE PROGRAM, BUT HE
HAS DECIDED PERHAPS RIGHTLY IN
HIS MIND THAT THE $12áTRILLION
DEBT THAT HE WOULD BELIEVING HIS
GRANDCHILDREN CANNOT STAND.
THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY
$12áTRILLION.
IF WE TALK ABOUT IT IN CONTEXT
OF IMPACT GET YOUR CALCULATOR
OUT AND DIVIDE 1.7áBILLION
AGAINST $19áTRILLION.
YOU WILL FIND IT'S A ONE 1,000'S
OF THE BILL.
WE HAVE TO CHASE 1,000 THINGS AT
1.7áBILLION TO ACTUALLY HAVE AN
IMPACT ON THE 19 TRILLION IN
DEBT.
THAT'S 5 PERCENT.
WE ONLY HAVE TO FIND 20 OF
THOSE.
SO WHEN PEOPLE TALK ABOUT FISCAL
CONSERVATISM, FISCAL
RESPONSIBILITY, YOU HAVE TO ASK
THEM THE QUESTION, IS IT REALLY
EFFICIENT, EFFECTIVE USE OF MY
TAX DOLLARS FOR YOU TO CHASE A
THOUSAND THINGS, TO CUT AT
$1.7áBILLION, OR DO THAT FOR
20-YEARS.
AND BECAUSE IN REDUCING
HEALTHCARE COSTS YOU ACTUALLY
GET THE BANG FOR THE BUCK
IMMEDIATELY, IT MIGHT ONLY TAKE
LIKE EIGHT YEARS TO ACTUALLY EAT
OUR WAY OUT OF THE NATIONAL
DEBT.
WOULDN'T THAT BE DELICIOUS?
RIGHT?
THAT'S A GOOD LINE, ISN'T IT?
YOU CAN USE THAT.
YEAH, WRITE IT DOWN.
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE PARADIGM IT
BEGS THE QUESTION.
IMAGINE IF UNDER SERVED
CONSUMERS COULD TAKE THEIR 133
BILLION, ALL OF IT, ALL OF IT
AND SPEND IT ON HEALTHIER FOOD
CHOICES, RIGHT?
WOULD IT TAKE A CHIP OUT OF THE
1.4áTRILLION?
YES.
TWO OF MY CHILDREN HAVE TYPE 1
DIABETES.
IT IS HOW WE LEARNED ABOUT TYPE
II DIABETES WHICH IS PREVENTABLE
THROUGH FOOD REVERSIBLE IN THE
LATER WITH FOOD.
PEOPLE DON'T HAVE THE INCOME TO
BUY THE FOOD TO AVOID IT.
DIALYSIS FOR ONE PERSON IS
$96,000 A YEAR.
FOR $96,000, IF WE HAD 250
PEOPLE IN THE ROOM $96,000
INCREASES FRUIT AND VEGETABLE
CONSUMPTION FOR 250 PEOPLE TWO
SERVINGS A DAY FOR AN ENTIRE
YEAR.
INCREASING YOUR FRUIT AND
VEGETABLE CONSUMPTION TWO
SERVINGS A DAY GIVES YOU A 21
PERCENT CHANCE OF AVOIDING TYPE
II DIABETES.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE 50 PEOPLE
THAT DON'T GET TYPE II DIABETES,
40 PERCENT OF WHOM WOULD END UP
ON DIALYSIS, $96,000 IN FOOD
SAVES $5.8áMILLION IN DIALYSIS.
96,000 DIVIDED BY 5.8áMILLION.
IT COULD HELP US EAT OUR WAY OUT
OF THAT DEFICIT.
THIS COULD BE A NEW REALITY BUT
ONLY IF THE DEMAND EXISTS.
WE TALK ABOUT THE ECONOMIC
OPPORTUNITY OF WHAT HAPPENS IF
WE SHIFT THE 130 BILLION, WHAT
HAPPENS IF WE TARGET THAT
1.4áTRILLION, RIGHT, WE CAN EAT
OUR WAY OUT OF THE NATIONAL
DEBT.
COULD BE A REALITY.
THE ONLY THING THAT'S GOING TO
DRIVE 64 MILLION CONSUMERS TO
MAKE THAT CHANGE IS IF THEY
ACTUALLY WANT TO DO IT.
THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT
QUESTION OF ALL, RIGHT?
IS THERE CONSUMER MARKET DEMAND?
FOUNDED WHOLESOME WAVE IN 2007
TO ACT ON THIS OPPORTUNITY BY
EXPLORING IF THERE WAS HIDDEN
CONSUMER DEMAND.
WE STARTED WITH THE ASSUMPTION
THAT DEMANDS EXISTS BUT
AFFORDABILITY WAS A BARRIER.
WE WANTED TO BELIEVE THAT WAS
TRUE BUT WE WERE OPEN TO IT NOT
BEING TRUE.
WE HAD TO DO TWO THINGS.
FIRST WE HAD TO LEVEL THE PRICE
PLAYING FIELD.
THERE WAS NO TALK ABOUT WE
COULDN'T GO TO THE GOVERNMENT
AND SAY CAN WE TAKE THESE
SUBSIDIES THAT MAKE THE RICE AND
NOODLES ARTIFICIALLY CHEAP AND
PUT THE MONEY INTO FRUITS AND
VEGETABLES AND MAKE IT CHEAPER?
WE COULDN'T DO THAT.
WE CREATED A TWO-FOR ONE
VEGETABLE SALE USING WOODEN
NICKELS.
WE CALL THAT MINIMALLY VIABLE
PRODUCT APPROACH.
MVP.
WE RAISED MONEY SO WE COULD
DOUBLE FOOD STAMP BENEFITS WHEN
SPENT ON LOCALLY GROWN FRUITS
AND VEGETABLES AT FARMER'S
MARKETS AT PARTICIPATING
RETAILERS.
HERE'S WHAT WE LEARNED, FIRST
WHEN I DO THE REVEAL THERE WERE
PEOPLE BUGGING US, THEY WANTED
TO THROW MONEY AT US IF WE WOULD
STUDY HEALTHY OUTCOMES.
DOES DEMAND EXIST?
WHEN YOU ARE SURVEYING CONSUMER
ATTITUDES AROUND A 2 FOR 1 SALE,
AND YOU HAVE SOMEONE COME OVER
AND ROLL UP THEIR SLEEVES AND
GIVE BLOOD IT CHANGES THEIR
CONSUMER ATTITUDE.
WE DIDN'T STUDY HEALTH OUT
COMES.
WE STUDIED THE ATTITUDE.
LOOK AT THIS.
THREE YEARS IN A ROW QUALITATIVE
STUDIES MORE PEOPLE EVERY YEAR.
THE THIRD YEAR OVER 3600 SNAP
CONSUMERS, DIFFERENT PEOPLE
EVERY YEAR, WHILE THE NUMBER OF
SHOPPERS INCREASES, THINGS THAT
WERE IMPORTANT STAY THE SAME
EVERY FRICKING YEAR.
95 PERCENT OF PEOPLE FELT THERE
WAS IMPORTANT OR VERY IMPORTANT
THAT THE QUALITY OF THE PRODUCE
WAS GOOD FOR PARTICIPATING IN
THE PROGRAM.
88 PERCENT SUPPORTING LOCAL
FARMERS AND BUSINESSES, THAT
TIED WITH ACCEPTING THE BENEFIT
IN THE FIRST PLACE.
IT'S ACCEPTING THE BENEFITS WITH
IMPORTANT REASONS FOR THE
PROGRAM THAT THE MARKET IS
EXCESSIVE.
IT READS LIKE A WHOLE FOODS
SURVEY.
IT DID NOT SURPRISE ME WHEN
WAL-MART MADE THE PLEDGE TO THE
PARTNERSHIP FOR A HEALTHY
AMERICA SAYING BY 2015, 15
PERCENT OF ALL OF OUR FRESH FOOD
WILL COME FROM WITHIN THE STATE
WHERE OUR STORES ARE AT.
NOW THEY RECENTLY DOUBLED DOWN.
THEY MADE 18 PERCENT.
NOW THEY ARE SAYING WE ARE
DOUBLING OUR LOCAL FOOD PRINT.
THEY HAVE THE LARGEST ORGANIC
SECTION OF ANY RETAIL GROCER IN
THE UNITED STATES FOR THE
FOOTPRINTS OF THE ORGANIC
SECTION IN CONTEXT TO THE
GROCERY OFFERINGS.
ANYBODY EVER BEEN TO A WAL-MART?
I HAVE.
I GET MY FISHING LINES THERE.
YOU EVER NOTICE THE YUPPIE
AISLE?
THERE AIN'T ONE.
THEY DON'T NICHE MARKET.
THEY ARE NOT AIMING AT WHOLE
FOOD SHOPPERS.
THE WHOLE FOODS SHOPPERS
WOULDN'T GET CAUGHT DEAD
SHOPPING AT A WAL-MART.
THEY ACCEPT 20 PERCENT OF ALL
FOOD STAMP SALES PLUS THAT EXTRA
CONSUMER DOLLAR EVERY YEAR.
OVER $30áBILLION IN SALES FOR
THEM.
MORE THAN 10 PERCENT OF ALL OF
THEIR GROCERIES.
THEY ARE GOING LOCAL BECAUSE IT
IS IMPORTANT TO ALL OF THEIR
CUSTOMERS.
THEY HAVE GONE ORGANIC, BECAUSE
IT IS IMPORTANT TO ALL OF THEIR
CUSTOMERS.
I WASN'T SURPRISED, BECAUSE WE
KNEW THAT PEOPLE, WHETHER THEY
WERE CAMBODIAN, LAOTIAN, SOMALI,
AFRICAN AMERICAN, HISPANIC
AMERICAN, WHEN THEY WERE IN
APPALACHIA, ALABAMA, ENGELWOOD
ON THE WEST SIDE OF CHICAGO,
CITY HEIGHTS, SOUTH, SAN DIEGO,
THAT PEOPLE KNOW THEY SHOULD BE
FEEDING THEIR FAMILIES BETTER.
THEY WANT TO FEED THEM BETTER
FOOD, BUT AFFORDABILITY IS THE
BARRIER.
ONCE WE PROVE THAT DEMAND WE
HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO TALK
ABOUT IT WE THINK IT IS
IMPORTANT FOR THOSE WHO BELIEVE
IN CONGRESS THAT EDUCATION IS
THE OPPORTUNITY.
WE PULLED THIS STUNT.
WE SAID SPEND $10áMILLION GO TO
ALABAMA WHERE MY BROTHER LIVES
AND MARKET DODGE RAM TRUCKS.
CONVINCE THEM THE NEW PICKUP
TRUCK WITH THE MULTIPLE SIDE AIR
BAGS THE ABS BRAKES, THE CRASH
RESISTANT CRUMB PELL ZONES DEATH
BY HIGHWAY ACCIDENT IN RURAL
ALABAMA IS A REAL STATISTIC.
ALABAMA AND TEXAS IS ONE OF THE
BIGGEST DEATH STATISTICS IN THE
COUNTRY.
YOU NEED ONE OF THOSE.
YOU CAN SPEND ALL OF THAT MONEY
ON MARKETING AND GUESS WHAT?
THEY KNOW IT WOULD BE A BETTER
TRUCK THAN THIS.
THIS IS WHAT THEY CAN AFFORD,
THE USED PICKUP TRUCK.
GET BACK TO THE MERCEDES USED
PICKUP TRUCK.
YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT
DINNER IS THE DODGE RAM OR
MERCEDES OF OUR FOOD SYSTEM, AND
HERE'S THE USED PICKUP TRUCK OF
OUR FOOD SYSTEM.
THAT IS THE DEAL.
THAT'S THE REALITY FOR PEOPLE
STRUGGLING WITH POVERTY.
HERE'S A SHORT VIDEO CLIP I AM
GOING TO PLAY TO KIND OFá-- I AM
NOT GOING TO PLAY THE WHOLE
THING.
OH, THAT'S AWESOME.
YOU ARE THE MAN.
- WE FOUND WHOLESOME WAYS TO
FIGURE OUT WHAT ARE COMMON SENSE
WAYS THAT WE CAN DEMONSTRATE
PEOPLE STRUGGLING WITH POVERTY
REALLY WANT TO FEED THEIR
FAMILIES WELL, THEY WOULD MAKE
BETTER FOOD CHOICES IF THEY
COULD AFFORD IT.
WE SAID LET'S CREATE TWO FOR ONE
FRUIT AND VEGETABLE SALES.
WE STARTED RAISING PRIVATE MONEY
TO DOUBLE THE VALUE OF FOOD
STAMPS.
- WE HAVE THE FRUIT AND
VEGETABLE PROGRAM.
- A PATIENT WHO IS AT RISK OF A
DIET RELATED DISEASE GOES TO A
DOCTOR, THE DOCTOR SAYS, YOU ARE
AT RISKS, GIVES THEM A
PRESCRIPTION, TELLS THEM TO
INCREASE FRUIT AND VEGETABLES
PER DAY THE WHOLE FAMILY
PARTICIPATES.
THEY GO TO THE FARMER'S MARKET
CHANGED THE PRESCRIPTION EAT
MORE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES AND
GO BACK MONTHLY TO GET THE
HEALTH PROGRESS.
DOCTORS WHO ARE OFTEN FRUSTRATED
BECAUSE ALL THEY CAN DO IS
ADVISE CONSUMERS THEY SHOULD BE
MAKING HEALTHIER FOOD CHOICES
CAN ACTUALLY GIVE THAT ADVICE
AND THE PRESCRIPTION ACTUALLY
ALLOWS THAT CONSUMER TO GET THE
FREE FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
THEY NEED.
WE USE EXACTLY THE SAME
INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE
PRESCRIPTION SYSTEM BUT WE ARE
INVESTING IN FOOD AT THE FRONT
END INSTEAD OF PAYING FOR
MEDICINE FOR LIFE BECAUSE NOW IT
IS TOO LATE.
- ONE OF THE DOCTORS SIGNED UP
TO WORK WITH WHOLESOME WAVE IS
THE DOCTOR AT HARLEM HOSPITAL.
- HERE YOU ARE A DOCTOR AT THE
HOSPITAL WRITING A PRESCRIPTION
SAYING GO AND GET FRUITS AND
VEGETABLES.
- YOU ARE TELLING THEM YOU ARE
HEALTHY, YOU HAVE TO EXERCISE
AND LOSE WEIGHT AND THEY SAY ALL
OF THIS YOU TELL ME BUT THEY
COULDN'T AFFORD IT.
- ONE FAMILY IS CHERYL AND HER
DAUGHTER ALICIA.
THEY HAVE BEEN ON THE FRUIT AND
VEGETABLE PRESCRIPTION PROGRAM
FOR THREE YEARS AND THEY BOTH
COULDN'T BE HAPPIER.
- SHE STARTED THE PROGRAM ALMOST
THREE YEARS AGO.
SEVERE RY ASTHMATIC, SHE WAS
OVER WEIGHT.
- YOU WERE PRESCRIBED FRUITS AND
VEGETABLES.
- YES.
- IT WASN'T MEDICINE OR
PRESCRIPTION DRUGS.
DID THAT SEEM WEIRD TO YOU?
- YES.
I THOUGHT THE DOCTOR SHOULD GIVE
ME MEDICINE.
THIS IS DIFFERENT.
IT'S NOT MEDICINE.
LET'S SEE HOW THIS WORKS OUT.
- WHAT WAS THE EXPERIENCE LIKE
TAKING YOUR DAUGHTER TO THE
FARMER'S MARKET?
- SHE LIKED SPEAKING TO THE
FARMERS.
SHE LIKED THE COLORS.
SOME WERE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT
SHE IS USED TO.
THE THEY WERE PURPLE THINGS AND
SHE ASKED HOW DO THINGS GROW AND
ARE THEY FRESH?
LEARNING THOSE THINGS MADE IT
MORE FUN TO EAT IT.
SHE HAS NOT USED ANY STEROIDS
FOR HER ASTHMA IN THREE YEARS.
- WOW.
- COOL, RIGHT.
HERE'S THE THING ABOUT ALICIA,
RIGHT, BETWEEN THE TIME SHE
STARTED THE PROGRAM AND THE
VIDEOá-- HEY, BUDDY.
YOU THIRSTY?
ALL RIGHT.
AFFORDABLE ACCESS TO WATER, VERY
IMPORTANT.
SO ANYWAY, ALICIA HAS LOST
ANOTHER 40 POUNDS.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HEARD
CHERYL, BUT SHE WENT OFF OF
STEROIDS FOR HER ASTHMA.
SHE IS NOW ON A VOLLEYBALL TEAM
IN HER HIGH SCHOOL.
HER GRADES HAVE IMPROVED
DRAMATICALLY.
YOU KNOW, THE FOOD IS MEDICINE
THING REALLY WORKS.
WE ARE IN 47 STATES.
OVER 1400 FARMERS MARKETS,
RETAILERS, CLINICS, ET CETERA.
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THAT
$133áBILLION PROPOSITION, WHEN
YOU THINK ABOUT THE 64 MILLION
PEOPLE, WE, WHOLESOME WAYS WITH
OUR ENTIRE PARTNER NETWORK, ALL
OF OUR COMPETITORS WHO ARE ALSO
DOING THIS WORK ARE REACHING
LESS THAN 3 PERCENT OF 64
MILLION PEOPLE.
WE ARE STARTING TO SCALE OUR
TECHNOLOGIES.
WE ARE GOING TO CHANGE OUR
PAYMENT TECHNOLOGIES.
WE ARE GOING TO REALLY GROW OUR
PARTNERSHIPS WITH MAJOR
RETAILERS, DISTRIBUTION POINT
FOOD BANKS, ET CETERA.
WE NEED TO REACH 64 MILLION
PEOPLE.
BECAUSE WHEN WE CAN ACTUALLY GO
TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, HOW
MANY PEOPLE HAVE HEARD OF THE
FOOD INSECURITY INCENTIVE
PROGRAM?
YOU HAVE MARKET MATCH HERE,
RIGHT, IN CALIFORNIA.
THAT IS THE DOUBLING PROGRAM
WHERE YOU CAN TAKE YOUR SNAP
BENEFITS, CAL FRESH BENEFITS TO
THE FARMERS MARKET AND DOUBLE
THEM AND GET THE FRUIT AND
VEGETABLE INCENTIVE.
WE WERE SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE OF
THE OUTCOMES GETTING THE FOOD
AND SECURITY INCENTIVE PROGRAM
INTO THE 2014 FARM BILL.
$100áMILLION TO DOUBLE SNAP ON
FRUITS AND VEGETABLES.
YOU CAN CLAP IF YOU WANT TO.
DON'T CLAP TOO HARD.
WHEN YOU DIVIDE 100 MILLION
AGAINST IT 25 MILLION A YEAR FOR
FOUR YEARS, YOU DIVIDE THAT 25
MILLION AGAINST 66 BILLION, IT
IS FOUR HUNDREDTHS OF A PERCENT.
WE NEED TO WORK ON THE ECONOMIC
ARGUMENT OF THE 1.4áTRILLION.
THE ONLY WAY WE GET THE TYPE OF
ATTENTION WHERE THE
CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE AND
OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT BUDGET WAS
WOULD ACTUALLY ALLOW MEDICARE
AND MEDICAID TO BE CODED SO IT
CAN REIMBURSE HEALTHY FOOD
PURCHASES, IMAGINE THAT.
AS IF WE CAN REACH 5,000 PERSON
IN ONE COMMUNITY IN A CONTROL
GROUP OF 5,000 PERSONá-- PEOPLE
IN ANOTHER COMMUNITY.
THAT'S WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT.
IN THIS CURRENT CLIMATE OF
POLITICAL ODDNESS, I DO BELIEVE
THERE'S OPPORTUNITY.
HOW MANY PEOPLE HEAR THE WORD
DISRUPTION IN THEIR BUSINESS
CLASSES?
IS WHAT IS GOING TO COME UP WITH
THE NEXT DISRUPTIVE IDEA, RIGHT?
HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS.
WE ARE LIVING IN A TIME OF GREAT
DISRUPTION.
I THINK WHENEVER THERE'S A TIME
OF GREAT DISRUPTION THERE'S AN
INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF
OPPORTUNITY.
ALMOST EVERYBODY IN THE CURRENT
ADMINISTRATION HAS GIVEN A PLAY
BOOK TO ALL OF THE APPOINTED
OFFICIALS THAT IF WE ARE GOING
TO TALK ABOUT ANY PROGRAMS OF
ANY KIND THEY ARE GOING TO BE
PAID FOR BY THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT.
YOU HAVE TO TELL US WHAT
RELATIONSHIP THEY ARE GOING TO
HAVE IN ELIMINATING THAT
$19áTRILLION DEBT.
I THINK WE HAVE THE ANSWER.
WHAT IF WE CHANGE HOW IT IS
SPENT BY 64 MILLION PEOPLE?
THAT'S AN EXCITING CONVERSATION.
IF YOU LOOK AT ALL OF THE WINS
LOW INCOME FAMILIES BENEFIT,
PUBLIC HEALTH AND FOOD, LOCAL
TAX BENEFITS.
AGRICULTURE, FOOD, ECONOMY.
NEW JOBS GET CREATED EVERY TIME
YOU SWITCH A CEREAL AND OIL SEED
CROP TO FRUIT AND VEGETABLE CROP
THERE'S A THREE TIME ECONOMIC
VALUE IN THAT.
THERE IS NO GPS GUIDED EGGPLANT
COMBINES.
PEOPLE PICK EGGPLANT.
PEOPLE PICK TOMATOES.
PEOPLE PICK ZUCCHINI, SQUASH.
IF 64 MILLION AMERICANS CHANGED
TO TWO SERVINGS A DAY IT WOULD
CREATE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF
JOBS AND THOSE ARE PEOPLE WHO
WOULDN'T NEED SNAP IN THE FIRST
PLACE.
AFTER ALL, THE ROOT CAUSE OF
HUNGER IS POVERTY.
THE ROOT CAUSE OF LACK OF ACCESS
TO SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS YOU
HAVE ASKED ABOUT WENDELL'S
PROVOCATIVE WRITINGS, HOW CAN
SOMEONE ENGAGE IN UNDERSTANDING
EATING IS AN AGRICULTURAL ACT IF
THEY CAN BARELY GET 1 AND 3
QUARTERS OF MEALS ON THE TABLE A
DAY FOR THEIR FAMILIES.
WE BELIEVE THERE'S AN
OPPORTUNITY TO ORGANIZE WHERE
UNDER SERVED CONSUMERS AND
SHIFTING THAT 133 BILLION CAN
BECOME HEIRS OF A CHANGED FOOD
SYSTEM AND THAT'S OUR DREAM AT
WHOLESOME WAVE.
NOW WE HAVE TIME TO OPEN IT UP
FOR QUESTIONS.
HOW DID I DO?
- SOMEBODY WANTS A GLASS OF
WATER.
I WILL SIT OVER HERE.
- IT IS QUITE A
JOURNEY TO COME
UP WITH AN IDEA AND IMPLEMENT
IT.
YOUR BACKGROUND SO PREPARED YOU.
YOU LEFT OUT THE WHOLE CHAPTER
OF STARTING ONE OF THE FIRST
HEART HEALTHY RESTAURANTS IN THE
COUNTRY.
- OH, YEAH, HEARTBEAT.
- YOU HAD AN ENTREPRENEURIAL
EXPERIENCE OF PUTTING THE FOOD
ON THE TABLE.
YOU WANT TO TELL A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT THAT CHAPTER?
- BACK IN 1997 IN THE FIRST W
HOTEL THAT EVER OPENED IN THE
WORLD ON 49TH AND LEXINGTON, I
HAD THIS REACTION WHEN MY FIRST
SON WAS DIAGNOSED WITH TYPE 1
DIABETES AND I LEARNED WHAT WE
DID WITH CHRIS' FOOD WOULD HAVE
MORE TO DO WITH THE SUCCESS OF
HIS LONG-TERM OUTLOOK.
I GOT EXCITED.
WE CHANGED OUR FOOD STRATEGY AT
HOME, STARTED FEEDING OUR FAMILY
DIFFERENTLY.
THE IMPACTS OF INGREDIENTS AND
NUTRITION WAS ALL WORKING.
AND WITHIN A VERY SHORT PERIOD
OF TIME I WASN'T RECONCILING
WITH WHAT I WAS FEEDING MY
CUSTOMERS IN MY RESTAURANTS.
IT WAS LIKE LOCAL ORGANIC
SUSTAINABLE.
BUT I WAS BACK STROKING IN
SIMPLE SERUM AND CREAM AND
BUTTER AND FOIE GRAS, ALL THAT
STUFF.
I COULDN'T DO IT.
I COULDN'T FEED MY CUSTOMERS
WHAT I WOULDN'T FEED MY SON.
I MET A FAMOUS LONG TIME
RESTAURANT TOUR IN NEW YORK CITY
IT WAS OVER 300 POUNDS AT THE
TIME REALLY NEEDED TO CHANGE HIS
DIET.
WE CAME UP WITH THE IDEA FOR
HEARTBEAT.
THE IDEA FOR HEARTBEAT WAS
SIMPLE.
LOCAL, ORGANIC, SUSTAINABLE, NO
PROCESSED FOODS OF ANY KIND.
CAN WE CREATE A MENU BIG ENOUGH
TO WHERE PEOPLE NO MATTER WHAT
THEIR HEALTH CONCERN WAS, OTHER
THAN A FOOD ALLERGY COULD ORDER
ANYTHING OFF THE MENU AND NOT
HAVE A PROBLEM.
THAT WAS HEARTBEAT.
I DID THAT IN 1997.
- I WANTED TO GO BACK TO THE
FOUNDING OF WHOLESOME WAVE.
THERE'S A LOT OF ASPIRATIONS
HERE IN THE CLASS ABOUT HOW DO
YOU USE THIS MARKETPLACE, AND I
THINK ROBERT REICH REALLY MADE
US APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT WE
DON'T REALLY HAVE A FREE MARKET
IN THE UNITED STATES EVEN THOUGH
THERE'S A LOT OF ARGUMENT ABOUT
PROTECTING A FREE MARKET.
WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A FREE
MARKET PARTICULARLY IN THE FOOD
INDUSTRY.
- ACCORDING TO SOMEONE'S
PERSPECTIVE.
- WE HAVE A MARKET THAT HAS A
LOT OF SUBSIDIES.
IT IS VERY COMPLICATED.
WHERE DID YOU START?
WHEN YOU SAW THIS OPPORTUNITY,
YOU STARTED LOOKING AT THE
NUMBERS, WHAT WAS THE FIRST
THING YOU DID?
WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT YOUR MVP,
AS AN ENTREPRENEUR HOW DO YOU
TACKLE A PROBLEM THAT BIG AND
HOW DID YOU GARNERá-- MAYBE
ELABORATE ON THAT.
- IT STARTS WITH PILOT.
THERE WAS A FRUSTRATION.
HEARTBEAT ACTUALLY LED TO A
WHOLE NEW TENSION.
I THOUGHT I NAILED STUFF BY
DOING THE CONCEPT AND WAS
FEELING REALLY GOOD ABOUT IT
UNTIL I LEARNED THAT TWO-THIRDS
OF THE PEOPLE THAT STRUGGLE WITH
TYPE II DIABETES DON'T HAVE
INCOME TO AFFORD THEM TO HELP
THE DISEASE.
WILL THAT IS CRUEL.
MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WERE AFFECTED
BY THAT.
I COULDN'T FIGURE OUT THE
BUSINESS PLAN THAT COULD PROVIDE
THE HEARTBEAT FOR AN UNDER
SERVED CONSUMER.
WHEN YOU ONLY HAVE $2 TO SPEND
AT THE MIDDLE OF THE MONTH YOU
HAVE $2 TO SPEND FOR A FAMILY OF
FOUR FOR DINNER AND A HEAD OF
BROCCOLI IS 2 BUCKS.
THERE ISN'T A FOOD CONCEPT IN
THE WORLD THAT'S GOING TO GET
BROCCOLI IN FRONT OF SOMEBODY
BECAUSE THAT'S ALL THEY ARE
GOING TO GET IS THE BROCCOLI.
THAT'S NOT A MEAL.
WHEN I LOOK BACK AT THE IDEA
THAT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT
PEOPLE WERE SPENDING IF IT COULD
BE SHIFTED, CREATE AN
ENVIRONMENT OF A FEDERAL PROGRAM
THAT COULD PAY FOR ITSELF.
EAT GOOD FOOD.
AVOID EXPENSIVE MEDICINE.
LIKE ANY OTHER THING WE HAVE TO
PILOT IT.
WE WENT INTO TRUSTED
ENVIRONMENTS, WE ARE ALREADY
STRUGGLING WITH THAT TENSION OF
WHILE WE WERE DOING GREAT THINGS
WE ARE HELPING OUT STRUGGLING
FARMERS AND GETTING THEM THE
BEST PRICE FOR THEIR FOOD.
BUT ONLY THE PEOPLE IN THE
COMMUNITIES CAN AFFORD TO COME
TO THE FARMER'S MARKETS.
-- ONLY AFFLUENT PEOPLE IN THE
COMMUNITIES CAN AFFORD TO COME
TO THE FARMERS MARKETS.
WE HAD PEOPLE HELP US ACTUALLY
FIGURE OUT WHAT ARE THE BEST
QUESTIONS TO FOCUS ON AND WHAT
SHOULD WE BE TARGETING AND ARE
THE RESPONSES SUCH THAT WE CAN
ACTUALLY TAKE THEM TO THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
THIS TIME IT WAS UNDER GEORGE W.
BUSH AND SAY, HEY, LOOK WHAT WE
ARE LEARNING.
GEE, WHO WOULD HAVE THUNK
THERE'S REAL OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE
LOW INCOME AMERICANS HEALTHIER
BY JUST MAKING MINUSCULE
INVESTMENT IN HEALTHY FOOD.
SO IT STARTED WITH PILOTS.
WHAT HAPPENED IS THE OUTCOMES
WERE SO OVERWHELMINGLY POSITIVE
THAT DONORS WENT CRAZY.
STARTED DEMANDING US TO GO INTO
ALL KINDS OF AREAS.
- I WANT TO UNDER LINE THAT.
THERE'S A COUPLE OF REALLY GREAT
LESSONS.
ONE THAT I LOVE HEARING IS JUST
THE DISSIDENCE YOU WERE
EXPERIENCING WHERE YOUR VALUES
WERE TO BRING ABOUT HEALTH
THROUGH SERVING FOODS, BUT THERE
WAS SOMETHING IN YOU THAT FELT
LIKE, HEY, THIS ISN'T RIGHT,
THAT IT IS ONLY AVAILABLE FOR
THIS SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE.
YOU COULDN'T REALLY LIVE WITH
THAT.
WHAT WAS IT, YOUR VALUES, YOUR
UP BRINGING, YOUR WORLD VIEW?
- I THINK IT IS MY UP BRINGING.
I REMEMBER, WE WERE ON FOOD
STAMPS WHEN THEY WERE CALLED
FOOD STAMPS WHEN I WAS A KID.
THERE WAS TIMESá-- MY DAD WAS A
TOOL SALES MAN.
HE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A FARMER
AND ENDED UP A SALES MAN.
THERE WAS UNEMPLOYMENT IN THAT
BUSINESS UNTIL HE COULD FIND
ANOTHER JOB.
I REMEMBER IT'S LIKE KIDS WOULD
COME OVER TO OUR HOUSE TO PLAY
BECAUSE MY MOM IS A KICK ASS
COOK.
AMAZING COOK.
ALL OF THESE KIDS WOULD COME
OVER AND SHE WOULD MAKE
EVERYBODY LUNCH.
I WOULD HEAR MY DAD SAY, ESTHER,
ARE YOU NUTS?
WE ARE HAVING TROUBLE GETTING
FOOD IN THE FRIDGE AND YOU ARE
FEEDING ALL OF THESE KIDS.
SHEETS LIKE, BUT CHRIS, HER KIDS
AND THEY ARE HUNGRY.
MORE THAN HALF OF THESE KIDS
DADS HAD BEEN UNEMPLOYED LONGER
THAN YOU.
FEEDING PEOPLE IS THE RIGHT
THING TO DO.
THAT'S THE KIND OF PERSON SHE
WAS.
I LIKE TO TELL PEOPLE WHEN I
JUST TALK TO OTHER CHEFS IT WAS
MY MOTHER WHO TAUGHT ME TO LOVE
PEOPLE THROUGH FOOD.
SHE WOULD BE STANDING OVER A POT
OF SOMETHING AND SHE WOULD LIKE
ADD SOMETHING AND TWEAK THE HEAT
AND THEN SHE WOULD LIKE GIGGLE.
I WOULD SAY, MOMMY, WHAT ARE YOU
LAUGHING AT?
THEY ARE GOING TO LOVE THIS.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT EVERYBODY
SHOULD BE ABLE TO EXPERIENCE.
POVERTY SHOULD NOT BE A BARRIER
FOR THAT.
I MEAN, WHEN WE WERE ON FOOD
STAMPS, IT WAS SO WE COULD BUY
MILK AND EGGS AND THINGS LIKE
THAT.
WHEN WE WENT DOWN TO MY
GRANDPA'S HOUSE, PAYMENT FOR US
DOING THE THING.
THE LAST WEEK MY MOM, DAD, AUNTS
AND UNCLES WOULD COME DOWN AND
WE WOULD DO THIS BIG CANNING,
PICKLING FEST.
EVERYBODY WENT HOME WITH A
U-HAUL TRAILER FULL OF FOOD.
WE ATE WELL EVEN THOUGH WE WERE
STRUGGLING ECONOMICALLY WE ATE
WELL.
I THINK THAT IS THE PARADIGM
THAT IS GONE, THAT NEEDS TO COME
BACK.
IT IS IN OUR NATIONAL SECURITY
INTEREST, IN OUR PUBLIC HEALTH
INTEREST, IF YOU REALLY WANT TO
THINK OF WHO WE SHOULD BE AS
AMERICANS, FIRST WE SHOULD BE
AMERICANS THEN WE SHOULD BE
REALLY GOOD NEIGHBORS.
REALLY ACTIVE, ENGAGING
COMMUNITY MEMBERS, THEN
REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT OR
INDEPENDENT.
FIRST THOSE OTHER THINGS.
THAT'S WHAT ALLOWS US TO HAVE
DIFFERENCES TO HAVE AN ARGUMENT
AND STILL BE FRIENDS.
ARGUE FEROCIOUSLY OVER A POLICY
CONCEPT.
THEN SAY ALL RIGHT ENOUGH OF
THAT.
LET'S GO GET A BEER.
I WAS RAISED THAT WAY.
I WANT TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL
BUSINESS.
I WOULD LOVE TO MAKE MONEY.
I LOVE BEING ABLE TO SEND MY
KIDS TO SCHOOL AND ALL OF THAT
GOOD STUFF, BUT I ALSO BELIEVE
PART OF THAT, IN DOING THAT I
BELIEVE I HAVE THE OBLIGATION TO
BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR.
- REALLY HELPFUL.
THE OTHER THING YOU SAID THAT I
WANT TO HIGHLIGHT OR UNDERLINE,
THIS IDEA THAT YOU RAN THIS
SUCCESSFUL PILOT AND YOU HAD
DONORS WANTING TO PARTICIPATE.
IT IS SO INTERESTING THAT YOU
PICKED A REALLY BIG PROBLEM.
- THAT'S WHAT MY MOM SAYS.
WHAT ARE YOU CRAZY?
- THE NUMBER OF DOLLARS THAT
COME OUT OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH
REALM, THOSE OF YOU IN THE
PUBLIC HEALTH SCHOOL KNOW THE
TERM, THE BURDEN OF THE DISEASE.
800 BILLION TO $1.4áTRILLION A
YEAR.
YOU TALK ABOUT TAKING THAT OUT
OF THE DEBT, OTHER PEOPLE TALK
ABOUT SHIFTING IT.
IT IS JUST LOST DOLLARS.
IT IS MISS SPENT MONEY.
IT IS WASTE.
WHAT'S REALLY INTERESTING IS NOW
AS A CULTURE, ESPECIALLY IN FOOD
WE ARE BECOMING REALLY ATTUNED
TO WASTE, AND IT IS SO EASY TO
WANT TO BECOME MINDFUL OF IT AND
WHERE IT IS HAPPENING THAT IT IS
POSSIBLE TO ELIMINATE IT PRETTY
QUICKLY.
NEXT WEEK WE ARE GOING TO HAVE
JESSE FINK AND DANA GUNDERS AND
TALK ABOUT FOOD WASTE.
- YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO LOVE
THAT.
- I LOVE THAT YOU GO AFTER A
REALLY BIG PROBLEM WHERE THERE'S
A LOT OF WASTE, YOU COME UP WITH
A PILOT THAT IS REALLY
ENCOURAGING, YOU PUT A
CHARISMATIC AND TALENTED PERSON
WHO KNOWS HIS STUFF.
I WANT EVERYBODY TO UNDERSTAND
HOW IMPORTANT PREPARATION IS TO
BE AN ENTREPRENEUR TO LIVE IT.
THE A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY I WANT
TO BE AN ENTREPRENEUR, AND A LOT
OF PEOPLE WHO WERE I THINK
SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEURS HAVE
SOME KIND OF UNIQUE PREPARATION.
IT IS NOT NECESSARILY A FORMAL
PREPARATION, BUT IT
ENERGIZES
THEIR INTENTIONS AND SETS THEM
ON A COURSE LIKE NOTHING IS
GOING TO STOP THEM.
- THAT WAS REALLY BETTER SAID
THAN I HAVE HEARD IT SAID.
IT REALLY ISá-- IF YOU WANT TO
PREPARE TO BE AN ENTREPRENEUR
FIRST THING IS THAT YOU HAVE TO
REALLY LOVE YOUR IDEA AND CARE
ABOUT IT.
YOU HAVE TO CARE ABOUT THE
PROBLEM YOU ARE SOLVING.
WHAT'S THE OPPORTUNITY?
WHERE IS THE RIGHT SPACE?
IF THE RIGHT SPACE IS IN A THING
THAT YOU ACTUALLY DON'T CARE
ABOUT, IT IS JUST A MONEY PLAY,
THAT'S NO FUN.
FRANKLY IT'S CHANCES OF SUCCESS
JUST WENT LIKE WAY DOWN WHEN YOU
MAKE IT ALL ABOUT THE MONEY.
BECAUSE SOME OF THE GREATEST
COMPANIES THAT WERE EVER CREATED
WERE CREATED PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY
FELT THAT THEY HAD AN IDEA THAT
COULD CHANGE THE WORLD.
THAT IS WHERE YOU WANT TO START.
YOU CAN.
SO MANY INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE,
GROUPS OR TEAMS OF PEOPLE HAVE
DONE THINGS THAT HAVE MADE
REMARKABLE DIFFERENCES, THE WAY
WE COMMUNICATE, THE WAY WE LIVE.
IT'S A REMARKABLE THING.
IT'S A GREAT HONOR TO BE AN
ENTREPRENEUR.
- ONE OF YOUR MENTORS AND ONE OF
MINE, TOO, WAS A MAN THAT PLAYED
A REALLY IMPORTANT ROLE IN THIS
ROOM, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, IN 2000
PAUL NEWMAN CAME TO CAMPUS,
BECAUSE WE WERE JUSTá-- WE HAD A
GROUP OF STUDENTS WHO WERE
INTERESTED IN SOCIALLY
RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS AND HIS
MODEL OF NEWMAN'S OWN, OF TAKING
ALL OF THE PROFITS AND
TRANSFERRING THEM TO UNDER
SERVED COMMUNITIES AND KIDS WAS
SO FASCINATING AT THE TIME.
HE CAME TO CAMPUS AND GAVE ONE
OF OUR ETHICS LECTURES.
I WILL NEVER FORGET ONE OF THE
THINGS HE SAID WAS AS SOON AS WE
HAVE A BUSINESS PLAN WE ARE
SCREWED.
HE LIKED TO IMPROVISE.
HE WAS EXTREMELY GENEROUS AND HE
GAVE SOME OF THE INITIAL FUNDING
SO THAT WE COULD START WITH NOW
THE RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS HERE AT
BERKELEY WHICH WAS THE FIRST
PROGRAM OF ITS TYPE AT A
BUSINESS SCHOOL TO REALLY FOCUS
ON THOSE ISSUES OF
RESPONSIBILITY IN BUSINESS,
MAKING AN IMPACT, MAKING MORE
THAN JUST PROFIT.
AT THE TIME IT WAS KIND OF
CONTROVERSIAL.
I WILL NEVER FORGET.
THERE WAS AN EDITORIAL IN THE
PAPER SAYING LIKEá-- I WAS
TEACHING THE FIRST SOCIAL
ENTREPRENEUR SHIP AT THAT TIME.
THERE WAS AN EDITORIAL, I THINK
HAAS HAD ITS OWN PAPER BUT IT
SAYS SOMETHING LIKE WHAT IS OUR
BUSINESS SCHOOL DOING WITH THIS
TREE HUGGER AT BERKELEY?
I HAD TO REMIND PEOPLE 20-YEARS
BEFORE THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF
PEOPLE THINKING WHAT IS UC
BERKELEY DOING AS A BUSINESS
SCHOOL?
NOW WE HAVE COME A LONG WAY IN
2017 WE ARE THE LEADING BUSINESS
SCHOOL IN SOCIAL RESPONSIBLE
BUSINESS, SOCIALISM PACT, IMPACT
INVESTING.
IT'S REALLY A HOTBED.
BEFORE I TURN IT OVER TO THE
STUDENTS, I WANTED TO JUST HAVE
YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
MAYBE DESCRIBE HOW THE AUDIENCE
OR THE PEOPLE HERE CAN HELP YOU.
THINK ABOUT THAT FOR A SECOND.
I WAS ALSO GOING TO THROW IN ONE
OTHER TWEAK FOR YOU.
YOU USE THE WORD CONSUMER IN
YOUR PRESENTATION A NUMBER OF
TIMES.
I PERSONALLY HAVE BECOME REALLY
UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THAT TERM.
INHERENTLY TO BE A CONSUMER IS
NOT SUSTAINABLE.
CONSUMER IS THE EXTRACTED, YOU
KNOW, PARADIGM.
I AM JUST GOING TO TAKE.
IT IS NOT RECIPROCAL.
IT IS NOT REGENERATIVE, AND IT
IS PROBABLY NOT EVEN DEMOCRATIC.
I WAS THINKING, IN THIS PERIOD
OF TIME IF I COULD PLANT A SEED
WITH YOU PUBLICALLY IT WOULD BE
START THINKING ABOUT SHIFTING
THE WORD CONSUMER TO SOMETHING
ELSE.
I HAVE USED THE WORD SUSTAINER,
EVEN CITIZEN FOR WHAT YOU ARE
TALKING ABOUT, WHAT YOU ARE
DOING, THESE ARE CITIZENS.
THESE ARE RIGHTS.
- I LIKE CITIZENS, BECAUSE IT
DOESN'T FLY THAT THERE IS AN
IMBALANCE OF THE EQUITY WHEN IT
COMES TO THE RIGHTS THAT PEOPLE
STRUGGLING WITH POVERTY CAN
EXERCISE, WHICH ARE VERY FEW.
IT'S NOT JUST FOOD.
IT'S A VARIETY OF THINGS THAT
THEY DON'T HAVE A RIGHT TO A
GOOD EDUCATION.
- I THINK WHOLESOME WAVE STARTS
THIS CITIZEN MOVEMENT IN FOOD.
- YOU WANT ME TO STOP USING
CONSUMER?
HERE'S THE RUB.
- TELL ME THE RUB.
- HERE'S THE RUB.
LANGUAGE IS IMPORTANT ESPECIALLY
IN THE CONTEXT OF THE PERSON YOU
ARE TRYING TO CONVINCE.
THE FOLKS THAT WE ARE TRYING TO
CONVINCE TO DO SOMETHING LIKE
CODE MEDICARE AND MEDICAID SO IT
CAN BE REIMBURSED FOR HEALTHY
FOOD CHOICES, RIGHT NOW I AM
JUST GETTING THEM TO STOP
CALLING PEOPLE ON FOOD STAMPS
CLIENTS AND RECIPIENTS, WHICH
ISá-- HOW WOULD YOU FEEL IF
SOMEBODY CALLED YOU A FOOD STAMP
CLIENT OR RECIPIENT?
WHERE CONSUMER IN THE MINDS OF
THESE DECISION MAKERS VERY
POWERFUL WORD, AN IMPORTANT WORD
IN GETTING THEM TO UNDERSTAND
THE CONCEPT THAT 64 MILLION
AMERICANS WHO ARE SEEN AS TAKERS
ACTUALLY CONTRIBUTE TO OUR
ECONOMY IS WHAT IS GIVING US AN
INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF TRACTION.
THAT LANGUAGE IS IMPORTANT TO
THEM.
- I APPRECIATE THAT.
- I DON'T LIKE THE WORD EITHER.
- FOOD COMPANIES, THEIR RESEARCH
GROUPS THEY TALK ABOUT CONSUMERS
AND WHAT THEY WILL CONSUME.
- I DON'T THINK CONSUMERS LIKE
BEING CALLED THAT.
- I DON'T THINK WE THINK OF
OURSELVES NECESSARILY AS
CONSUMERS.
HAVING A CONSUMER MIND SET LEADS
TO OVER EATING AND OBESITIES AND
DIABETES.
ONE THING WOULD BE TO CORRELATE
THE BASE OF CITIZENS WITH VOTING
ACTIVITY.
THEN YOU CAN GO TO WASHINGTON
AND SAY OUR VOTERSá--
- WE TALKED ABOUT THAT.
HOW DO WE BECOME KIND OF THIS
POWERFUL JUICE FOR FOOD POLICY
ACTION?
RIGHT NOW, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE
FAMILIAR WITH HUGE POLICY
ACTION?
OH, MAN, THIS IS A GREAT
OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU GUYS.
FOOD POLICY ACTION CAN COOK FROM
ENVIRONMENTAL WORKING GROUPS AND
TOM COLICCHIO FUNDED IT.
IT IS A SCORE CARD THAT SCORES
EVERY MEMBER OF THE HOUSE AND
SENATE, EVERY MEMBER OF CONGRESS
ON HOW THEY VOTE ON FOOD ISSUES.
SO IF YOU GET A 30, YOU KNOW,
YOU ARE VOTING TO ELIMINATE
SCHOOL LUNCH, FREE AND REDUCED
LUNCH, YOU ARE VOTING TO CUT
SNAP, YOU ARE VOTINGá-- YOU ARE
VOTING AGAINST GMO LABELLING,
THAT TYPE OF A THING.
IT IS A POTENTIALLY POWERFUL
TOOL, SO FOR ALL OF YOU, YOU ALL
LIVE IN DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE
COUNTRY, SOME OF YOU THE WORLD,
TO BE ABLE TO KNOW, MY THEORY IS
THIS.
THIS IS HOW I ARTICULATE IT,
WITHOUT PERMISSION FROM FOOD
POLICY ACTION, I DO BELIEF WHEN
YOU LOOK AT REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS
OR RIGHT TO LIFE, YOU CAN HAVE
SOMEONE ARGUE EITHER SIDE OF
THAT ARGUMENT AND EACH OF THOSE
ARGUMENTS CAN COME FROM DEEPLY
HELD SPIRITUAL BELIEF OR DEEPLY
HELD PHILOSOPHICAL BELIEF OUT OF
GENUINE CONCERN FOR THE MOTHER,
FOR THE CHILD, FOR THE CHOICE.
IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT EITHER ONE
OF THOSE PERSONS ARE A BAD
PERSON.
BUT IF YOU ARE GOING TO VOTE TO
TAKE FOOD OFF OF THE PLATE OF A
CHILD AT LUNCH TIME WHEN IT IS
ONE OF THE ONLY MEALS THEY ARE
GOING TO GET TODAY BECAUSE THEY
ARE LIVING IN POVERTY, YOU ARE
AN ASSHOLE.
(APPLAUSE)
- I AM SORRY.
I AM A CHEF.
I CAN VOCALIZE THIS.
I APOLOGIZE.
THE CHANCES THEY ARE NOT GOING
TO VOTE IN YOUR BEST INTEREST AS
A CONSTITUENT, IT IS VERY HIGH.
VERY, VERY HIGH.
THAT'S A PERSON WHO DOESN'T
CARE.
DO WE WANT ANYBODY WHO DOESN'T
CARE IN OFFICE?
I THINK IT IS A POWERFUL TOOL.
YA'LL SHOULD KNOW ABOUT IT.
WE WANT TO TRY TO FIND A WAY TO
CONNECT IT WITH POPULATIONS THAT
BENEFIT FOR INCENTIVES TO SAY,
YOU LIKE THIS?
IF YOU LOVE THIS TYPE OF
PROGRAM, YOU NEED TO START
SHOWING UP.
THREE-PART TIME JOBS TO EQUAL A
FULL-TIME JOB.
IF THERE'S ANYBODY WHO CAN GET A
DAY OFF OF WORK ON TUESDAY
BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT GOING TO
GET PAID FOR IT, IT IS AN UNDER
SERVED CITIZEN.
HOW DO YOU LIKE THAT?
I SHIFTED IT.
- YOU DID.
DO WE HAVE A QUESTION FROM THE
AUDIENCE IN THE CLASS?
ANY ONE?
YOU HAVE A QUESTION?
- YOU CAN TAKE YOURá-- JOHN,
RIGHT?
I REMEMBERED.
- WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO TALK INTO
THE MIC BECAUSE THEN THE
AUDIENCE AWAY FROM THE CLASS CAN
HEAR, TOO.
- SO THERE ARE MILLIONS OF
PEOPLE WHO CAN AFFORD HEALTHY
AND ORGANIC FOOD BUT CHOOSE NOT
TO BUY IT.
CAN WE USE FINANCIAL INCENTIVES
TO MOTIVATE THEM OR IS IT ALL
ABOUT EDUCATION WITH THOSE WHO
ALREADY HAVE ACCESSIBILITY?
>> THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION.
OF THE 64 MILLION, THAT'S ONE
BIG BLOCK.
THERE'S PROBABLY IF YOU LOOK AT
THE MIDDLE CLASS, PEOPLE THAT
AREá-- WOULD BE CONSIDERED WELL
ABOVE THE POVERTY LINE, BUT THEY
ARE BOTH HEADS OF HOUSEHOLD ARE
WORKING FULL-TIME JOBS OFTEN TO
BE ABLE TO MAKE THE HOLIDAYS
HAPPEN, CLOTHES AND HAVE THE
KIDS INVOLVED IN SPORTS AND FOOD
IS STILL TO THEM SOMETHING TO
SAVE THE MONEY ON.
THE INCOME DISPARITY CUTS ACROSS
DEMOGRAPHIC DIVIDES UNTIL YOU
ACTUALLY GET INTO THE UPPER
MIDDLE CLASS, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE
THAT AREá-- HAVE A ONE-HOUSEHOLD
MEMBER HAS A SALARY OF $175,000
A YEAR.
THERE'S AN AWFUL LOT OF
AMERICANS THAT ARE UNDER
$120,000 A YEAR RAISING FOUR
KIDS AND HAVING A REAL TOUGH
TIME MAKING IT HAPPEN.
I THINK FINANCIAL INCENTIVES
WOULD TRANSLATE THERE.
THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT THERE
IS IN COMMUNITIES OF POVERTY,
MIDDLE CLASS AMERICAN CITIZENS
THAT ARE LOOKING AT THEIR
GROCERY BUDGET, UPPER MIDDLE
CLASS, LOWER AFFLUENT CLASS AND
SO ON, THERE ARE PEOPLE IN EVERY
ONE OF THOSE SOCIO DEMOGRAPHIC
BUCKETS THAT JUST COULDN'T CARE
LESS.
THEY FEEL INVINCIBLE.
THEY WANTá-- THEY THINK THE
CHEAT TOE TACO BELL CHALLENGE
LOOP ROY, ALL KIND OF WACKINESS
WRAPPED INTO ONE THING IS A
REALLY GOOD IDEA.
THAT'S EVERY WHERE AND WHAT WE
FOUND IS NO MORE PREVALENT THAN
ANY ONE SOCIO DEMOGRAPHIC BUCKET
THAN ANOTHER.
THE THINGS THAT EXIST IN
POVERTY, I AM NOT TRYING TO
AVOID THE QUESTION, BUT HE LIKES
WORKING THERE BECAUSE THEY ARE
UNDER A LOT OF PRESSURE.
THESE ARE OFTEN SINGLE PARENTS
WHO ARE RUBBING TWO PENNIES
TOGETHER TO KEEP THEIR CHILDREN
ALIVE, TO KEEP THEM ALIVE
BETWEEN THE FRONT DOOR AND THE
BUS STOP OR THE SCHOOLYARD.
WHEN SOMETHING COMES ALONG, WHEN
YOU PUT INCENTIVES INTO THAT
ENVIRONMENT, THE VIGOR WITH
WHICH THEY PARTICIPATE IS PRETTY
SPECTACULAR STUFF.
YOU NEED THAT TYPE OF
SPECTACULAR NESS IF YOU ARE
GOING TO CONSIDER THE CONCEPT OF
HOW DO YOU USE THAT TO MOTIVATE
SOMEBODY THAT SHOWS UP
(INDISCERNIBLE).
MIDDLE AMERICA INCENTIVES COULD
WORK.
I THINK IN THE CONTEXT OF
EDUCATION, IT IS MORE IMPORTANT
IN THAT AGE GROUP.
WHEN YOU TALK TO CHERYL BROWN,
THE WOMAN FROM THE FRUIT AND
VEGETABLE PRESCRIPTION PROGRAM
AND THERE ARE A VARIETY OF
OTHERS, STORIES THAT WE HAVE.
THEY SPENT A LOT OF TIME
WORRYING ABOUT HOW THEY ARE
GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR
KIDS GROW UP HEALTHY AND HAVE
HOPEFULLY A BETTER LIFE THAN
THEY HAD.
THAT EXISTS MORE IN THE UNDER
SERVED CITIZENS IN THAT BUCKET
THAN ANYWHERE ELSE.
I THINK BEING ABLE TO PUT TOOLS
IN THE HANDS OF THOSE FOLKS IS A
REALLY POWERFUL OPPORTUNITY.
I HOPE THAT HE KNOWS AS YOUR
QUESTION.
- ROHINI DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION?
- A FEW WEEKS AGO IN THE NEW
YORK TIMES THERE WAS AN ARTICLE
THAT FEATURED YOU AND A FORMER
LECTURER SARU JAYARAMAN, AND I
WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD SPEAK
TO THAT AS A CHEF AND HOW HE SEE
IT AS BEING AN EFFECTIVE TOOL
TODAY.
- IT IS INTERESTING, I WOULD BE
DOING IT RIGHT NOW.
HER LEASE WAS UP THREE YEARS AGO
AND WHOLESOME WAVE WAS GOING
THROUGH A GROWTH SPURT.
BEFORE WE CLOSED AT DRESSING
ROOM WE HAD THIS REALLY KIND OF
LIKE COOL SLIDING WAGE KIND OF
THING WHERE ALL OF OUR ENTRY
LEVEL POSITIONS WE PAID AT 200
PERCENT OF THE MARKET.
IF YOU WERE A DISHWASHER YOU GOT
PAID TWICE AS MUCH AT DRESSING
ROOM AS YOU WOULD TO WORK AT ONE
OF OUR COMPETITORS.
THE RESULT IS WE HAD THE BEST
DISHWASHERS EVER.
ALSO THINGS DIDN'T BREAK.
THE DISH WATER GOT CHANGED FROM
THE MACHINES SIX TIMES A NIGHT
SO SERVERS DIDN'T HAVE TO POLISH
EVERY SINGLE GLASS WHEN IT WENT
ON TO THE TABLE.
ALL OF THE CUTLER RES WERE
AMAZING.
WE WANTED TO STEM TURNOVER AND
WANTED THE HIGHEST QUALITY
EMPLOYEES AND ALSO WANTED TO
TEACH THEM OTHER SKILLS LIKE
GRINDING OUR FLOUR, MAKING
BREAD, HELPING US WITH BUTCHER
RY, PREP COOKING AND ALL OF
THOSE THINGS.
AS YOU MOVED UP THE CHAIN, THAT
PERCENTAGE DROPPED SO AT THE TOP
OUR CHEFS AND SOUS-CHEFS WERE
MADE 10 PERCENT BELOW MARKET.
IT CREATED THIS INTERESTING
TENSION.
THE CHEFS AND SOUS-CHEFS WOULD
BE ALWAYS GETTING OFFERS FROM
OTHER RESTAURANTS FOR MORE MONEY
THAN WE WERE PAYING THEM, BUT IT
WAS SO EASY TO WORK AT DRESSING
ROOM BECAUSE NOBODY THROUGH AWAY
MEAT SCRAPS AND VEGETABLE
SCRAPS.
EVERYBODY UNDERSTOOD ONE OF THE
REASONS WE GROUND OUR OWN FLOUR
IS BECAUSE THE QUALITY WAS SO
ASTONISHING.
THE DIFFERENCE IN THE FINAL
PRODUCT IN OUR DUMPLINGS AND
PASTA AND BREAD, THEY PROTECTED
THOSE PROCESSES.
WE HAD A 10 YEAR NET TURNOVER OF
22 PERCENT IN AN INDUSTRY WHERE
THE ANNUAL TURNOVER IS 60
PERCENT ON AVERAGE.
WE WOULD BE ONE OF THOSE
SANCTUARY RESTAURANTS.
WHEN WE LEFT WE PLACED
EVERYBODY.
TWO OF OUR PERUVIAN DISHWASHERS,
CARLOS AND HAMI, CARLOS WAS OUR
PASTRY CHEF AND HAMI WAS OUR
EXECUTIVE SOUS-CHEF.
WHERE BEFORE DRESSING ROOM THEY
SPENT 6 YEARS AS DISHWASHERS AT
7.25 AN HOUR.
THERE'S A LOT OF TALENT IN THE
INDUSTRY.
THE MAJORITY OF IT COMES FROM
IMMIGRANT, REFUGEE CULTURES.
WITHOUT THOSE FOLKS OUR BUSINESS
WOULDN'T BE VIABLE AT ALL.
THERE ARE PLENTY OF PEOPLE,
PLENTY OF REAL AMERICANS WHO
DON'T WANT TO BE A DISHWASHER,
WHO DON'T WANT TO BE A PREP
COOK.
IF WE UNPLUGGED IMMIGRANT
REFUGEE WORKERS FROM FOOD
SERVICE, IN THAT OCCASION WE
WOULDN'T FIND THE WORKERS WHO
ARE WILLING TO DO THE WORK.
EVEN AT THE HIGHER WAGES WE WERE
PAYING COOKS IT WAS HARD FOR ME
TO FIND WHITE COOKS THAT LIKED
WORKING IN A HOT ENVIRONMENT
THAT WAS FAST AND DEMANDING AND
REQUIRED INTENSE FOCUS IN AN
UNCOMFORTABLE SETTING AND
EXCELLENCE IN PRODUCTIVITY.
NO MATTER HOW GOOD OUR OPERATING
CULTURE IS IT WON'T TAKE AWAY
THE FACT THAT KITCHENS ARE
REALLY HARD PLACES TO WORK.
SO WE WOULD BE IN THE MIDDLE OF
THAT MITT RIGHT NOW, AND WE
PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN RAIDED
RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE USED TO GET
RAIDED ALL OF THE TIME.
DOES THAT HELP WITH YOUR
QUESTION?
WHAT DO I THINK ABOUT SANCTUARY
RESTAURANT.
- THE ROLL OF ADVERTISING
SANCTUARY RESTAURANTS AND WHAT
DOES IT MEAN FOR BUSINESS?
- I DON'T KNOW.
I HAVE BEEN OUT OF THE GAME FOR
THREE YEARS.
WE WOULD TALK ABOUT IT.
WE ADVERTISED ON OUR MENUS.
WE PUT SIDE BARS ON THE MENUS TO
TELL THE STORY OF OUR FOOD.
WE PROBABLY WOULD USE THAT AS AN
OPPORTUNITY TO INFORM OUR
CUSTOMERS OF WHAT WE ARE DOING
AND WHY AND WHY IT IS IMPORTANT.
I THINK RIGHT NOW WHAT IS NOT
HAPPENING, THE LANGUAGE THAT MY
INDUSTRY IS NOT USING, AND I AM
A LITTLE ASHAMED OF IT, IT IS
DIFFICULT FOR ME TO GET INTO IT
BECAUSE ALL OF MY TIME GOES TO
THE ISSUES WE ARE WORKING ON
WITH WHOLESOME WAVE.
CHEF'S, RESTAURANTEURS,
RESTAURANT GROUPS, WE ARE
CITIZENS, WE ARE EMPLOYERS.
WE ARE TAXPAYERS.
WE ARE TRUSTED VOICES IN OUR
COMMUNITY THAT FEED TEN'S TO
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE
A YEAR WHO ARE VOTING
CONSTITUENTS.
WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS IMPACT ON
THEIR VIEWS ABOUT FOOD AND A
VARIETY OF THINGS.
WHAT'S NOT HAPPENING IN OUR
INDUSTRY IS NOT ENOUGH CHEFS ARE
STEPPING FORWARD AS LEADERS
SAYING HOW DO WE GO TO
WASHINGTON AND SAY WE ARE
EMPLOYERS, WE ARE TAXPAYERS, WE
ARE ALL OF THESE THINGS, AND WE
ARE INFLUENCERS OF A LOT OF YOUR
CONSTITUENTS.
GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER.
- I HAVE AN IDEA.
WE SHOULD SET UP A WEEKEND BOOT
CAMP FOR YOU TO TEACH US HOW TO
DO THAT.
- THAT IS A BOOT CAMP WORTHY
ISSUE.
- YOU ARE LAUGHING BECAUSE HE
DOESN'T HAVE TIME TO DO IT.
- HE DOES IT ALREADY.
- YEAH, BUT NOT ON THIS SUBJECT.
BUT THIS SUBJECT IT'S A GOOD
ONE.
- HERE'S A QUESTION UP HERE.
- YOU COULD TEACH PEOPLE HOW TO
SPEAK AND EMPOWER.
- HOW TO COME TOGETHER
COLLECTIVELY AND USE CONSISTENT
LANGUAGE.
- HI, THANK YOU FOR COMING.
I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
I WANTED TO FOLLOW UP TO THE
QUESTION ABOUT CHEFS NOT BEING
LEADERS.
- NOT BEING?
- NOT BEING LEADERS.
- ON THIS ISSUE I THINK CHEF
COULD DEFINITELY TAKE MORE
LEADERSHIP.
- YEAH.
I AM CURIOUS.
I HAVE SEEN A LOT OF DIFFERENT
CHEFS IN A PART-TIME BAKERY
POSITION I HAVE HELD AS WELL AS
WORKING AT KITCHEN ON FIRE IN
THE GOURMET GHETTO.
A LOT OF TIMES THESE CHEFS ARE
REALLY GREAT LEADERS, THEY ARE
GREAT INSTRUCTORS, SO I AM
CURIOUS WHY YOU THINK THE
MOBILIZATION AND CAPITALIZATION
OF CHEFS DOESN'T HAPPEN VERSES
THE LEADERSHIP ON IT?
- SO, ACTUALLY, I PROBABLY
DIDN'T SPEAK CLEARLY, BECAUSE
THERE IS A LOT OF THAT HAPPENING
IN THE CHEF COMMUNITY WHERE
CHEFS ARE ABSOLUTELY TAKING
LEADERSHIP ON A VARIETY OF
ISSUES, BUT THEY TEND TO BE
ANIMAL ANTIBIOTICS AND GROWTH
HORMONES, SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD,
EQUITABLE ACCESS TO LAND,
MIGRANT FARM WORKER RIGHTS,
THINGS LIKE THAT.
THIS ISSUE IS A TOUGH ONE,
BECAUSE A LOT OF CHEFS WHO ARE
LEADERS IN OTHER ISSUES ARE ALSO
EMPLOYERS WHO HAVEN'T FIGURED
OUT THE BUSINESS MODEL THAT
DOESN'T RELY ON INEXPENSIVE
LABOR.
SO THERE IS A REAL CHALLENGE TO
ADVOCATE FOR SOMETHING THAT YOU
MIGHT FEEL YOU ARE SHOOTING
YOURSELF IN THE FOOT BECAUSE YOU
MIGHT PUT YOUR BUSINESS MODEL AT
RISK.
THERE AREN'T ENOUGH CHEFS AND
RESTAURANTEURS WILLING TO SAY,
LET'S TRY TO PAY OUR LOW WAGE
EARNERS A LOT MORE PAYING OUR
HIGH WAGE EARNERS A LITTLE LESS
AND FIND OUT IF SOMETHING
HAPPENS WITH OUR POP RATING
EFFICIENCIES THAT PAYS FOR THAT.
WE RAN THE SAME EXACT BOTTOM
LINE AFTER WE WORKED THE KINKS
OUT, AFTER TWO YEARS OF KIND OF
SCREWING AROUND WITH IT, ONCE WE
STARTED CONNECTING EVERYBODY'S
PAY TO NOT WASTING FOOD TO WHY
WE GRIND OUR OWN FLOUR AND ONCE
WE WERE ABLE TO USE THE ACTUAL
FOOD WE WERE PRODUCING AS A
METAPHOR FOR WHY EVERYBODY'S
LIFE WAS SO MUCH BETTER, THAT'S
WHEN OUR WORKERS STARTED
PROTECTING IT FIERCELY.
THAT IS WHERE WE SAW THE LACK OF
TURNOVER.
IT TOOK US A WHILE.
THE FIRST COUPLE YEARS WE TOOK
ABOUT 50 PERCENT HAIRCUT IN OUR
PROFIT, BUT WE WERE STILL
PROFITABLE.
IT WASN'T UNPLEASANT FOR US.
IT WAS COOL.
IT WAS ALSO BALLSY.
IMAGINE WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED
IF WE HAD TO GO BACK AND SAY,
HEY, YOU KNOW THAT DOUBLE PAY, I
HAVE TO TAKE THAT BACK.
YOU CAN'T HAVE THAT ANY MORE.
THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A
CATASTROPHE.
IT WOULD A REAL POSSIBILITY THAT
THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN AN OUTCOME.
AFTER ALL, YOU DON'T OPEN A
BUSINESS TO CLOSE IT, BECAUSE
YOU HAVE PRINCIPLES BEYOND WHAT
THE BUSINESS IS ABOUT.
I THINK ON THIS ISSUE I WOULD
LIKE TO SEE MORE CHEFS FIRST
GENUINELY TRY TO WORK OUT IN
THEIR OWN BUSINESS MODEL HOW WE
CAN CHANGE THE PARADIGM AND THE
RESTAURANT CAN STILL BE A
SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS.
FIGHT FOR LEGISLATION THAT
SUPPORTS THE TYPE OF BEHAVIOR
THAT IS WORKING IN YOUR BUSINESS
ENVIRONMENT, BECAUSE OTHERWISE
WE ARE GOING TO END UP WITH
PEOPLE WHO KNOW NOTHING ABOUT
THE RESTAURANT BUSINESSMAN
DATING REGULATIONS THAT COULD
ACTUALLY HARM THE INDUSTRY,
BECAUSE WE ARE NOT TAKING THE
LEAD LIKE WE SHOULD.
THAT WAS A GOOD QUESTION.
THANK YOU FOR THAT.
- WELL, I WANT TO THANK MICHEL
NISCHAN FOR COMING TONIGHT AND
FOR ALL OF THE GOOD WORK YOU DO
IN THE WORLD AND FOR SHARING IT
WITH US.
WE WILL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK TO
TALK ABOUT FOOD WASTE WITH
JESSIE FINK AND DANA GUNNEDER.
- DON'T MISS THAT ONE.
- GET GOING ON YOUR ASSIGNMENT.
DON'T LEAVE IT FOR THE LAST
MINUTE.
IT IS A THINKING ASSIGNMENT.