A pioneering project celebrating Bristol’s rich cultural diversity through the food of its various communities is to be launched this summer.
Called ‘91 Ways to Build a Global City’ – referring to the number of languages spoken in Bristol – it will encourage people across the city to share the foods and recipes that reflect their heritage and their daily diet. 
A series of events will bring people together to show and share these foods – helping communities connect with each other as well as celebrate their cultural differences.
Ahead of its launch in June, the organisers are asking Bristolians to mail, email and post on Facebook the dishes that define their roots.
91 Ways is the brainchild of Kalpna Woolf, former BBC Bristol head of production and founder of Bristol Food Connections – the festival that celebrates Bristol’s independent spirit and vibrant food culture.
Kalpna said: “Bristol is a creative, vibrant and fast-growing city made up of many different communities and it is this diversity that makes Bristol such a unique and exciting place to live.
“Language and food are both strong symbols of social identity. But while language can sometimes act as a barrier, food is a universal language that can bring people together.
“In recent decades, appreciating the foods from other cultures has also helped to break down barriers between communities. 91 Ways will build on the power of food to bring people together.”
It will also develop a strong strand of sustainability.
“The food we eat, as well as how we source and transport it, has major environmental implications,” added Kalpna.
“So a big part of the project will focus on sharing knowledge about where our ingredients come from, encouraging people to buy and prepare unprocessed foods from sustainable sources, as well as providing the means for more of us to ‘grow our own’ – perhaps opening up more allotments and converting courtyard gardens into places to cultivate spices and herbs.”
Everyone makes a ‘food journey’ during their lives as they move from their family home and start to absorb other influences, which 91 Ways also wants to capture.
“Many older people in Bristol, brought up on traditional English meals, will vividly remember the first time they tried a pizza, curry or kebab – now staples of our diet – and remember how exotic it all seemed then to try foods from different countries,” added Kalpna.
“The food I eat now has changed significantly from when I was a small girl growing up in Southall.”
91 Ways will also be engaging with local food suppliers, retailers and schools to get people from different generations to talk and cook together, creating a social history through food as well as helping forge a better understand how different communities live in a modern day global city.
A celebratory event in June will bring all of Bristol’s communities together to share stories and good food, hear from inspiring speakers and find ways for communities to work together to lead more sustainable lives.
91 Ways is supported by a diverse group of individuals and communities including the Bristol Initiative Charitable Trust.
To find out more or to take part in 91 Ways, visit http://91ways.org/.
