Slow Food Glasgow

22/05/2026

Thousands of people around the world woke up today realising that Carlo Petrini is no longer with us. Together with our friends, we reflect on his legacy and his sharp, unflinching way of linking food — and the societies that produce it — to the wider world around us.

We feel moved when we think of his empathy, and of the profound respect he held for every chance of progress that human beings are entitled to. He could speak with a king, a pope, a farmer, a shepherd, or a student without ever changing his tone, because he spoke a universal language: the language of humanity.

His legacy is one of rare intellectual courage. He was credited with establishing food and gastronomy as a valid, multi-disciplinary field of inquiry — integrating the language of the table with broader movements for fair trade, social justice, and ecological responsibility, long before these connections became commonplace. A food rebel and a prescient pioneer, he saw what others could not yet see, and built institutions, networks, and communities to make that vision tangible.

We want to honour him with this picture, taken during the opening ceremony at Cheese 2025. After a quiet start, he did what only he could do — with sheer passion, he moved an entire square. That was Carlo.

His words will stay with us as guidance for the future, like a lighthouse in the night. "Those who sow utopia, reap reality." He firmly believed it. He lived it.

Grazie Carlo.

19/05/2026

"We are constantly told that ending hunger, making healthy food accessible, or supporting sustainable agriculture is too expensive. And yet, the money already exists.
What is missing is political will.

Today, food systems are shaped by policies that too often prioritize profit over public health, industrial scale over biodiversity, and short-term economic interests over long-term well-being. The result is visible everywhere: rising food insecurity, growing diet-related diseases, exhausted soils, struggling farmers, and communities disconnected from good food.

But these systems are not inevitable. They are political choices, which means they can also be changed through political action.

The European Citizens’ Initiative for the Right to Food is calling for exactly that: a food system that treats healthy food as a right, supports agroecology and fair farming, and gives citizens a stronger voice in shaping the policies that affect what we eat and how it is produced.
If enough people sign, the European Commission is legally required to respond.

Co-Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the Creative Europe Media Program. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them."

GoodFood4All +

27/04/2026

Our newsletter is out!

What began as a conversation in a brewery has quietly grown into something we didn't quite dare hope for: a beer with its own life, its own season, its own faithful following.

09/04/2026

After months of side conversations, quiet collaborations, and small-group huddles, we finally got everyone in the same room with some new faces as well. 🌿

A proper meeting. Faces around a table. And with it, a new way of working together — including a little printed workshop tool that made our ideas feel a whole lot more real.

Something is taking shape. More details coming in our next newsletter.

Thanks for keeping a table for us!

15/03/2026

It was great to welcome students from the University of Glasgow to our Shared Grounds: Coffee, Culture & Community event as part of the Glasgow Goes Green Festival 🌿☕

Together we explored the work of the Slow Food Coffee Coalition — an international network connecting farmers, roasters, baristas and drinkers to build a more transparent and ethical coffee supply chain that’s good for people and the planet.

A big thank you to Sohaib from Crema for sharing the story behind their coffee, from sourcing and roasting to building a values-led business within Glasgow’s thriving coffee scene. He also introduced us to the coffee cherry itself — from the outer skin to the bean — and how each layer contributes different flavours. We learned about the importance of terroir, altitude, and coffee-growing regions, and how these factors shape the taste of the coffee in our cups.

Students also had the chance to taste Sohaib’s roast, explore different brewing methods, and learn what to look for when buying coffee — from origin and transparency to quality and flavour.

We wrapped up with a lively coffee quiz and great discussions about how we can all support a better coffee system. Thanks to everyone who joined us! 🌍✨

It was great to welcome students from the University of Glasgow to our Shared Grounds: Coffee, Culture & Community event as part of the Glasgow Goes Green Festival 🌿☕

12/03/2026

Last week we hosted a special screening of a powerful documentary by Open Seas, exploring the health of Scotland’s seas, the people who depend on them, and the role we all play as seafood consumers in shaping a more sustainable future. 🌊🐟

It was great to hold the event in the Clarice Pears Building, home to the University of Glasgow’s School of Health & Wellbeing. The space created an intimate atmosphere that made the conversation feel open, engaging, and genuinely collaborative.

A huge thank you to Andrea Ladas (Sustainable Seafood Officer at Open Seas) and Grant Reekie (Chef lecturer at Glasgow Kelvin College) for being part of the discussion and sharing their insights on how to connect good food with the protection of marine life and the livelihoods of those who depend on the sea.

We wrapped up with a Q&A and practical tips on choosing better seafood — proof that making more sustainable choices can be easier than you might think.

How to make the difference?

Always ask for seafood catch method

Choose dived scallops over dredged

Engage through our events

Pressuring food influencers asking to always
highlight catch method on their foodie comms

Sign the Our Seas’ petition for an

Thank you to everyone who joined us and contributed to such a thoughtful and inspiring evening. 💙

02/02/2026

The was once a melting pot of ideas and a network for creative minds beyond the arts. It was a platform for advocacy and public engagement, a gathering spot for those still finding their direction in the city. It became part of Glasgow's independent cultural backbone, pushing back against passive acceptance of top-down decisions. Often it was simply the place to meet for a drink at Saramago, sometimes to discuss something bigger.

Beyond the loss to the arts scene, the CCA's permanent closure further impoverishes the cultural and social life of Sauchiehall Street and the entire city. Though its story dates back to 1975, our involvement began in 2017, roughly a year after Slow Food Glasgow was born. We had the pleasure of setting up several events within Cooking Pot, coordinated by , and from there collaborated with organisations including , and ; with external businesses aligned with our values such as , Project Cafe and ; and with passionate creative people that helped along the way

Our thoughts go out to those who've lost their jobs, including at and . Let's help them find new places for their communities. And we hold onto hope that one day, the CCA will re-emerge from its ashes, because Glasgow needs spaces like this.

21/12/2025

As we tie up our campaign launching the 4th edition of the Glasgow Sustainable Food Directory, it feels right to end the years content with who supplied the mushrooms for the canapés made by the chefs of 🍄‍🟫

Mycelium connects to the New Year through themes of renewal and interconnectedness, while mushrooms themselves are European New Year symbols for luck, representing nature’s bounty and resilience as we enter a fresh cycle. 🍄🌍 It’s all connected!

Having joined us for our first GSFD training event back in May, Hendrik has slowly been increasing his operations and improving his sustainability practices. This year, he’s switched over to coppiced Scottish willow for their substrate, and transitioned to growing 80% native species.

🤔 Why was this important?

Hendrik said, “a lot of the hardwood used in small scale gourmet mushroom production comes in the form of wood fuel pellets imported from the European market. A significant portion of the wood used in these pellets comes from Eastern Europe where there are real issues with illegal logging of protected forests.

We were finding it increasingly hard to verify the sustainability of the wood we were buying, so we’ve partnered with a supplier of willow that’s grown in Scotland & uses the traditional technique of coppicing where wood is harvested & regrown from the same stump in a 3-year cycle making it a much quicker and more sustainable source of wood.”

An exciting transition! Here’s to another year of Glasgow Mushroom Co growing and working with more local Scottish food businesses.

📸 launch photos once again by

19/12/2025

Our final riso map sponsor highlight: !! We can’t thank them enough for their support, these maps couldn’t have been printed without them ❤️ There’s still a few floating around the city, so grab one if you see it 👀

Officially established in 2017, Glasgow Community Food Network exists to connect and support the people and organisations of Glasgow who grow, produce and eat food. They focus on sustainability and fair food access, prioritising people, penny and planet friendly food.

They run seasonal networking events and community food projects and engage in partnerships with other local groups across Glasgow.

Right now, you can help them by filling out their Apple Appeal survey. They’re working with to develop a joint project called, ‘The City is an Orchard Commons,’ centred around annual harvest season.

They need to find out:
📊 What is the demand for Glasgow-grown fruit?
📥 What is the supply? From individual trees in gardens to community orchards, commercial orchards, etc

🔗 Complete the survey by heading to their link in bio! ✍️

📸 photos here by from their harvest festival at