One of the first milestones of the MashpiLAB was a day and a half-long workshop for creating and reflecting in which, together with selected guests, we defined the LAB’s vision and the actions that will lead us to achieve our goals. Among the attendees were the actors of the Andean Chocó Commonwealth, scholars from different Universities such as UDLA and USFQ, national and international chefs and entrepreneurs from important gastronomic ventures, the Fundación Futuro team and the members of BCCInnovation and BCulinary LAB from the Basque Culinary Center.

Photograph: Teamwork performed by the workshop participants

The meeting included a tour through the different communities starting with San José de Mashpi, Guayabillas, Pacto, Mindo, Nanegalito, among others. Here, the MashpiLAB chefs, María Fernanda Barriga and Ronald Morocho, together with the Basque Culinary Center team, had the opportunity to experience their first contact with the territory and the local communities. During the tour, they visited gastronomic ventures and organic plantations in the area and identified products with possible culinary potential.

                                      Photograph: Workshop attendees

Apart from the tour, the workshop gathered the rest of invited actors in Quito to work on two main questions: 1)What are the critical challenges concerning food and gastronomy in the Andean Chocó? and 2)What are the unique opportunities or those with potential concerning food and gastronomy in the Andean Chocó? This teamwork allowed a better understanding of the territory and defining the project’s next steps. There is no doubt that we have an arduous job ahead.