IN A NUTSHELL,
WHAT IS MASHPILAB?
MashpiLAB is a gastronomic laboratory dedicated to exploring and leveraging the edible species of the Andean Chocó, one of the world’s major biodiversity hotspots, in order to integrate new, locally-sourced, sustainably grown ingredients into the diets of the local population and foreign visitors, as well as showcasing them to the international gastronomic community and the world. Our mantra is to constantly seek improvement while utilizing our creativity to craft culinary experiences that reflect the richness and flavor of the forest, while also communicating the natural beauty and cultural wealth of this environment. Together with local communities, we build inclusive economies that capitalize on the value of the cloud forest and position the gastronomic richness of this ecosystem.
AT MASHPILAB
WE WANT THE BEST
OF ALL WORLDS.
It is our goal to marry flavor, respect for the environment and culinary expertise to create food products and dishes that are tasty, innovative, respectful of the forest environment and a source of nutritional value and income for local communities.
THE CHOCÓ
SOME BACKGROUND
The Chocó bioregion extends from eastern Panama through the Pacific coastal areas of Colombia and Ecuador, to the northwestern part of Peru. This vast area has been identified as one of most biodiverse on the planet, with 9,000 species of vascular plants, 200 mammals, 600 birds, 100 reptiles and 120 amphibians. Approximately 25% of its plant and animal species are native specifically to this region.
In 2018, the Pichincha Andean Chocó was in turn declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, thus promoting the sustainable, environmentally-friendly use of its lands. This Biosphere Reserve covers 286,000 hectares (706,721 acres). 9 protected forests and a national park.
FINDING VALUE
IN THE FOREST
MashpiLAB is a holistic initiative that leverages the value of the forest in 4 different ways. We exploit its Gastronomic Value by generating new and different products and culinary experiences. We create Economic Value by generating sustainable livelihoods in the local population. We generate Social Value by promoting healthy eating, a steady source of income, education, new cultural paradigms, empowerment and a sense of community. Finally, we build Environmental Value by teaching the local population to farm and harvest sustainably, while respecting the biodiversity of this region.
MashpiLAB is going strong and has ambitious goals for the future, such as a new insect-based product line, which it hopes to implement in the next few years. MashpiLAB is today the very first Ecuadorian organization to explore a new way of eating, a new way of sourcing and a new way of thinking about food and its synergetic relationship with humans and the environment.
In a region so full of richness and biodiversity, it is paramount that food is sourced ethically and responsibly, and that the local community is able to benefit from the bounty of the forest while also protecting it.
THE
MASHPILAB
PROCESS
1
SENSORY ANALYSIS
The chefs perform the sensory analysis of each plant. This allows them to set down what characteristics the plants have in terms of taste, smell, texture, etc., thus giving the chefs some insight into how each plant might be transformed as an ingredient and what products may be created from them.
1. SENSORY ANALYSIS
The chefs perform the sensory analysis of each plant. This allows them to set down what characteristics the plants have in terms of taste, smell, texture, etc., thus giving the chefs some insight into how each plant might be transformed as an ingredient and what products may be created from them.
2 RESEARCH
As a first step, our chefs pair up with a botanist to research what forest products might be edible, both through available bibliography on similar forest ecosystems, as well as tours through Mashpi Reserve guided by local guides and botanical specialists. Thus far, MashpiLAB has found 46 edible plants on the Reserve.
2
RESEARCH
As a first step, our chefs pair up with a botanist to research what forest products might be edible, both through available bibliography on similar forest ecosystems, as well as tours through Mashpi Reserve guided by local guides and botanical specialists. Thus far, MashpiLAB has found 46 edible plants on the Reserve.
3 EXPERIMENTING IN THE GASTRONOMY LAB
This is where the process of creativity and inspiration comes in. Fundación Futuro has invested in a state-of-the-art kitchen that houses everything from the standard gizmos and gadgets found in every professional kitchen to some very unique and fairly rare kitchen equipment, such as the MIT-designed fermentabot, and a rotary evaporator, used to distill liquids and obtain essential oils.
Here, our chefs begin running tests, transforming ingredients and discovering the ways in which each ingredient can best be utilized.
4 SHARING OUR KNOWHOW
MashpiLAB has as one of its main goals the sharing of the information gathered with the local community so that they might implement sustainable farming methods, harvest the fruits of the forest in ways that do not hurt the ecosystem and use the ingredients for their consumption. In addition, we assist the community in transforming ingredients into products with added value, and creating fair trade supply chains, translating into a stable source of income. We also assist local restaurants and home cooks in reworking their menus to include these forest ingredients, benefitting the environment and themselves.
3
EXPERIMENTING IN
THE GASTRONOMY LAB
This is where the process of creativity and inspiration comes in. Fundación Futuro has invested in a state-of-the-art kitchen that houses everything from the standard gizmos and gadgets found in every professional kitchen to some very unique and fairly rare kitchen equipment, such as the MIT-designed fermentabot, and a rotary evaporator, used to distill liquids and obtain essential oils.
Here, our chefs begin running tests, transforming ingredients and discovering the ways in which each ingredient can best be utilized.
4
SHARING OUR KNOWHOW
MashpiLAB has as one of its main goals the sharing of the information gathered with the local community so that they might implement sustainable farming methods, harvest the fruits of the forest in ways that do not hurt the ecosystem and use the ingredients for their consumption. In addition, we assist the community in transforming ingredients into products with added value, and creating fair trade supply chains, translating into a stable source of income. We also assist local restaurants and home cooks in reworking their menus to include these forest ingredients, benefitting the environment and themselves.
5 FORGING RELATIONSHIPS
MashpiLAB has been instrumental in creating links between the main stakeholders in the region (communities, organizations, local government) with the aim of promoting sustainable production in the area. Here, our chefs begin running tests, transforming ingredients and discovering the ways in which each ingredient can best be utilized.
5
FORGING RELATIONSHIPS
MashpiLAB has been instrumental in creating links between the main stakeholders in the region (communities, organizations, local government) with the aim of promoting sustainable production in the area. Here, our chefs begin running tests, transforming ingredients and discovering the ways in which each ingredient can best be utilized.
