Content
- #unCookd: food preparation + lunch
- #unBroken: afternoon tea ceremony
- In detail
- Budget
- Fundraising
- How to get the word out
Concept
We will infuse several common food and drink related activities (food preparation, lunch and tea time) with meaning. To do this, we implement existing concepts, including “Mixology”, “Agape meals” and “Wabi-Sabi / Kintsugi” on top of those daily activities. We’ll try to achieve a natural flow, so people can step in and out at the right time and part take in what attracts them most. Part of that is adapting continuously to our surroundings and to our guests.
Every activity will have two components:
- A practical part where participants are invited to physically partake in a food related ritualized activity. For this we will need supplies.
- A content part where one of the Edgeryders hosts helps guide the conversation to be as meaningful as possible. For this, we'll need enthusiastic hosts/guides.
#unCookd - food preparation + lunch
Phase 1: The first part of this is a communal food preparation activity, for which we’ll try to collaborate as much as possible with the Food Hacking Base.
The food preparation/recipes acts as metaphor. The act of preparing ingredients, creating and trading new combinations of food stimulates is a good backdrop for discovering what people are working on, how they complement each other and what ingredients and recipes are missing. We start with aggregating what is already out there to support or increase well-being in some dimension of our lives: Existing social-technical infrastructures, working social tech innovations, active collectives and communities engaging interesting experiments/doing relevant work, especially ones outside English-speaking countries (i.e. we need to do this in different languages). We then turn them into “Recipes” for what we already know is out there (submitted by participants) and with [“missing recipes”] for what we need to build.
Phase 2: Lunch. With the results of the food preparation, we settle down for an “Agape-style” meal. Note that it is not required that exactly the same people that joined the food preparation follow up with this lunch. Newcomers are welcome.
An “agape feast” is essentially a proto-Christian ritualized meal, where you sit together with a moderate number of people and have some kind of “guided conversation” while you eat. (Alain de Botton suggests reviving this in a non-religious context in his book “Religion for Atheists”.)
At the start of the lunch, the concept will be explained to the guests, so they can agree to join or not. We’ll form groups of 7 to 12 people (depending on the setup, acoustics, etc), plus a host per table. The host of the table is responsible for making the conversation at the table meaningful. While allowing for improvisation should the circumstances call for it, we can assume some of the topics from the food preparation can form the basis of the guided conversation, such as commonly mentioned challenges, motivation and the like. The idea is to look for more “profound” thoughts and topics and to keep the table focused on the conversation. There are several conversation forms the host can choose from or combine, …: you could read from an existing text, have a “round table” conversation (where every guest has a chance to speak in turn), have (brief) moments of silent contemplation, pass an object or food around with some kind of assignment, etc. The goal is to ritualize the meal, by having a “system”, by explaining what is going on and what is expected of the table guests. The host should also organize the food serving itself, in whatever manner seems appropriate (serving it themselves/having a central spot on the table/…). Of course, it is also important to have a proper ending to the meal, preferably including an invitation to the #unBroken tea ceremony later in the day.
#unBroken - (afternoon) tea ceremony
We will set up a special tea area, with pillows, small tables and the like. We try to get as many “wabi-sabi” style objects involved here, which means things that are worn from usage in a beautiful way or have been repaired beautifully (“Kintsugi”). In fact, we actively invite bringing elements that are broken, but which can be fixed/mended for the tea ceremony (ripped pillows, blankets, small tables or chairs, cups and tea pots). We will also bring tools to fix these things on location. The tea ceremony itself will consist of a communal “repair” café, where we enjoy and discuss the beauty of worn/repaired things. Of course, tea will be served as well 
In detail
Rather than do everything ourselves we collaborate with Food Hacking Base and see how we can support what they are trying to achieve, and add our own activities in their program (last year’s program ). They coordinate through: Facebook Group, Mailing List.
Frantisek mentioned that with CCC congress we have to be very careful not to “serve” food to the public because the commercial vendors are pressuring the organization team to not allow this. Also is seems there is no running water or drainage: so we need to come up with food that is fun to prepare together and works under these conditions. If we do something “experimental” it is more likely to attract more participants at #31c3 (see documentation from Food Hacking Base #30C3).
Food concepts / ideas
1. Tea – @Dorotea plans to offer creative tea mixtures. Needs: herbs (camomile, ginger, lemon), kettle, pot, cups
2. WeMixology*: Creating and trading new combinations of food together in different “sessions”. Each Session is dedicated to one dimension of well being, food acts as metaphor. The act of preparing ingredients, creating and trading new combinations of food stimulates is a good backdrop for discovering what people are working on, how they complement each other and what ingredients and recipes are missing.
*WeMixology is Inspired by the Mixology concept:
In addition to the actual ingredients (around 100) we will use the following:
Cutting/ serving surface, knives, potato peelers, buckets or paper bags, and pieces of board/wood to serve ingredients on
10-12m table with white cover: Main space devoting to creating, curiosity, creativity, playing, and mingling to encourage conversation around specific aspects of well-being.
Projector & speakers: Displaying what “session” it currently is. Close-up shots of ingredients, and mixed with visuals related to the different aspects of well-being and questions.
Custom made notebooks: For writing reflections and recipes. We collect them before people leave.
Customized aprons: Well it would be cool, wouldn’t it? And it’s something we all use after so no waste.
* Light & Sound: Ideally we would have different light and sound during each session- this is nice, not absolutely necessary…
*optional and depends on if people are willing to help make them happen + resources.
3. #unCookd: hacker recipes for healthy and happy communities: We start with aggregating what is already out there to support or increase well-being in some dimension of our lives: Existing social-technical infrastructures, working social tech innovations, active collectives and communities engaging interesting experiments/doing relevant work, especially ones outside English-speaking countries (i.e. we need to do this in different languages). We then turn them into “Recipes” for what we already know is out there (submitted by participants) and with [“missing recipes”] for what we need to build. Relevant work already being done: The Stewardship Case Study Adventures, Nominet list of 100 Social Tech innovations, [add more here].
We probably need to determine the following:
- Title Summary A one-line description of the book, summing up its scope and content.
- Description:A concise description of the book including our approach, main topics and the subjects discussed.
- Rationale: The reasons why the book is needed, the needs it will fulfill, its fit with contemporary literature.
- Short non-technical description: A short description that could be used as the basis for a catalog or jacket copy. This should be clear, informative and persuasive (175 words or less).
- Key features: If we had to give three key benefits that our book offers to its readers, what would they be?
- Table of contents
- Chapter outlines: A brief description of the main topics to be covered in each chapter, including the main references upon which the material is based.
- Length and delivery: How many words long (including notes and bibliography) will our manuscript be, how many illustrations will we be providing, are there other features, such as an accompanying website, that may be needed? Also when do we expect to deliver the completed work – we should be realistic.
- Permissions: Will we be reusing any previously published material (figures, illustrations, text) of our own or others? If so we need to give full details.
CHECKLIST OF SUPPLIES Where we are getting them | How we cover the costs
1. Ingredients for food:
Frantisek is producing a draft of the ingredient list over the weekend and open it to comments and editing.
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Ingredients list has to be updated and well uploaded. We will need quite selection and ideally organic, fair trade if budget allows.
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Once the first list is up, we make the call for #31C3 participants to help us get to 100 ingredients by adding one more to the list (which they bring with them).
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There is at least one organization that redistributes food in Hamburg- Although usually for people that are homeless or can’t afford to buy food…maybe they have good suggestions/want to collaborate?:
2. 10-12m stretch of table & White tablecloth:
For the working tables Frantisek recommends washable surfaces. Marcel is securing PE material which FHB want to use for flooring- we need to know if it’s safe for tables too. Apparently if we use tables provided by orga we need to cover them REALLY well 
How big tables we make depends on the materials which FHB get and their floor space (and crowdsourcing campaign success). Last year FHB had three tables around 3 m long, 80 cm wide and 1 m high - workshop tables, thick wood (they gave them away after the event). One was dedicated to the “experimental kitchen”, two workshop area. They had several usual desk folding tables provided for free from the organization for presenting their creations and to sit around (plus chairs, same source). We should get bit bigger this year but first they need to know how much space they are going to have, so lest keep this in mind and wait a bit for the data from the orga. Everyone please keep in mind we need many shelves, we had really big problem last year to keep things organized there it was hell to find anything - did not have proper shelving system.
White table-cloths is about the aesthetics, as this thing is a bit like a performance. We probably won’t know what size the tables are till we get there, any suggestions for a smart solution?
3. Knives, potato peelers & cutting surface
FHB have a lot of this from previous FHB events and can get the pieces which we are missing in second hand shops before the event. Frantisek is picking up their stuff around 16th of December so he’ll update the information about what we already have.
4. Projector and white surface to project on
We need to borrow these, can someone help?
5. Custom Made notebook: For writing reflections and recipes.
We produce these in advance, and hand them out to participants asking them to fill them out throughout the sessions. We collect them before people leave.
They need to: make it easier for people to talk to one another, share their magic new food combinations, and encourage reflections about their work and well being. Anything else? Add your suggestions here!
Design:
Material:
Cost:
Online documentation: Would be good, they had it last year here https://events.ccc.de/congress/2013/wiki/AssemblyInfo:Food_Hacking_Base/notes_on_the_event “but nothing in because we had major issue to edit 31c3 wiki - maybe we should make it on our fhb wiki?”
6. Customised Aprons: Black organic cotton aprons + Pins or Organic screen painting
I found a place where we can buy organic fairtrade aprons (company based in Germany, we can ask them to deliver to the hostel where we are staying). They cost 13.29 Euros each. People can support the FHB activities in general by buying an apron (online e.g. crowdfunding campaign or on location).
Customisation suggestion #1: I was also thinking maybe we could also make one pin for each of the activities (each activity would need it’s own round logo), and people support the activities by buying pins.
Customisation suggestion #2: @elf_Pavlik suggests we could screen print them there with some kind of organic ink…He’s currently at La Paillasse and will try to ask about glowing fungus.
So this way we have a useful item needed anyway when you mess around with food, and colourful ways of both supporting the activities and customizing your aprons. If it works well, we have a nice way to fundraise for future activities.
What do you think- Should I order them and if so, how many already know they want one?
"This is great idea, want to have it every year and we never make it. Usual aprons with logos of our groups would be amazing, I believe people who are in vinyl cutting or how they call it could help on this. Anyone in the group? There will be vinyl cutter machines around the congress I’m sure if we do not make this in advance so we need just to put aside cash for aprons. " - Frantisek
7. Garbage bags and paper napkins
We’ll buy this on location in Hamburg or see if FHB an pick some up and we pool resources.
Budget
<1500 Euros
List of ingredients: budget must be < 500 Euros for 4 “meals”
List of other materials and supplies: budget must be < 300 Euros
Cookbook design and layout: 300 Eur.
Fundraising
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Through crowdfunding: FHB already has crowdfunding campaign on IndieGogo, maybe we could support them and if more money than needed by them comes in it can cover some of our costs?
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Donation box on location
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Sales of Aprons at markup [url coming soon]
How to get the word out
The invitation to #31C3 visitors to participate:
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Engage people to add an ingredient they bring with them to the list of 100 : http://uncookd.meshte.ch:3000/#TWQPX6vm0MmnfxIjKwGMvMbL
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Engage people to contribute a story, recipe or an ingredient to the unCookd recipe book. [url coming soon]
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Reach out to assemblies and ask if we can feature them.
Leave a comment below if you want to help with any of the above!
