The launch event of the Africa-Europe Cookbook, hosting the most celebrated Ethiopian Chef Yohanis Gebreyesus aims at celebrating the successful publishing and at introducing the audience to this highly symbolic cookbook, featuring recipes and emblems of the culinary heritage of Europe and Africa.The event itself was made to involve the audience, journalists and members of the diplomatic community, in a cultural immersion: the guests had the opportunity to participate in a live cooking show and to taste a selection of dishes from the Cookbook.
The EU Delegation to the African Union organized the event in the bilief that, in order to grow a sustainable and productive relationship and eventually bringit to the highest degree of enjoyment, appreciation of each other’s culture is crucial. This is the very reason why this cookbook was created, as a celebration of what unites all of us, from Lapland to Cape Agulhas: the necessity and the pleasure of food. Food as an expression of our cultural identities and as the epicenter of our social lives. This cook book is also a collective work, the result of contributions coming from AU and EU Commissioners, AU and EU Member State Ambassadors and other colleagues who are involved in building the Europe-Africa relationship, in Addis Ababa and across all Africa.
Ranieri Sabatucci, the EU Ambassador to the African Union, introduced the cookbook explaining the spirit of the work: “Those who have had the privilege of travelling to our two continents have been struck by the vast diversity that can be observed in the culture and ways of living within Africa and Europe. This diversity is a source of richness. Without it, as human beings our lives would be significantly limited, less meaningful. Those who are engaged daily in the relationship between Africa and Europe see diversity as an attraction, not a challenge. It isourprofoundbeliefthatdiversityissomething to celebrate and to build on, and it drives our commitment to thisrelationship. Culture in general and food in particular are essentialelements of thisdiversity.”
A pdf version of the cookbookisavailableherehttps://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/algeria/65628/africa-europe-cookbook-selection-recipes-two-continents_fr
Chef YohanisGebreyesus
Enthusiastic testimonial of the Africa-Europe Cookbook, Yohanis Gebreyesus Hailemariam, is Ethiopian born and brought up in Addis-Ababa. Fascinated with Ethiopia traditional food and ceremonies, he became, since early age very sensitive to the smell the mixture of spicesh is mother uses for herunique “family legacy recipe” for Ethiopian clarified butter.Growing up in an authentic Ethiopian family, hiseducation in the hotel management &culinary arts and hands-on experienceboth in the southern beaches cities of California (U.S.A) and the capital city of food Lyon (FRANCE), Chef Yohanishas developed a purpose-driven passion for fine-dining, global culinary technics and sourcing of quality products among the limitless variety that the global cuisine has to offer.
The EU Delegation to the African Union
Created in 2008, the Delegation of the European Union (EU) to the African Union (AU) contributes to strengthen the links and partnership between EU and AU. The EU Delegation operates in a network of national, regional and pan-African institutions from 55 AU Member States, such as the AU Commission, and international partners. The Delegation deals with a wide range of topics. This includes both dialogue on political issues of mutual concern as they arise, as well as longer-term cooperation and institution building.
The Joint Africa-EU Strategy adopted at the Lisbon Summit in 2007, constitutes the overarching long-term framework for Africa-EU relations. EU-Africa Summits in Tripoli (2010) and Brussels (2014) refined the Partnership’s Strategy, taking into consideration changes and emerging priorities on both continents.
