Washington College Professor Bill Schindler will present WC-ALL’s final spring term Learn at Lunch on Thursday, April 18. The catered buffet luncheon begins at 12 noon in Hynson Lounge of Hodson Hall on the Washington College campus. Following lunch, Dr. Schindler will present “Food Evolution Revolution: The Cutting Edge Fusion of Archaeology, Anthropology, and the Modern Kitchen.”
According to Schindler, understanding the role that technology played in our 3.4 million-year-old dietary past is essential in learning to rethink food and diet. Biologically speaking, humans and human nutritional needs remain relatively unchanged over the centuries; yet our cultural needs have seismically shifted and our expectations of taste, smell, texture, and presentation have significantly changed the way we think about food. By fusing lessons from our dietary past with modern culinary techniques, Schindler believes we can create a food system that is meaningful, accessible, relevant, and delectable.
Schindler is not a traditional anthropologist. Specializing in primitive technology and experimental archaeology at Washington College, he uses a teaching approach that he calls “soul authorship” to immerse students in experiences that teach them first-hand about primitive technologies and ways of life practiced by our prehistoric ancestors. Today he applies prehistoric-focused approaches in experimental archaeology to address a major issue facing humans right now: diet. By reconnecting with the food of our ancient ancestors,Schindler believes that we can find solutions to building a more sustainable, healthful food system. In this quest, Schindler, who holds a Ph.D. from Temple University, completed a year-long research endeavor called the Food Evolutions Project. He traveled the world working with indigenous groups, traditional societies, and Michelin star chefs. Most recently he launched the Eastern Shore Food Lab at Washington College, a center dedicated to empowering the public to reconnect with their food, take control of what they eat, and learn to eat like humans again!
Reservations for April’s Learn at Lunch are due by Friday, April 12. The cost is $20 for WC-ALL members and $25 for others. Please send a check to WC-ALL at 300 Washington Ave., Chestertown, MD 21620 with name, phone, and email for those attending. Payment must accompany the reservation and no phone or email reservations are accepted. For more information, call 410-778-7221.
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