Cheddar or gouda, take your pick
Brian Dick |
TEDxJohannesburgSalon
• March 2018
In the 1990s South Africans had two types of cheese to choose from: Cheddar or Gouda. Fast forward to today, and cheese lovers in the country can pick from any of over two-hundred options. All are South African. The system has moved from one that was highly regulated and tightly controlled by the state, to one that has been freed up to flourish and reach it’s full potential. The industry has undergone a transformation, and reached unprecedented levels of creativity and innovation. These qualities have propelled a few South African cheesemakers to world class levels. At the heart of this transformation lies the principle of diversity. And key to this diversity are the artisans, who are often the source of indigenous and cultural knowledge, and the defenders of our heritage. In this simple and powerful talk, Brian urges us to protect everything that makes this diversity possible, so that we never again have to choose between just Cheddar and Gouda, or any other analogous versions of the two.