Scents, flavours and colours in the kitchen bring back memories of the past and at the same time can be the basis of a cultural exchange between people belonging to different countries: food, in fact, represents a territory with its traditions and history. With the "Food Issue" of the "Women4Women" magazine, Fujifilm wants to pay homage to the culture of food and its strong symbolic value.
A magazine written with the care and passion of more than 20 women from different countries and realities who, with their words, wanted to convey the importance of food, of a healthy and balanced diet, of taking care of oneself, others and the environment for a positive impact on future generations.
For this sixth edition, the Japanese company's all-female team not only collected the stories of the group and those in the sector encountered along the professional path, but also proposed a true international and multicultural recipe book: most of the contributors, in fact, wanted to tell their own story by sharing their favourite or typical recipe from their home country. From Shakshuka, an Israeli dish with eggs, to chicken in soy sauce glazed with sesame oil, from lasagne with mushrooms to risotto with pumpkin and goat cheese, and Hünkar Beğendi (the Sultan's Delight), a Turkish dish with lamb stew on aubergine cream: these are just some of the dishes shared by the protagonists.
Luana Porfido, European Head of Corporate Communication and ESG Management FUJIFILM Europe GmbH explains:
"we wanted to kick off 2023 with the new issue of Women4Women dedicated to food; a theme which we believe can bring comfort, togetherness, joy and lightness but also transformation. Through the testimonials of our ambassadors we learn about the cultural traditions of their countries and read about how food today plays a new and important role, such as in disease prevention or child nutrition. We also discover that food can become a testing ground for new tastes and recipes or a place to try our hand at home cultivation."
The Fujifilm souls are represented by several contributions: Sally-Ann Pilcher, Personal Assistant at Imaging Solutions division in the UK office, tells of being part of a community - the 'Treewell Farm', where children with mental disabilities can learn how to cultivate the land and the harvest is given to low-income families in the area - and that she loves gardening; not only because it's good for the body and mind but also because it creates new bonds and friendships. Young Marie-Sophie Klüber, an intern at Fujifilm Europe's office, is also passionate about gardening and says that her special bond with the land came about thanks to the community project 'Gardening4Ju' - of which she is a member. – The community project aims to teach the younger generation about where food comes from and the importance of protecting the climate, species and growing local, seasonal produce. Tessa de Kok, Marketing Manager for instax in the Netherlands, likes to cook and experiment for her family: she shoots her own dishes with her instax camera and collects them in a book, adding the ingredients, steps and star rating next to each recipe. Amina Rotic', Accounting & Finance Manager in the UAE, learnt the value of food when she was a child during the occupation in Bosnia and recounts how from that dark time chocolate became her stress-reliever thanks to the kind gesture of an UN soldier. While for young mother Giulia Villani, it is essential to involve children in cooking because these are moments that create good memories, greater awareness of food and strengthen family ties.
Among the external contributions, Tiziana Primori, President of FICO, who explains how the FICO Eataly World Park was born from the desire to create a place for exchange, aggregation and food culture to tell its characteristics and evolution and to teach biodiversity,
"Food, like society, is transformed, evolves and is contaminated by the cultures that surround it. Moreover, its added value is a social motivation that unites people."
Francesca Giovannini, Digital Creator and author of the book ‘Cucina essenziale. Semplice e consapevole ‘, emphasises the importance of implementing good sustainable practices in daily life and making more conscious choices to help reduce environmental impact: choosing organic and seasonal products with plastic-free packaging, reducing food waste by reusing waste and through a more careful organisation of one's pantry, or by selecting quality and durable household appliances or utensils.
Food connects ideas, feelings, beliefs, experiences, memories and is culture, a bridge between one's homeland and the rest of the world as a universal element to foster unity, confrontation and integration.
Read the new and previous issues of W4W:
Women4Women n.6 “Food Issue” January 2023
Women4Women n.5 “Solidarity Issue” November 2022 (internal distribution only)
Women4Women n.4 “Green Issue” January 2022
Women4Women n.3 “Powerful Women” July 2021
Women4Women n.2 “Women in Science” Februrary 2021
Women4Women n.1 “The Care of Yourself” October 2020