The recipe for engaging conversation involves equal parts delicious food and drink, good company and open-mindedness.
Mix it all up around a dinner table, and you have an winner.
That’s the hope as Indiana Humanities unveils a group of events that ideally will have people hungry for fresh perspective.
“Food is a convener of people — they like to eat food, they like to talk about food, so it’s a great way for everyone to collaborate,” said Anna Bowman, communications manager for Indiana Humanities.
The Johnson County community is invited to an evening of spirited discussion and great food during “Chew on This: What’s on Your Plate?” on Feb. 21 at Big Woods Franklin. The series of simultaneous events being held at seven other sites around the state offers people an opportunity to share a meal accompanied by insightful conversations with other curious Indiana residents.
By asking questions about where your food comes from — whether it’s grown, harvested or processed — the hope is to bring to reconnect people to food systems around them while fostering connection between other people.
“We hope this ritual of having conversations around the dinner table serves as a starting point for having deep conversations and making lifelong connections with fellow Hoosiers,” said Keira Amstutz, president and CEO of Indiana Humanities. “For years, our Chew on This experience has gathered people of all backgrounds to discuss deep questions and reach new understandings about each other and the world around us.”
Indiana Humanities is an organization aimed at connecting people, opening minds and enriching lives by creating and facilitating programs that encourage Hoosiers to think, read and talk, according to its website.
”We like to gather people and let them get to know each other and explore perspectives that (are) not their own,” Bowman said.
The Chew on This events are a continuation of an award-winning Indiana Humanities initiative from 2011 called Food for Thought. Food for Thought examined the ways that food helps define Indiana’s culture and considered food in the context of history, law, politics, science, the arts, religion, ethnicity and our place in the world.
Sponsorship for the program is provided by Indiana’s Family of Farmers, which was formed in 2009 to raise awareness that Indiana’s farmers are among the top producers of grains, produce and meats people eat every day.
Chew on This has maintained because people responded glowingly to the concept.
“We stuck with it, because Chew on This became a place where you can gather with people you may not know, and talk about things in a deep and meaningful way, which is one of our missions as an organization,” Bowman said.
This round of Chew on This is held at a variety of most celebrated eateries throughout the state, from Joseph Decuis in Roanoke to Zorn Brew Works in Michigan City to Walt’s Pub and Grill in Lafayette to Cordial Cork in Richmond.
Big Woods Franklin offered the right amount of space, the right menu and the right atmosphere to be a successful host, Bowman said.
Each table will be led by a knowledgeable facilitator, someone to help guide participants as they ask questions about what they consume, how they consume, and the impact of what people put on our plates. Ticket price includes a meal, a non-alcoholic drink, tax and tip.
Alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase for an additional cost at most locations. Options are available to participants with dietary restrictions, Bowman said.
“You’ll just sit and enjoy conversation,” she said. “We really love the idea that people could come away with a new perspective on food and thinking about things in a new way that they wouldn’t have already been thinking about what we consume.
“And maybe they can come away with some new friends.”
IF YOU GO
”Chew on This: What’s on Your Plate?”
What: Simultaneous dinner discussions taking place at eight restaurants in cities across the state, offering Hoosiers an opportunity to share a meal accompanied by insightful conversations with other curious Indiana residents.
Who: Indiana Humanities, an organization aimed at connecting people, opening minds and enriching lives by creating and facilitating programs that encourage Hoosiers to think, read and talk.
When: 6 to 8 p.m. Feb. 21
Where: Big Woods Franklin, 1800 E. King St., Franklin
Tickets: $30-$40 and include a meal, a non-alcoholic drink, tax and tip. Alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase for an additional cost at most locations.
Registration: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/chew-on-this-whats-on-your-plate-tickets-799166477447
