Food plays a central role in the evolution of humans, and civilization. As we enter a new geological era - the Anthropocene, the age of humans- we realize our consumption habits are one of the main causes of environmental degradation and climate change.
In this talk, Charles takes us on a journey from the emergence of life on Earth, to the birth of civilization, agriculture and cities, and how the way we eat can either lead us to our demise, or can shape a brighter future for us, and the planet. Sharing a "Guide to Conscious Eating", Charles highlights that eating and cooking are powerful political acts, and that eating consciously could be one of the keys to meet the 2030 UN's Sustainable Development Goals. Charles Michel was originally trained at the Institut Paul Bocuse and in classical fine-dining kitchens in Europe, including two years at one of the best restaurants in the world. Between 2009 and 2012, in Bogotá, he ran a multidisciplinary community of artists creating immersive cultural events in abandoned urban spaces.

Based at Oxford University between 2013 and 2015, he studied the convergence of art, science and multisensory food aesthetics at the department of experimental psychology – publishing over a dozen papers in scientific journals on cross-modal sensory perception. He has given numerous talks on the future of food, including presentations at the Royal Institution of Science in London and the Royal Society.

Today, he works as an experience designer, as a food educator, flavour expert and as an artist. He has been traveling for 3 years working with cutting-edge projects in sustainable development, community building, hospitality, and experiential art. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx