FIPDes Day 2021

Every September for ten years straight now, the continuously growing FIPDes community turns its attention to one of the much-awaited events of the year, the FIPDes Day. This year, interest and anticipation hit a fever pitch on the morning of September 2nd at the Maison Internationale of the Cité Universitaire de Paris, where more than 200 students, professors, administrative collaborators, academic and industrial partners, food experts and researchers gathered (in-person and online) for the 10-year anniversary special edition of the day-long event.

FIPDes Day needs no introduction, but to the few people who may not be familiar with it, it is a day of interdisciplinary seminars, that fully revolves around food innovation and whose purpose is to highlight positive and tangible changes happening in the food world and to unleash the endless power of food. It also serves to reinforce the links between past and present cohorts and to encourage them to take actions to transform the way that food is produced and consumed.

To take the sustainability agenda further, more than half a dozen inspiring keynote speakers, all of which were ex-FIPDesers, were invited to share their innovative food, packaging and nutrition-related projects and visions. As young professionals working in different corners of the world, they have made a commitment to a new way of navigating through life, whether through tackling plastic waste, valorizing up-cycled ingredients, creating edible straws or developing sustainable packaging. Their fervent presentations made the audience shift its focus towards change and appreciate the beauty of the endless possibilities that are shimmering in the distance.

Throughout the day, students of cohort 9 also had to summon up their courage and put on a show. Standing up in front of an audience that was eager to hear them speak about their six-month long internships and master thesis projects in just under three minutes was no easy exercise, but getting it done certainly charged up their energies. They took delight in crossing the very last FIPDes task off of their to-do lists.

The poster session that followed propelled the students even further as they had the chance to chat and network with some of the most influential people in the food industry who were interested in their projects and talents. It ultimately paved the way for newer and brighter connections. Next on the agenda was a FIPDes alumni round-table organized by the alumni association (FIPDA), during which students from cohorts 7, 8 and 9 shared their FIPDes experiences, post-FIPDes transitions to work life, their future projects and business ideas.

Besides the delicious lunch and the pastry-filled coffee breaks, the best part of the day was most definitely the FIPDes 10-year anniversary celebration which culminated in the launch of cohort 9’s very own student-written and designed recipe book, edited and published by AgroParisTech. Originally an idea by culinary-enthusiast Roisin Gallagher, “The Cooking Passport” was a year-long project that started amidst a pandemic lockdown. It holds authentic traditional recipes, sometimes passed down through generations and other times partly reinvented, from more than 60 countries. But this is not a typical recipe book, why? Because it is chock-full of science-backed food and sustainability facts. The attendees were able to get their hands on the first copies of the book and even get them signed by the authors themselves. Special invitees included Camille Michon (Director of Human Resources and Sustainable Development, INRAE), Andreas Tuvesson (Chargé d’Affaires, Ambassy of Sweden), Maryvonne Lassale (Director of Parternships, AgroParisTech), Eric Cassan (Deputy Director of International and European Relations, in charge of European Affairs, Université Paris-Saclay), and Hervé This (Director of the International Center of Molecular Gastronomy), the person behind the founding idea of the multi-country FIPDes Master’s programme.

With the organizing team’s commitment and dedication, the event turned out to be a home-run. Cake and champagne were on the menu, and the energy that the live band brought kept everyone on the dancefloor for hours. This was just the type of carefree, refreshing yet rewarding experience that the students and audience needed, as they celebrated togetherness for the last time. The youthful attitude is at the forefront of what the FIPDes community fosters.

FIPDes Day 2021 is now in the rear-view mirror, but it was a day to remember.

Paula Khati, Lebanon, Cohort 9
Pictures by Gabriel Sauvageot

FIPDes Day programme:

Here you can download the Book of executive summaries:

Portfolio

- Updated December 2021 -