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Beard Foundation seeks sponsors and programming for USA Pavilion at food-focused Expo Milano 2015

Pavilion1 The USA Pavilion being built for Expo Milano 2015 includes a 7,200-square-foot vertical crop wall, right, growing 42 varieties of vegetables, grains and herbs. (USA Pavilion — Architect’s illustration)


Imagine a world’s fair where everyone in American agriculture could explain what they do to an audience from around the world.

That place will exist at the USA Pavilion at Expo Milano 2015 from May 1 to October 31. The expo in Milan, Italy, with the theme “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life,” is a world’s fair that will cover technology, innovation, culture, traditions and creativity and how they relate to food and diet as the world’s population grows.

More than 140 countries as well as international organizations, nongovernmental organizations and corporations have signed up to participate and millions of people are expected to travel to Milan during the six months the expo is open.

The New York-based James Beard Foundation is largely in charge of the USA Pavilion, and is seeking both sponsorships and programming suggestions. Governments are paying for most countries’ exhibits, but the U.S. pavilion and programming will be entirely privately funded.

The Beard Foundation, the International Culinary Center and the American Chamber of Commerce in Italy have already lined up funding from such companies as Boeing, General Electric, Microsoft, Uvet, DuPont, Illy Café, 3M and Brand USA, but they are still looking for sponsors to raise the $60 million to finish paying for the pavilion that is under construction, and to run the programming.

Mitchell Davis
Mitchell Davis
Perhaps even more interesting is that the Beard Foundation wants programming on everything from genetic modification to local and organic foods, said Mitchell Davis, a Beard Foundation official who is the creative director of the U.S. effort.

According the USA Pavilion website, the exhibitions and programming will address “How will we feed the 9 billion people expected to inhabit the Earth by the year 2050? What will America's unique contribution to finding that answer be? And how will our values of innovation, diversity, and personal choice — not to mention our unique food culture — inform the way we go about it?”

The website describes the programming as ranging from conferences on global food security to cooking demonstrations, panels on technological innovation in the food system and conversations with top farmers and chefs.

Topics will include how to manage water resources, the importance of food labeling, healthy school lunch, traditional American cooking, and “how can we create a burger that's better for our health and better for our environment.”

People invited to speak range from Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to Michael Pollan, the University of California professor who is the author of “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” and a critic of industrial-scale agriculture.

But the organizers want daily programming, and Davis is asking groups of all kinds to submit their proposals. (See contact information below.)

“We couldn’t be half as creative if this money came from the State Department,” Davis said in an interview. The lack of government involvement and control “gives us the opportunity to be provocative,” he added.

Of the sponsorships, he said, “We really believe this will be a showcase for them. It’s an opportunity to touch business to business and business to consumers.”

Davis warned, however, that the programming should be serious.

“We’re not interested in a creating an entertainment, but a flash point for conversation,” he said. “All the exhibitions are about food and feeding the planet.”

The University of Southern California is also organizing a student ambassadors program and bringing their marching band.

Davis said he expects people from around the world to visit the USA Pavilion, even if they disapprove of the way Americans eat. Italians say they will come to the American pavilion if only “to see how they stuff GMOs down their throats,” Davis joked.

Pavilion3 The 35,000-square-foot USA Pavilion is described as “a multi-level experience that flows with activity.” It was designed by New York architect James Biber. (USA Pavilion — Architect’s illustration)


THE PAVILION BUILDING AND ITS EXHIBITS


The USA Pavilion is a one-of-a-kind building designed by New York architect James Biber. It will be a 35,000-square-foot space described as “a multi-level experience that flows with activity from top to bottom, side to side.”

James Biber
James Biber
It will include a 7,200-square-foot crop wall — a vertical working farm growing 42 types of vegetables, grains, herbs that will be harvested daily, representing America's agriculture past, present and future, according to the website.

“I’ve drawn inspiration from the straightforward, 'honest' agricultural buildings that are part of our nation's history,” Biber has said.

“There's a constant dialogue between nature and science in the USA Pavilion — and the proposition that they're not on opposite ends of the spectrum, but very much part of a cooperative system,” the architect continued.

“America’s food story is rich and innovative — much more so than most people realize. We want visitors to understand and appreciate how complex and sophisticated our story is.”

The theme for the USA Pavilion is “American Food 2.0: United to Feed the Planet.”

Using interactive exhibits and state-of-the-art digital media, the pavilion “will highlight American industry, talent, products, ingenuity and entrepreneurship within the contexts of sustainability, nutrition and health, consumption, technology and innovation,” the website says.

PavilionConstruction1 PavilionGrowing3
Left: Construction of the USA Pavilion is well under way, as seen last month. Expo Milano 2015 opens May 1, and continues through October 31 in Milan, Italy. Right: One of the crop wall panels that will be part of the working vertical farm on the outside of the pavilion. (USA Pavilion)


FOOD TRUCKS AND FINE DINING

The exhibits and the discussions will be accompanied by an area called “Food Truck Nation,” which the USA Pavilion website describes as “an edible exhibit located on the Expo grounds a few yards from our main building.”

“Six custom-built food trucks will serve up regional American street foods — both traditional and creative interpretations with a nod toward wholesomeness, sustainability and health,” the website says.

“The menus — created with input from an advisory board of celebrated food truck operators and experts from across the U.S — will span such iconic American foods as hamburgers, barbecue, Korean tacos, and lobster rolls,” the website continues.

“Classic American desserts and specialty beverages will also be on offer. Week to week the culinary traditions and regional products and ingredients of different states across America will be celebrated in this unique Food Truck Nation exhibit, produced in conjunction with Brand USA.”

In central Milan, there will also be the James Beard American Restaurant (named after the American food writer and critic) to provide a showcase for chefs, products, ingredients, beverages, and other American gastronomic delights.

Every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday night during the Expo, guest American chefs will prepare special five-course, regional, prix-fixe menus at the James Beard restaurant to celebrate the ingredients and cuisine from the United States.

In addition to these guest-chef “performances,” every Thursday diners will be able to experience a traditional American Thanksgiving meal. And each Sunday there will be an all-day brunch, complete with jazz, gospel, and other classic American entertainment.

Special tastings, receptions, demonstrations, and other cultural events will also be held at the restaurant.

The cost of a basic adult ticket for admission to the Expo is €32, but there are a variety of pricing packages available on the Expo website.

Sponsorship inquiries: Email Julie Wadler, director of strategic sponsorships.

Programming opportunities: Email Mitchell Davis.

USA Pavilion at Expo Milano 2015
Expo Milano 2015