Tonight, July 10, from 6:30-8:30 p.m., Farmigo will host the first in a series of monthly meetups, all storytelling events for New Yorkers with their toes in the food world.
“We’re very inspired by The Moth,” said Farmigo CEO Benzi Ronen, referring to the podcast and PRX radio program that features an hour of personal narrative by storytellers from diverse backgrounds. The stories they tell come together around a theme. This is an aspect that Farmigo will borrow; each of the events will have a different theme, though all tied, in some way, to the food world. This first event is called “Through the Fire,” and speakers will share their histories and experiences with the culinary metaphor to which the title refers, “out of the frying pan and into the fire”: “You end up learning a lot more when people talk about their failures,” said Ronen. “It’s not always a total failure. Maybe it’s just a burn, But people really open up.”
“We want there to be an atmosphere in New York City where everyone in the food industry can come together and collaborate,” he said. “The more we can work together, the better off we all are.” Storytelling, he said, is one of the best ways he knows to bring people together. “We also believe that it [storytelling] strikes an emotional chord and can be very inspiring. It gets people to think, ‘I can do this’ — whether it’s becoming a Farmigo organizer, or starting your own business. Whatever it is, we hope it creates that kind of reaction.”
The speakers will come from various corners of the food industry, whether farmers, chefs, local food artisans or other entrepreneurs with food business. This round of speakers will include, among others, Josh Hicks, who started the meal delivery service Plated; to Erin Fairbanks, the executive director of Heritage Radio Network; to Ronen himself, who founded the alternative grocery service, Farmigo, of which he is now the CEO.
“An entire ecosystem is being built here, so we need all parts represented,” Ronen said of the speakers. “If we can get this kind of collaboration happening, we feel that we New York City can become a hub for this kind of entrepreneurship.”
“Through the Fire” will take place at the Farmigo headquarters in Gowanus. RSVP to save your spot! Food and drink will be served.
Feature photo: Facebook/Farmigo
