Why humanity's fate depends on regenerative food | Oliver English | TEDxPacific Avenue
Food sits uniquely at the intersection of human health, environmental stewardship, education, and social justice. In this powerful talk, filmmaker, chef, and food advocate Oliver English explores how our current food system—while a major driver of chronic disease, environmental degradation, and inequality—also holds the key to solving these urgent, interconnected challenges. Drawing from his upbringing in the restaurant industry, years working alongside leading chefs and hospitality innovators, and visits to over 80 farms across the globe, Oliver shares insights gathered from interviews with world-renowned farmers, nutritionists, climate scientists, and entrepreneurs. Through the lens of his impact-driven production company and award-winning documentary Feeding Tomorrow, English offers tangible, hopeful solutions rooted in a new regenerative food paradigm—solutions that can empower individuals, businesses, and communities to create meaningful change. Solutions that can start tonight at the dinner table. Oliver English is a filmmaker, chef, and global food advocate working at the intersection of storytelling, sustainability, and social change. He is the CEO & Co-Founder of Common Table Creative, an impact-driven production company shaping the future of food and farming through cinematic storytelling.Oliver directed and produced Feeding Tomorrow, the award-winning documentary that premiered in 2024 on Apple TV and Amazon Prime, exploring how regenerative food systems can heal people and the planet. He crafts stories that influence culture, business, and policy.Born into a restaurant family, Oliver’s journey began in kitchens and dining rooms, later leading international expansion across five continents. A sought-after speaker, he’s presented at COP27, COP28, SXSW, Sundance, and A+E Networks events. He is a graduate of Cornell’s School of Hotel Administration and a member of the American Council of Young Political Leaders. 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
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