L’équipée sauvage, a cooking adventure in Namur that is also about cuistax and wild plants!
This story starts with Lionel Raway, the man who began “Cuisine sauvage”, an association in Namur offering activities related to edible wild plants (walks, recipes and soon cooking workshops)… I don’t know the little details but I know it has something to do with Lionel’s wedding and the fact that he organised for his guests this awesome cuistax race at the fortress of Namur for his big day and it has been such a huge success that he decided to make it a public event. He therefore made a partnership with a few restaurants: Le Panorama, Terra Nova, l’Agathopède and l’auberge de jeunesse de Namur, to make his 5 km race also an incredible culinary discovery with its 4 wild plant tastings. Dandelion caper, ground ivy sirup, wild garlic butter, “égopode” salad… Super fun, super wild, super delicious !
This event is also local, organic and fair on the ingredients’ side and also zero waste and zero carbon with for example Jérome from coursiers wallons taking care of glass bottles with a bycicle during the entire event.
But also, l’équipée sauvage is a group of people, mostly friends and family on Lionel’s side, people from Namur and surrondings or interns and… Myself lost in the middle of it (for my greatest pleasure !). It’s a really well organized activity, supported by very nice and welcoming restaurants who are willing to play the game with the volunteers and this slightly different type of customers. It’s tons of laughters, sweat, super good atmosphere, organic fruit juice, a few beers on top of that and a jump into the Meuse river … And in the end it’s a lot of collaboration, kindness and humanity in the teams!
Now you got it, I volunteered this year for l’équipée sauvage and I had a blast. I’m wondering if next year I’ll again be in the kitchen or if I’ll try the cutomer side ?!? Both ways, I’ll sure go back for my “line” of inspiration !
To be followed…
