Fermentation Celebration 2024

Everyone is invited to join us and explore the flavours and health benefits of fermentation - celebrating what we believe to be a crucial, forgotten art and ancestral practice. 

Whether you're a complete beginner or a seasoned enthusiast we really look forward to welcoming you to explore fermentation across cultures in an evening of connections, learnings, exchanges and surprising flavours.

Programme & Activities 

4:30pm - 5:00pm 
Arrival, complimentary welcome fermented drink, label your ferment

5:00pm - 5:15pm
Screening of Micromorphis with introduction from artist Laura Selby

5:15 - 7:15pm 
Panel Discussion: Fermentation Across Cultures with Pao-Yu Liu (Pao Pop N Pickles), Rebbecca Ghim (The Ferm), Paula (Get Pickled) & moderated by Jelena Belgrave (OBLUTAK)

7:15pm - 9:00pm 
Bring Your Own Favourite Ferment tastings, D.I.Y fermentation station. This part of the evening is to mingle and make your newest fermentation friend, ask questions of other keen fermenters that will be hosting the space, make your own ferment with produce from the garden and discuss all things fermented. (Bases like crackers and bread will be provided by OmVed Gardens)

Bring your own favourite ferment (BYOFF) You are welcome to bring your own favourite ferment as we will have a table of collective ferments to share with some homemade nibbles. It would be wonderful if this ferment reflected your own culture or a culture you feel close to, at heart. We look forward to hearing about the stories that each ferment carries.

DIY Fermentation Station Make your own ferment to take home. Bring a jar and some ingredients if you wish to share around. We’ll have printouts guides to help you along the way with some experts on hand. 

Sneak preview As part of the panel, Pao will be screening a sneak preview of "Republic of Culture," a documentary by Sandor Katz (@sandorkraut), Mara Jane King (@marajaneking), along side Pao (@paopopnpickles), Rich Shih (@ourcookques) and shot by Mattia Sacco Botto @sacco_botto. The series follows their travel through Taiwan, exploring the ancestral fermentation practices in the region.
 You can watch their first series called ‘People’s Republic of Fermentation’ on travels through China here.

Event Description

For thousands of years, fermentation and other preservation methods were necessary for the survival of every community across the world. Many cultures around the globe have retained the art of food fermentation, and during the past decade, there has been a resurgence of interest in the West for this essential knowledge and technique.

Further research into fermentation has shown that it has numerous benefits for our health. It supports our immune system through digestion and is being highlighted as an essential part of a balanced and holistic diet.

This year we want to highlight some of the ancestral practices from different regions with an evening programme that will focus on Fermentation Across Cultures with a panel of fermenters from different backgrounds around the world who will speak about the past, present and future of fermentation from their region and the bioregion of London itself.

As part of some of the last events of the season, we really look forward to hosting you for an evening of fermentation connections, learnings, exchanges and surprising flavours.

Meet the Panelists 

Jelena Belgrave (The Balkans)

Jelena is a fermentation educator, consultant and flavours tinkerer who firmly believes that microbial food preservation is an essential skill. She entwines stories and knowledge from her Balkan heritage with Japanese macrobiotic training and latest research in the scientific realm of gut health. Jelena is a member of the UK Fermenters Guild and regularly teaches hands-on and shares ferments in London, around the UK and the Balkans. Her workshops and events will always introduce you to new flavours, leave you inspired, excited and eager to find your new fermented condiment

Pao-Yu Liu (Taiwan)

She grew up in Taipei city and has been based in London since the age of 21. She set up the business Pao Pop N Pickles in 2017, selling small batches of fermented products at a local farmer’s market and shops around London. She then set up Paohaus fermentary studio in East London; keeping her passion for fermentation and experimentation growing with different ways of preserving and creating new flavours and regularly hosting workshops and gatherings.

Rebecca Ghim (Korea)

Rebecca is the Founder and Director of The Ferm, a vegan zero-waste Korean fermentary (@the.ferm.london). The Ferm partners with London's top restaurants and catering companies to collect commonly discarded byproducts, such as cauliflower leaves and broccoli stalks, and transforms them into delicious, nutritious pickles at their freshest state. The Ferm carries a range of small batches of award-winning artisan kimchi (spicy vegetable pickles) and jangaji (soy-sauce-based pickles) that are based on Rebecca's family recipes.

Paula (Brazil)

Brazilian-born and bred, Paula’s fermentation journey started in the UK. In the last 10 years she went from making water kefir at home, with a copy of Wild Fermentation by Sandor Ellix Katz to starting a small fermentation business during the pandemic using surplus from her adopted home in Somerset to start learning and experimenting with mold ferments. A couple of years ago she decided to look back at her ancestry (her father is from the Amazon, and her Granny from native stock) and started researching Brazilian ferments and in particular ancestra drinks. On August 2023 she went on a field trip to her father’s homeland in the Amazon and to Pantanl region to do some research. That led to an encounter with the Guarani e Kaiowaa of Mato Grosso do Sul, where she was welcomed by a community in Antonio Joao to make local sweet potato chicha with nhandesy Fausta.

She felt compelled to document their practice and become a facilitator for them to tell their stories. The Guarani e Kaiowaa are one of the most embattled indigenous communities in Brazil and with dwindling numbers and at-risk communities, the practice of chicha making is falling into disuse.

We look forward to fermenting with you!

Subsidised Tickets:

We have a few tickets at a subsidised rate. If the standard ticket is not monetarily accessible to you, please write to us at events@omvedgardens.com to avail yourself of a subsidised ticket rate. Subject to availability.

Refund Policy:

These tickets are refundable up to 10 days before the start of the event (11th September) post which they will be non-refundable.

About OmVed Gardens:

Since 2017, we have been carefully restoring a previously tarmacked land in Highgate Village, north London, to provide a space to explore food, creativity and ecology for health and climate resilience.

We are a community interest company featuring a permaculture garden, a creative zero-waste kitchen and a growing educational, events and exhibition space. Our aims are to realise our deep entwinement with each other and the more-than-human, through thinking around food, gardening and ecological awareness, to improve diversity at all levels (seed, food, species, participation) and to use creativity and nature-led knowledge to help tackle the climate emergency.

www.omvedgardens.com · @omvedgardens

Practical Information:

Access to our garden can be steep, please wear sturdy shoes. We don't currently have access to different mobilities.

There is no visitor parking so we encourage you to cycle, walk or take public transport. Google Maps Directions

There is paid parking on Highgate from 10am - 12pm and free before and after.

We unfortunately cannot allow any furry friends unless they are guide/support animals. Please let us know in advance if you need to bring them with you.

The Glasshouse (Our indoor space) is not heated so please dress for the weather.

Health & Safety Information:

Children are the responsibility of their parents or guardians and should not be left unattended at any time when they are on site.

If you have an allergy to a particular plant or insect, please get in touch before attending our site.

The gardens are a habitat for a variety of pollinators, including busy bees. Please respect them and do not approach the beehives for their safety and yours.

We have ponds - members of the public are not permitted in the pond at any time.

Do not ingest any plants, mushrooms or fungi that you find on site.

There are two first aid kits on site, one in the glasshouse and one in the dome.

*Our events are photographed. If you choose not to be photographed, please let us know prior or during the event*