Manne Mosten runs Norra Station in Östersund and also organizes various food and cultural experiences together with local food artisans and restaurateurs. He sees the UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy designation as a great asset for Östersund and Jämtland and has himself participated in several trips organized by the network, including to China and Scotland.

– I am not a producer, but I am very interested in food production and cultural history and the strong identity they contribute to a region. In Östersund and Jämtland, there is incredible potential to strengthen our food brand in both a sustainable and enjoyable way, and UNESCO’s network is a fantastic source of knowledge that we should make use of.

During the trip to Shunde in China in 2019, Manne visited their Gastronomy Visitor Center. There, Chinese food culture is presented, from thousands of years back in time to the present day, in every conceivable form. They have, among other things, studio kitchens, interactive experiences, lectures, and a library with cookbooks and other culinary literature. Even before the trip, Manne had an idea to create a Gastronomy Visitor Center in Östersund, and what he saw in Shunde only made him even more convinced.

– A large proportion of the tourists who come here to Jämtland only visit Östersund. They miss everything that exists in the rest of the county. If we can gather all the information in one place and present both the diversity of our food culture and the people who work with food, we can inspire both visitors and local residents to want to experience and taste more of our county. I envision that we should gather everything that has been written and everything that has been photographed and filmed – and that the organizations and municipalities working on these issues should be able to showcase current projects.

Another trip that Manne participated in went to Scotland. There, it became clear to him how far we in Sweden and Jämtland have actually come in terms of sustainability, but that Scotland, on the other hand, has come considerably further in packaging linked to food culture.

– We have quite a bit to learn from them. Many tourists come here for outdoor recreation, but more and more of them also want to try locally produced food. If we can find more ways to package outdoor recreation together with a sustainable food experience, prepared with local ingredients and by local food artisans, we would benefit greatly from it.

The trips and events organized within UNESCO give Manne inspiration and fuel to continue working on what he believes in.

– In meeting with other members of the network, I have realized that we Jämtlanders are really good at this food and sustainability thing – it gives your self-confidence a real boost