Our committee

The Slow Food Johannesburg committee is made up of members elected annually by the convivium, and fill positions such as leader, treasurer, secretary, membership officer and other roles, all of which are voluntary.

Tim Truluck (Convivium Leader)

Tim Truluck

Tim joined Slow Food in 2001, after hearing founder member, Peter James-Smith, talking about the Slow Food movement.

Passionate about all things local and seasonal, Tim leaves no neighbourhood orchard, grocer, or market unturned in his search for local food heroes, and alternative ideas and ways of producing food.

Tim aims to spread the philosophy of Slow Food as a way for food lovers to navigate their own personal food choices by being curious about, and critical of, how our food choices affect what we buy and what is produced for us.
Contact: ttruluck@gmail.com or mobile: +27 (0)83 619 2419

Andrew Adrian (Committee member)

Andrew Adrian

Committed locavore and seasonal eater Andrew Adrian, is a founder member and an ex-convivium leader of Slow Food Johannesburg.

Andrew, who brings an encyclopaedic knowledge of local and international wine to the committee, has a passion for bread making, growing his own vegetables, and discovering restaurants in Jo’burg that serve authentic regional and immigrant cuisines.

Lekha Amod (Treasurer)

Lekha Amod

Lekha was introduced to Slow Food while cycling in Tuscany, and joined the movement in 2005.

A keen traveller, accountant Lekha is interested in eating local seasonal food produced in a responsible and sustainable way; and in so doing, she strives to educate fellow gastronomes to make better informed and more ethical food choices.
Contact: lekha.amod@gmail.com

Dennis Conway (Secretary)

Dennis Conway

Dennis has long been interested in all aspects of food, from cooking and food quality, to where our food comes from, and who produces what we eat.

Inspired by Slow Food’s principles of food that’s good, clean and fair, Dennis joined the movement in 2002,  and sees his time on the committee as a way to share these principles with a wide audience in a convivial way.

Caroline Whitehead (Membership manager)

Caroline Whitehead

Caroline is a beekeeper by profession, and joined Slow Food in 2007 because of concerns about the environmental impact of modern food production and the loss of biodiversity; but also to connect with like-minded producers and food lovers.

When she’s not tending her beloved hives, or restoring antique motorbikes, Caroline is responsible for all administration and liaison relating to new and existing memberships.
Contact: caroline@rawhoney.biz

Mike Crewe-Brown (Committee member)

Mike Crewe-Brown

Mike, a former restaurateur and food photojournalist, spent years travelling the world in his search for food that’s good, clean and fair, before joining Slow Food in 2009.

A farmer, educator, and product developer, Mike has a deep-rooted connection to the Slow Food ethos. His latest venture is Wicked Food Earth®, a sustainable lifestyle project that works with local communities, and NGO’s, to develop sustainable farming practices using indigenous vegetables, fruit and animals; and adding value to these products.

Contact: earth@wickedfood.co.za mobile: +27 (0)72 548-88145

Nanette Nel (Committee member)

Nanette Nel

Avid traveller and omnivore Nanette (she’s willing to eat anything at least once), regards food as an important bearer of culture. Long before seasonal and local became fashionable buzzwords, Nanette was fascinated by how cultures around the world cooked and consumed their traditional, regional cuisines.

Nanette is passionate about traditional food, especially South African veldkos (edible wild foods), and joined Slow Food because the movement encourages the shared pleasures of the table to promote food education, defend biodiversity, and preserve food traditions.

Liz Pringle (Committee member and minutes)

Liz Pringle

IT practitioner Liz grew up on a farm in the Eastern Cape, where harvesting and preparing food grown on the family farm was a way of life. Years later, Liz was invited to a Slow Food event, and relished the opportunity to meet like-minded people that shared her connection to the soil, and cared about how their food was grown, and by whom.

Coming from a farm environment, Liz’s particular interests are the challenges facing urbanites living in an industrialised environment yet looking to understand where their food comes from, and how they can source and celebrate food that’s produced responsibly and sustainably within their urban context.

Howard Shenker (Local Food Coordinator)

Howard Schenker

Professional photographer Howard joined Slow Food in 2009. A talented cook and self-described equal-opportunity-eater, Howard is passionate about good food and travel, and loves to experiment with new ingredients and recipes.

Since joining Slow Food, Howard has chosen to consciously embrace all the wonderful local produce available, made, grown, or raised by passionate people who are trying to make a difference to the food we eat; a philosophy he aims to encourage others to adopt through fun, exciting and educational Slow Food outings.
Contact: howard@eject.co.za mobile: +27 (0)82 923 2395

Joan Tatalias (Committee Member