PW-ACTUA Belgian chip shop culture is now cultural heritage Anyone who ever travels in or through Belgium knows that there is a chip shop in every self-respecting village or city neighbourhood. This summer, this chip shop culture was elevated to the status of a Belgian intangible cultural heritage. During the festivities in Brussels, HRH Prince Laurent of Belgium said that, like the members of his family, he is a big fan of a bag of fries with, of course, masses of mayonnaise. This is why he was very pleased to officially appoint the international Ambassador of the Belgian French fry industry. And so the well-known but still mysterious cartoon character, James Bint, was immediately launched into action in a promotion campaign by the Belgian promotional organisation Vlam in five countries in Southeast Asia. At the end of July, James Bint was sent into the world as Ambassador for Belgian Chips with, from left to right, Herman De Croo, former Minister and former President of the Belgian Parliament, godfather of the Chip Fryers organisation Navefri, Rene Collin, Walloon Minister of Agriculture, HRH Prince Laurent of Belgium, James Bint, and Romain Cools (photo: Vlam). All four Belgian communities agreed this year that the Belgian chip shop culture is part of the country’s intangible cultural heritage. At the end of July, an interesting group of people was present in and around the Atomium in Brussels to inaugurate the Belgian chip shop culture as an intangible cultural heritage. After Flanders in 2014, all four Belgian communities agreed this year that the Belgian chip shop culture is part of the country’s intangible cultural heritage. The Flemish Minister of Agriculture Joke Schauvliege and the Walloon Minister of Agriculture Rene Collin, attended the festivities. The former Chairman of the House of Representatives, Herman De Croo, godfather of Navefri, the Federation of Belgian Chip Fryers, was also present. In a video speech, Marianne Thyssen, the Belgian European Commissioner, reassured the Belgians that the announced measures to reduce the presence of acrylamide in chips will have no impact on the preparation of the worldfamous Belgian chips. The most notable presence was that of Prince Laurent of Belgium. Having confessed that he is a great fan of Belgian chips, he was immediately admitted into the Order of the Golden Cornet. Following the official part of the proceedings, at which James Bint was sent into the world as Ambassador for Belgian Chips, the party itself was able to taste a chip from an original Belgian chip shop. Naturally, from new Belgian potatoes. ● Potato World 2017 • number 4 11 Pagina 10
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