In 1499, Vasco de Gama discovered the Pepper Route, seven years after the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus. A story for the ages, with incredible creativity!

From Marco Polo to Pierre Poivre

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or centuries, the Pepper Route has been the object of strategies, enterprises and extraordinary manoeuvring. From Ancient Greece to Modern Times, European monarchs and the most intrepid adventurers made every effort to discover the wondrous Spice Islands. Men were ready to risk everything for these spices that were worth their weight in gold. Pepper -- the king of all spices – cost more than precious metal. The Pepper Route is the story of men and women who gave all their intelligence, their creativity and their passion to make their dream come true. Today we can draw lessons for management, strategy and innovation from these exceptional destinies. 

The highlights of the conference

1An exclusive conference, which offers participants a convivial moment, when history, oriental and western cultures, exotic scenes, gastronomy and adventure form a unique experience.

2See creativity in a different way: describe the process of creativity and innovation with living history, fresh and inspiring, sharing with participants a new vision of their own practices.

3An exceptional casting: Alexander the Great, Marco Polo, Apicius, Alaric, the King of the Visigoths, Henry the Navigator, King Manuel of Portugal, Vasco de Gama, the catholic king and queen of Spain, Ferdinand and Isabelle, Christopher Columbus and his brother, Diego, Magellan, Elizabeth I of England, the Dutch merchants, Drake, Pierre Poivre, Jacques Cartier and other monarchs and adventurers who wrote the history of the Pepper Route.

4Some astonishing peppers: the different sorts of true and false peppers. What do we really know about peppers? Where and how do they grow? How are they cultivated? What are the differences between white, black, grey, green, pink and red peppers?

Practical Organization

• Duration: ideally between 45 and 90 minutes, depending on your preferences
• Participants: conference open to everyone
• Number of participants: no limitation on the number of participants
• Languages: this conference is given in French, English, Dutch and Spanish

This conference may be followed by a tasting of true and false peppers of the highest quality.

The Speaker

This conference is given by  Mark Raison. He is president of the  Académie des Poivres, founded in 2003 in Brussels. With his “piperomane” friends – this is what pepper lovers are called – he organizes tastings of true and false peppers.