## **THE OXFORD SYMPOSIUM ON FOOD AND COOKERY**
## **THE OXFORD SYMPOSIUM ON FOOD AND COOKERY ANNUAL**
## **REPORT AND UNAUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR**
**ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2025**
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**THE OXFORD SYMPOSIUM ON FOOD AND COOKERY**
_**AS AT 30 SEPTEMBER 2025**_
## **LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION**
|**Name**|**Role**|**Date of Appointment**|
|---|---|---|
|**Richard Warren Shepro**|**Chair of Trustees**|**18 December 2023**|
|**Christopher Grocock**|**Trustee – Treasurer**|**Trustee – Treasurer**
**16 October 2024**|
|**Birgitte Kampmann**|**Trustee**|**11 July 2025**|
|**Cathy Kaufman**|**Trustee**|**11 July 2025**|
|**Professor Janet Beizer**|**Trustee**|**7 July 2024**|
|**Voltaire Cang**|**Trustee**|**18 December 2023**|
|**Cameron Stauch**|**Trustee**|**7 July 2023**|
|**Jane Levi**|**Trustee**|**7 July 2023**|
|**Kenneth Bruce Albala**|**Trustee**|**22 August 2022**|
|**Priya Mani**|**Trustee**|**22 August 2022**|
|**David Henry Matchett**|**Trustee – Registrar**|**22 August 2022**|
|**Naomi Hilary Duguid**|**Trustee**|**22 August 2022**|
|**Dr Scott Alves Barton**|**Trustee**|**5 August 2021**|
|**Dr Elaine Mahon**|**Trustee**|**5 August 2021**|
|**Professor Mark Bradford McWilliams**|**Professor Mark Bradford McWilliams**
**Trustee – Editor**|**5 November 2020**|
|**Carolyn Elizabeth Steel**|**Trustee – Secretary**|**6 August 2020**|
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**THE OXFORD SYMPOSIUM ON FOOD AND COOKERY** _**AS AT 30 SEPTEMBER 2025**_
|**CONTENTS**|||
|---|---|---|
|||**Page**|
|
|Trustees' report|4 - 7|
|
|Independent examiner's report|8|
|
|Statement of fnancial actvites|9|
|
|Balance sheet|10|
|
|Notes to the fnancial statements|11 - 15|
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**THE OXFORD SYMPOSIUM ON FOOD AND COOKERY**
_**AS AT 30 SEPTEMBER 2025**_
## **TRUSTEES’ REPORT**
## **For the year ended 30 September 2025**
The trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 30 September 2025.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the financial statements and comply with the charity’s governing document, the Charities Act 2011, and _Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)_ (effective 1 January 2019).
## **Objectives and Activities**
The charity’s objective is to promote research and advance education in all aspects of food and cooking for the benefit of the public. The charity interprets the terms _food_ and _cookery_ in their widest sense to include, among other things, agriculture, climate, history, culture, politics, and social justice as these relate to food and cookery. This interpretation is reflected in the charity’s mission:
## **“To change the conversation, expand the table, and improve the plate.”**
The trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission in determining the activities undertaken to achieve these objectives.
The principal activity of the charity is the organisation of an annual symposium focused on a specific theme exploring food and cookery. In keeping with the charity’s educational mission, there are no academic prerequisites or formal qualifications required to attend the symposium or participate in the charity’s other activities.
The symposium is open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis upon payment of a fee intended to cover costs. In-person attendance at St Catherine’s College is subject to physical capacity constraints and is capped at 220 participants. An unlimited number of online-only participants may attend at a modest fee. Many online participants are based in Asia or the Global South, or have personal circumstances that make travel challenging or impossible.
## **The 2025 Symposium**
Following the charity’s established practice, the theme for the 2025 symposium was selected by a vote of the 2022 symposiasts. The chosen theme was **“The Elements”** , a broad-ranging topic encompassing scientific, cultural, and environmental perspectives on food.
The symposium continued the two-part structure introduced in 2022:
- **In-person symposium:**
- Held at St Catherine’s College, Oxford, from **11–13 July 2025** , attended by **153 symposiasts** from **21 countries** .
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**THE OXFORD SYMPOSIUM ON FOOD AND COOKERY** _**AS AT 30 SEPTEMBER 2025**_
- **Online symposium:**
- Held from **18–31 July 2025** , with an additional **78 online-only symposiasts** , extending participation to **two further countries** .
Despite the continued closure of significant parts of the St Catherine’s campus due to the discovery of unsafe reinforced autoclave aerated concrete (RAAC), the symposium successfully convened as planned. Draft papers, video presentations, and related materials were distributed to all registered participants via the symposium website.
## **Participation and Access**
- **23 symposiasts** received subsidised places at a **50% reduced rate** , primarily students aged 18 or over enrolled in post-secondary education during the 2024–2025 academic year.
- Free places were offered to keynote speakers, guest chefs, invited plenary presenters, and **three competitively selected Young Chefs** , defined as practitioners with fewer than ten years’ professional experience.
- The Young Chefs were selected from **21 applicants** and the programme marked its **sixteenth year** in 2025.
## **Programme Content**
## **Plenary Keynote Presentations**
- **Professor Marion Nestle** — _The Elements: Food, Nutrition, Health, and Politics, 2025 Style_
- **Professor Ole G. Mouritsen** — _Elements of a Plant-Forward Cuisine_
- **Dr Théodore Kaboré** — _Agricultural Practices and Community Efforts to Restore Land Fertility in the Sahel_
- **Professor Claude Fischler** — _Gastronomy in an Age of Gastro-anomy_
## **Additional Plenary Sessions**
- Roundtable discussion: **“Choosing Our Words About Technologies and Food”**
- Plenary presentation on volcanic wines with **Robert Gilvesy** and **Ursula Heinzelmann**
- Demonstration of Japan’s _chanoyu_ tea tradition, narrated by **Voltaire Cang** , including a tasting of matcha and seasonal sweets
## **Panels and Papers**
- **12 in-person panels** featuring **27 papers** delivered at St Catherine’s College
- **10 additional papers** presented online during the Zoom conference period
- Papers were selected from nearly **100 proposals** reviewed by committee
All presenters prerecorded 15–20 minute talks, which were made available online following the in-person symposium, allowing all participants access to the full programme.
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**THE OXFORD SYMPOSIUM ON FOOD AND COOKERY**
_**AS AT 30 SEPTEMBER 2025**_
## **Culinary Programme**
Food formed an integral part of the symposium curriculum. Two lunches and two dinners were prepared by guest chefs with support from St Catherine’s College catering staff.
Highlights included:
- **Friday dinner:**
- _An Ecuadorian Fire Feast_ by **Chef Ana Ortiz** (Fire Made UK)
- **Saturday lunch:**
- _The Elements of Algerian Cuisine_ by **Chef Hanane Tancrede Abdelli** (Mama Nissa, Paris)
- **Saturday dinner:**
- Cambodian feast by **Chef Joannès Rivière** (Cuisine Wat Damnak)
- **Sunday lunch:**
- Young Chefs’ programme themed _“Mending Modern Melancholies”_ , mentored by **Chef Jennie Moran** (Luncheonette, Dublin)
## **Other Workshops and Activities**
Additional educational activities included:
- A plant-based edible paints workshop
- Screenings and discussions on artificial intelligence in agriculture and food waste
- A tasting experiment on umami led by **Professor Ole Mouritsen**
- Screening of _Umami_ , a comedy-drama exploring culinary identity
## **Post-Symposium and Continuing Activities**
## **Publication of Papers**
Following the symposium, authors revise their papers, which are professionally edited and published in hard copy by **Equinox Publishing** . Many volumes are also available digitally via Google Books.
## **Online Programmes**
The charity continued its extensive online programming during the year All sessions are free to attend and open to the public with advance registration and include:
- **Kitchen Table Conversations** (monthly Zoom discussions)
- • **The Sifter “Ask” sessions**
- **Kitchen Lab** and **Kitchen Lab Techniques** cook-alongs
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**THE OXFORD SYMPOSIUM ON FOOD AND COOKERY** _**AS AT 30 SEPTEMBER 2025**_
## **Communications and Outreach**
- **Facebook:** over **7,428 followers**
- **Instagram: 6,194 followers**
- **Newsletter: 3,474 subscribers**
## **Administration and Governance**
The charity has no employees. Its activities are managed by the trustees with the assistance of vetted volunteers. Certain trustees undertook additional operational responsibilities during the year.
Payments made to trustees for services provided beyond normal trustee duties were as follows:
- **David Matchett:** £9,000 (2024/25) plus £3,000 backdated (2023/24)
- **Mark McWilliams:** £4,000 for professional editing services
**Cathy Kaufman Chair of the Symposium**
**31st March 2026**
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## **THE OXFORD SYMPOSIUM ON FOOD AND COOKERY**
## _**AS AT 30 SEPTEMBER 2025**_
## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT**
## **TO THE TRUSTEES OF THE OXFORD SYMPOSIUM ON FOOD AND COOKERY**
I report to the trustees on my examination of the financial statements of The Oxford Symposium on Food and Cookery (the charity) for the year ended 30 September 2025.
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
As the trustees of the charity you are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act).
I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s financial statements carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act. In carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.
## **Independent examiner's statement**
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
- 1 accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the 2011 Act; or
- 2 the financial statements do not accord with those records; or
- 3 the financial statements do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the financial statements to be reached.
## **Bradbury Stell**
## **Chartered Certified Accountants**
Unit 2 Beverley Court
26 Elmtree Road
Teddington Middlesex TW11 8ST
Dated: 17[th] December 2025
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_**AS AT 30 SEPTEMBER 2025**_
## **THE OXFORD SYMPOSIUM ON FOOD AND COOKERY**
## **STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES INCLUDING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT** _**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2025**_
The statement of financial activities includes all the gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and
expenditure derive from continuing activities.
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**THE OXFORD SYMPOSIUM ON FOOD AND COOKERY** _**AS AT 30 SEPTEMBER 2025**_
## **BALANCE SHEET**
## _**AS AT 30 SEPTEMBER 2025**_
The financial statements were approved by the Trustees on 17[th] December 2025
**Christopher Grocock Treasurer 31[st] March 2026**
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## **THE OXFORD SYMPOSIUM ON FOOD AND COOKERY**
## _**AS AT 30 SEPTEMBER 2025**_
## **Accounting policies**
## **Charity information**
The Oxford Symposium on Food and Cookery is an unincorporated charity established by a Deed of Trust made 14 March 2003.
## **1.1 Accounting convention**
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the charity's Deed of Trust, the Charities Act 2011 and "Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019)". The charity is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.
The charity has taken advantage of the provisions in the SORP for charities applying FRS 102 Update Bulletin 1 not to prepare a Statement of Cash Flows.
The financial statements have departed from the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 only to the extent required to provide a true and fair view. This departure has involved following the Statement of Recommended Practice for charities applying FRS 102 rather than the version of the Statement of Recommended Practice which is referred to in the Regulations but which has since been withdrawn.
The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the charity. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, modified to include the revaluation of freehold properties and to include investment properties and certain financial instruments at fair value. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.
## **1.2 Going concern**
At the time of approving the financial statements, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.
## **1.3 Charitable funds**
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of their charitable objectives.
Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions by donors as to how they may be used. The purposes and uses of the restricted funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements.
Endowment funds are subject to specific conditions by donors that the capital must be maintained by the charity.
## **1.4 Income**
Income is recognised when the charity is legally entitled to it after any performance conditions have been met, the amounts can be measured reliably, and it is probable that income will be received.
Cash donations are recognised on receipt. Other donations are recognised once the charity has been notified of the donation, unless performance conditions require deferral of the amount. Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid or deeds of covenant is recognised at the time of the donation.
Legacies are recognised on receipt or otherwise if the charity has been notified of an impending distribution, the amount is known, and receipt is expected. If the amount is not known, the legacy is treated as a contingent asset.
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**THE OXFORD SYMPOSIUM ON FOOD AND COOKERY**
_**AS AT 30 SEPTEMBER 2025**_
## **Accounting policies**
## **(Continued)**
## **1.5 Expenditure**
Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to transfer economic benefit to a third party, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement, and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.
Expenditure is classified by activity. The costs of each activity are made up of the total of direct costs and shared costs, including support costs involved in undertaking each activity. Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity. Shared costs which contribute to more than one activity and support costs which are not attributable to a single activity are apportioned between those activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources. Central staff costs are allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges are allocated on the portion of the asset’s use.
## **1.6 Cash and cash equivalents**
Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities.
## _**Basic financial assets**_
Basic financial assets, which include debtors and cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.
## _**Basic financial liabilities**_
Basic financial liabilities, including creditors and bank loans are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised.
Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method.
Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of operations from suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
## _**Derecognition of financial liabilities**_
Financial liabilities are derecognised when the charity’s contractual obligations expire or are discharged or cancelled.
## **1.7 Critical accounting estimates and judgements**
In the application of the charity’s accounting policies, the trustees are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.
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## **THE OXFORD SYMPOSIUM ON FOOD AND COOKERY**
## _**AS AT 30 SEPTEMBER 2025**_
The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.
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## **THE OXFORD SYMPOSIUM ON FOOD AND COOKERY** _**AS AT 30 SEPTEMBER 2025**_
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## **THE OXFORD SYMPOSIUM ON FOOD AND COOKERY** _**AS AT 30 SEPTEMBER 2025**_
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