Embassy of the United States Bern, Switzerland

Ambassador Beyer and Mrs. Beyer installed a kitchen garden upon their arrival at the Embassy in the summer of 2009

Chef David Lindsay and children in Embassy Garden

Embassy Bern Garden Program  - Since 2009, the Residence at Embassy Bern has conducted programs for children in the Kitchen Garden on the east side of the property. Ambassador Don and Megan Beyer join the children planting and harvesting, and learning about food preparation in the kitchen. Chef David Lindsay, who trained with famed U.S. organic food advocate Alice Waters, has managed the program for the embassy since its inception. Students learn how foods are harvested, become conscious of the environmental advantages of eating locally grown fresh foods, and are taught the best ways to cook foods in order to preserve their nutritional value. One program last Fall included a local Swiss family doctor who helped the children prepare a meal in the kitchen and then served as the luncheon speaker, teaching hints on healthy lifestyles. While Swiss children are generally more fit than American children, health experts in Switzerland have similar concerns about a growing problem of obesity and a perceived decline in fitness. The program is based on the Let's Move Program at the White House.

• Food Day Event (October 24, 2011)
• Planting the Seeds of Healthy Lifestyles (Sept 2010)
• 2010 National Day Celebration "Seeds of Independence" Features Embassy Garden Program