Germany, Europe’s transit hub, lies at the heart of the continent and is home to a staggering 83 million hungry souls. Not only do these people need to be fed every day, but the surrounding countries also want to be supplied with goods from all over the world.
For several years now, through the ‘Tempo Kitchen’ project, I have been documenting lorry drivers from all over Europe and even further afield, and their makeshift kitchens. Due to the Sunday driving ban on German motorways, they stop and set up a small kitchen. They cook, chat, do their laundry and take in the surroundings. German service stations on a Sunday are filled with the aroma of international delicacies. The mostly male truck drivers often cannot afford the high prices at service stations, if such facilities are even available. So they place their pot on a gas cartridge on the concrete, chop vegetables or have a barbecue. Food is lovingly prepared by their wives, reheated, grilled or fetched by bicycle from the nearby village.
For many years, I have sought out conversations with the everyday heroes who transport our cargo from Norway to Spain or from Uzbekistan to the Netherlands. Talking about their experiences or listening to their words of wisdom is how I spend my Sundays, even if I end up communicating more with my hands and feet than with words, as my language skills are more at a ‘sausage and mustard’ level.
