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Raj Patel

Raj Patel

Keynote Speaker: Award-Winning Writer, Food Politics Activist, Filmmaker & Academic

Raj Patel Biography

Raj Patel is an award-winning author, film-maker and academic. He is a Research Professor in the Lyndon B Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas, Austin.

He has degrees from the University of Oxford, the London School of Economics and Cornell University, has worked for the World Bank and WTO, and protested against them around the world. Patel co-taught the 2014 Edible Education class at UC Berkeley with Michael Pollan. In 2016 he was recognized with a James Beard Foundation Leadership Award. He has testified about the causes of the global food crisis to the US, UK and EU governments and is a member of the International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems.

In addition to scholarly publications in economics, philosophy, politics and public health journals, he regularly writes for The Guardian, and has contributed to the Financial Times, Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Times of India, The San Francisco Chronicle, The Mail on Sunday, and The Observer.

His first book was Stuffed and Starved: The Hidden Battle for the World Food System. His second, The Value of Nothing, was a New York Times and international best-seller. He is the co-author with Jason W. Moore of A History of the World in Seven Cheap Things. His acclaimed latest book, co-authored with Rupa Marya, is entitled Inflamed: Deep Medicine and The Anatomy of Injustice.

His first film, co-directed with Zak Piper and filmed over the course of a decade in Malawi and the United States, is the award-winning documentary The Ants & The Grasshopper. He can be heard co-hosting the food politics podcast The Secret Ingredient with Mother Jones’ Tom Philpott, and KUT’s Rebecca McInroy.

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Raj Patel and other top speakers and celebrities.

Raj Patel Speaking Topics

How Will We Feed 10 Billion People Sustainably?

We're already doing a bad job of feeding 7 billion people: about a billion aren't getting enough to eat. What will we do by century's end, when we’re predicted to have 10 billion people, much less water and fossil fuel, and climate change will have made itself felt? The good news: there are groups around the world coming up with surprising and profound ways to feed us all. This talk can complement Raj Patel's award-winning film The Ants & The Grasshopper

The opposite of an Inflammatory Diet

With medicine recognizing that our bodies are inflamed in no small part because of what we eat, it's tempting to think that we can solve our problems simply by putting different things into our bodies. Using the latest medical and social science, this talk offers a journey through our guts, brains and relationships with the world around us to help us understand the root causes of inflammation, so that we can better understand what we need to do to find deep medicine to treat it.

The Value of Nothing: Markets & Democracy in a Time of Crisis

The current economic, ecological, and food crises reveal how a handful of people have made some very bad choices. Fund managers profited from building a financial house of cards, leaving the public to pay the price of their mistakes for the next 30 years.

To draw attention to how free-market fundamentalism has distorted the way we value our world, Patel claims that the true price of a hamburger is $200 when one factors in hidden environmental and health costs. There is something broken at the heart of the price system, and there has been for years – even the earliest economists and philosophers understood the need for limits to unfettered capitalism and the animal spirits of the market.

In order to end our blind compliance with the ideology of the free market and the empire of prices, Patel asks us to reconsider how we might use democracy to reclaim markets so that they work for, rather than against, social change. In this highly engaging and inspiring call for action, Patel shows how social movements in America and around the world have managed to limit the free market by exercising democratic rights.

Stuffed & Starved: The Hidden Battle for the World Food System

Today there are 1 billion people starving and 1.5 billion overweight. The US is the most overweight country on Earth, and has 48 million people who are "food insecure." How did this come about, and what can be done to stop it? Presenting some of the findings from his recently updated book, Raj Patel tells stories from around the world food system.

Food Rebellions: The History & Future of Food Protests

The Arab Spring began with a hike in the price of wheat. The French Revolution with a bread riot. The American Revolution with a protest over tea. In the US, the 19th amendment came about because women took to the streets demanding cheaper food. What's the origin of these protests, and what will become of them?

Raj Patel Videos

Raj Patel: Climate, Conflict and Capitalism Drive Global Hunger ...
Raj Patel: What chicken nuggets tell us about capitalism - YouTube
The Future is Intersectional | Raj Patel - YouTube

How to book Raj Patel?

Our booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure talent like Raj Patel for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment for over 15 years. The team at All American Entertainment represents and listens to the needs of organizations and corporations seeking to hire keynote speakers, celebrities or entertainers. Fill out a booking request form for Raj Patel, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get pricing information and check availability for Raj Patel or any other celebrity of your choice.

How much does it cost to book Raj Patel?

Booking fees for Raj Patel, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. Pricing often varies according to the circumstances, including the talent's schedule, market conditions, length of presentation, and the location of the event. Speaker fees listed on this website are intended to serve as a guideline only. In some cases, the actual quote may be above or below the stated range. For the most current fee to hire Raj Patel, please fill out the booking request form or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak with an experienced booking agent.

Who is the agent for Raj Patel?

All American Entertainment has successfully secured celebrity talent like Raj Patel for clients worldwide for more than 15 years. As a full-service talent booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Fill out the booking request form or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Raj Patel for your next private or corporate function.

What is a full-service talent booking agency?

All American Speakers is a "buyers agent" and exclusively represents talent buyers, meeting planners and event professionals, who are looking to secure celebrities and speakers for personal appearances, speaking engagements, corporate entertainment, public relations campaigns, commercials, or endorsements. We do not exclusively represent Raj Patel or claim ourselves as the exclusive booking agency, business manager, publicist, speakers bureau or management for Raj Patel or any other speaker or celebrity on this website. For more information on how we work and what makes us unique, please read the AAE Advantage.


Raj Patel is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Business, Health and Technology. The estimated speaking fee range to book Raj Patel for live events is Below $10,000, and for virtual events Below $10,000. Raj Patel generally travels from Austin, TX, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Majora Carter, Van Jones and Amy Goodman. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Raj Patel for an upcoming event.

Raj Patel Speaking Topics

  • How Will We Feed 10 Billion People Sustainably?

    We're already doing a bad job of feeding 7 billion people: about a billion aren't getting enough to eat. What will we do by century's end, when we’re predicted to have 10 billion people, much less water and fossil fuel, and climate change will have made itself felt? The good news: there are groups around the world coming up with surprising and profound ways to feed us all. This talk can complement Raj Patel's award-winning film The Ants & The Grasshopper

  • The opposite of an Inflammatory Diet

    With medicine recognizing that our bodies are inflamed in no small part because of what we eat, it's tempting to think that we can solve our problems simply by putting different things into our bodies. Using the latest medical and social science, this talk offers a journey through our guts, brains and relationships with the world around us to help us understand the root causes of inflammation, so that we can better understand what we need to do to find deep medicine to treat it.

  • The Value of Nothing: Markets & Democracy in a Time of Crisis

    The current economic, ecological, and food crises reveal how a handful of people have made some very bad choices. Fund managers profited from building a financial house of cards, leaving the public to pay the price of their mistakes for the next 30 years.

    To draw attention to how free-market fundamentalism has distorted the way we value our world, Patel claims that the true price of a hamburger is $200 when one factors in hidden environmental and health costs. There is something broken at the heart of the price system, and there has been for years – even the earliest economists and philosophers understood the need for limits to unfettered capitalism and the animal spirits of the market.

    In order to end our blind compliance with the ideology of the free market and the empire of prices, Patel asks us to reconsider how we might use democracy to reclaim markets so that they work for, rather than against, social change. In this highly engaging and inspiring call for action, Patel shows how social movements in America and around the world have managed to limit the free market by exercising democratic rights.

  • Stuffed & Starved: The Hidden Battle for the World Food System

    Today there are 1 billion people starving and 1.5 billion overweight. The US is the most overweight country on Earth, and has 48 million people who are "food insecure." How did this come about, and what can be done to stop it? Presenting some of the findings from his recently updated book, Raj Patel tells stories from around the world food system.

  • Food Rebellions: The History & Future of Food Protests

    The Arab Spring began with a hike in the price of wheat. The French Revolution with a bread riot. The American Revolution with a protest over tea. In the US, the 19th amendment came about because women took to the streets demanding cheaper food. What's the origin of these protests, and what will become of them?

Raj Patel Videos

Raj Patel: Climate, Conflict and Capitalism Drive Global Hunger ...
Raj Patel: What chicken nuggets tell us about capitalism - YouTube
The Future is Intersectional | Raj Patel - YouTube

Raj Patel Reviews

  • Always in touch and very helpful! A great pleasure working with all of you
    Fondazione Cassa dei Risparmi di Forli - Oct 03 2019

  • Raj was great. He was compelling and entertaining and connected with the students so well. Sarah and Debbie are also great - so communicative. I will always start my search with AAE whenever my students are looking for a speaker.
    Emory University - College Council - Mar 08 2019

How to book Raj Patel?

Our booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure talent like Raj Patel for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment for over 15 years. The team at All American Entertainment represents and listens to the needs of organizations and corporations seeking to hire keynote speakers, celebrities or entertainers. Fill out a booking request form for Raj Patel, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get pricing information and check availability for Raj Patel or any other celebrity of your choice.

How much does it cost to book Raj Patel?

Booking fees for Raj Patel, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. Pricing often varies according to the circumstances, including the talent's schedule, market conditions, length of presentation, and the location of the event. Speaker fees listed on this website are intended to serve as a guideline only. In some cases, the actual quote may be above or below the stated range. For the most current fee to hire Raj Patel, please fill out the booking request form or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak with an experienced booking agent.

Who is the agent for Raj Patel?

All American Entertainment has successfully secured celebrity talent like Raj Patel for clients worldwide for more than 15 years. As a full-service talent booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Fill out the booking request form or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Raj Patel for your next private or corporate function.

What is a full-service talent booking agency?

All American Speakers is a "buyers agent" and exclusively represents talent buyers, meeting planners and event professionals, who are looking to secure celebrities and speakers for personal appearances, speaking engagements, corporate entertainment, public relations campaigns, commercials, or endorsements. We do not exclusively represent Raj Patel or claim ourselves as the exclusive booking agency, business manager, publicist, speakers bureau or management for Raj Patel or any other speaker or celebrity on this website. For more information on how we work and what makes us unique, please read the AAE Advantage.


Raj Patel is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Business, Health and Technology. The estimated speaking fee range to book Raj Patel for live events is Below $10,000, and for virtual events Below $10,000. Raj Patel generally travels from Austin, TX, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Majora Carter, Van Jones and Amy Goodman. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Raj Patel for an upcoming event.

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RAJ PATEL

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