Food at the Heart of Culture and The Cultural Value of Food were the key themes explored at the 1st World Gastronomy Summit, held at the Palau de Pedralbes in Barcelona. The event was organised by the International Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Arts and Tourism (IGCAT) and generously hosted by the Government of Catalonia, World Region of Gastronomy 2025, and as an official side event of MONDIACULT 2025.
This landmark gathering brought together specially selected and curated international leaders, experts, and innovators to design a pathway towards a more resilient, environmentally, and culturally sensitive food future. The summit convened representatives from UNESCO, Slow Food, Crop Trust, Future Food Institute, The Food Capitals by Délice Network, and many other international organisations, national governments, World Regions of Gastronomy, chefs, grassroots innovators, and cultural networks.
Together, they endorsed the Summit’s Declaration, affirming gastronomy’s vital role as a connector for cultural, environmental, and community well-being.
Urgency to act
Dr. Diane Dodd, IGCAT President opened the meeting with a passionate plea to share responsibility for the world’s food future. She remarked on the collective wealth of knowledge present in the room and promised that IGCAT would share the outcomes of their work and findings. She also commended Catalonia for its leadership and best practices, which not only earned it the title of World Region of Gastronomy 2025 but also serve as a beacon of hope for other regions striving to develop more self- sufficient and culturally sensitive food futures.
Cristina Massot, General Secretary, Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food, Government of Catalonia, welcomed the world’s delegates and thanked UNESCO for bringing Mondiacult to Barcelona. She underlined that linking food and cultural identity is natural for Catalonia, making this an ideal opportunity to strengthen both.
Susanne Schnuttgen, Chief, Capacity Building and Heritage Policy Unit, UNESCO, outlined the important work UNESCO is now doing to shine a spotlight on foodways across the globe.
Carles Vilarrubí, President, Catalan Academy of Gastronomy, spoke with pride about their work to preserve and promote Catalan cuisine for future generations and, the next generation was represented by young Catalan chef Martina Puigvert Puigdevall of Les Cols restaurant, that noted the important connection between natural environment, cultural identity and food.
Finally, Toni Massanés, Alícia Foundation, delivered the closing intervention of the opening session, setting out the urgent challenges and opportunities facing gastronomy today and in the future.
Food at the Heart of Culture
The first plenary presented a new paradigm for policy and practice, with contributions from leaders across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, the Pacific, Asia, and the Americas. Case studies from Catalonia, Aseer (Saudi Arabia), Manabí (Ecuador), Vanuatu, Cap Bon (Tunisia), and Thailand illustrated how gastronomy can inspire innovation, preserve heritage, and empower communities.
The Cultural Value of Food
The second plenary explored how culinary heritage, biodiversity, and food education can shape inclusive and resilient futures. Speakers from global institutions and networks including Slow Food, the Food Capitals by Délice Network, the Creative Tourism Network, the Future Food Institute, and Crop Trust, shared policy recommendations and strategies for ensuring food is recognised as a cornerstone of cultural identity and well-being.
Envisioning our Food Future in 2050
The World Café engaged 160 experts in imagining positive food futures for 2050. Participants brainstormed across 16 themed roundtables, developing ideas, best practices, and policy solutions. The discussions compared utopian and dystopian scenarios for the future of food. The final session shared some of the ideas developed during the day and IGCAT has committed to producing a full conference report to share all the ideas and proposals that could help protect and promote culinary diversity for future generations.
Global Declarations and Future Pathways
Recognition was given to the four lead promoters of Catalonia, World Region of Gastronomy 2025: the Catalan Government, El Bulli Foundation, Alícia Foundation, and the Catalan Academy of Gastronomy.
A symbolic baton was then passed to the four promoting committee members of Manabí, World Region of Gastronomy 2026, followed by the announcement of next year’s World Gastronomy Summit in Manabí by Leonardo Orlando Arteaga, Prefect of Manabí.
The Summit concluded with the adoption of the World Gastronomy Summit Declaration, calling for food to be formally recognised as culture within global agendas. Miquel Samper, Catalonia’s Minister of Business and Labour, committed to take the declaration forward to the upcoming MONDIACULT 2025 conference. He stated, “Catalonia is making a strong commitment to Catalan gastronomy, one of our main cultural and economic assets. This year, we have been distinguished as the World Region of Gastronomy 2025, a title that highlights the richness and diversity of our cuisine. Catalan cuisine is experiencing its best moment, as never before have we had such a strong network of internationally renowned restaurants, a new generation of talented and creative chefs, and high-quality agri-food production across the territory. Altogether, this positions us as a global benchmark and projects Catalonia with a strong culinary identity, admired worldwide.”
Cultural Encounters
The day was enriched with cultural experiences, including a tasting of Catalan cava and coca, the Food Film Menu 2025 Category Awards Gala presented by Robert Oliver, IGCAT Ambassador and a festive Gala Dinner showcasing the diversity of Catalan cuisine.
The 1st World Gastronomy Summit marks the beginning of a global movement to ensure that food is recognised not only as nourishment, but also as an essential expression of culture, heritage, and identity — shaping resilient societies for generations to come.
About IGCAT
IGCAT aims to empower local communities by raising awareness of the importance of protecting and promoting distinct regional food, culture, arts and natural assets as part of sustainable and balanced tourism and development strategies. This is essential to safeguarding our planet, health, wellness and local economies.
IGCAT is a non-profit institute established in 2012, working with regional stakeholder consortiums in the fields of gastronomy, culture, arts and tourism. It counts on the expertise of a worldwide network of experts and works in partnership with specialised intergovernmental organisations.
IGCAT founded the World/European Region of Gastronomy Award and is the official secretariat for the World/European Regions of Gastronomy Platforms. Furthermore, the Institute has developed the European Young Chef Award, the World Food Gift Challenge, the Top Websites for Foodie Travelers Award and the international Food Film Menu.
About the World/European Regions of Gastronomy
World/European Regions of Gastronomy, guided by IGCAT, are working together to strengthen food security through the celebration of distinctive food cultures; create employment by stimulating creativity and gastronomic innovation; nourish children and adults through culinary and cultural education; driving environmental sustainability in tourism, hospitality and agricultural sectors; supporting balance and sustainable tourism practices; highlighting and supporting expertise from within rural and urban communities, creating connections and sharing good practices; and contributing to community health and well-being.
