Rethinking the role of food in creating the world we want to live in.

Cities are centers of innovation, cultural exchange, and consumption—but they are also where some of today’s most urgent challenges converge: sustainable food access, social equity, environmental pressure, and human well-being. Gastronomy sits at a powerful intersection of culture, science, technology, and urban life, making it a unique lens through which to imagine and shape new futures.

Gastronomy and Beyond explores how food can move beyond the plate to influence systems, communities, and cities. The event examines how culinary practice, research, and policy can act as drivers for:

• Sustainable and resilient urban food systems
• Community well-being and social equity
• Cultural innovation and systemic transformation

Bringing together visionary chefs, global institutions, researchers, and innovators, the event creates a forum for dialogue, debate, and collaboration—focused on actionable ideas that can influence the future of food in cities worldwide.

The event features Kent Larson (MIT Media Lab), Chef Eneko Atxa, Chef Rasmus Munk, Jocelyn Brown Hall (FAO), Chef Fatmata Binta (Dine on a Mat), Luis Alonso (MIT Media Lab), and with Dr. Adela Balderas as host and moderator. Through keynote talks and a closing debate, speakers will share their perspectives on what “beyond gastronomy” means—and how it can help shape more sustainable, inclusive futures.

REGISTRATION OPEN!

SPEAKERS

Kent Larson

Director of the City Science Group at the MIT Media Lab, leading research on future cities, urban systems, and design-driven solutions for sustainability and human well-being.

Chef Eneko Atxa — ★★★ Michelin

Chef and founder of Azurmendi, a global reference for sustainable gastronomy, known for integrating culinary excellence with environmental responsibility and circular systems.

Chef Rasmus Munk — ★★ Michelin

Chef and co-founder of Alchemist, named The Best Chef in the World 2024 and 2025 by The Best Chef Awards, redefining gastronomy as a platform for storytelling, science, and social and ethical inquiry.

Chef Fatmata Binta

Chef and cultural curator dedicated to preserving and elevating African food traditions, founder of Dine on a Mat, and recipient of the Basque Culinary World Prize in 2022.

Jocelyn Brown Hall

Director of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)  for North America, working at the intersection of food systems policy, sustainability, and global food security.

Luis Alonso

Principal Research Scientist at MIT Media Lab's City Science Group and PI of the Andorra Living Lab Project, Luis Alonso integrates research on energy, urban mobility, city simulation, innovation districts, and smart housing.