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), and invited Chef Fatmata Binta, 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.