CIA-BCH Leadership in Sustainable Gastronomy Initiatives
As part of The Culinary Institute of America’s (CIA’s) expanding work in Europe and the Mediterranean region, the college has developed a joint project with the Barcelona Culinary Hub (BCH) focused on exploring and investigating the important subject of leadership in sustainable gastronomy. This pioneering long-term program, Leadership in Sustainable Gastronomy Initiatives, jointly presented by two esteemed academic institutions, aims to address some of the most pressing challenges in sustainable food practices and help to cultivate a new generation of leaders in this vital field.
Initially, this project will include a series of webinars, podcasts, and master classes with experts representing the CIA’s talented faculty as well as experts in sustainability and related fields who participate in our larger, global ecosystem of industry leadership initiatives. Topics will include sustainable agriculture and practical strategies for food system transformation, sustainability on the menu including food choice architecture, mitigating food waste, the role of technology, inspiration from traditional cultures, business case studies, and more.
Additionally, you’ll be able to find here highlights from the Culinary Innovation Workshops that the CIA and BCH co-present as part of our annual Tomorrow Tastes Mediterranean, a joint project of the CIA and the University of Barcelona. The workshops are held at the kitchens of the BCH campus each fall. Workshop themes and leaders for our 2024 conference can be found here. Here are the videos from our 2023 workshops.
CIA Mediterranean Concentration Students in Barcelona Interact with BCH students at the BCH Campus
Recently, CIA students in Barcelona for their 15-week Mediterranean Concentration based at the University of Barcelona headed across the city to spend some time with BCH students to share ideas and perspectives on sustainability, innovation, leadership and more.
This workshop was designed to connect students from two important culinary centers, one in Barcelona and the other in the United States, with the goal of fostering creativity and teamwork. Together, the students embarked on an innovative exercise focused on gastronomic experiences, where they highlighted key elements such as culture, identity, sustainability, creativity, and the development of consistent and forward-thinking projects.
Throughout this activity, the students had the opportunity to exchange ideas, explore new cultural perspectives, and learn from each other while developing proposals that reflected their vision for the future of gastronomy. The challenge given to the students was not only to create innovative gastronomic experiences but also to consider how to incorporate responsible and sustainable practices that inspire long-lasting, innovative businesses.
Podcast Series
Sustainable Culinary Thinklab Podcast Series: In this podcast series, a joint project of the Culinary Institute of America and the Barcelona Culinary Hub, we talk with different experts around the world about food, the restaurant industry, and one of the most critical issues of our time: sustainability.
Webinars sobre Liderazgo Sostenible: In this podcast series, we talk with leaders in sustainability about food waste, green growth, and plant-based menus. This podcast series is in Spanish only.