On December 21, 2016, the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/71/246 designating June 18 as Sustainable Gastronomy Day. The goal: to recognize “that gastronomy is a cultural expression linked to the natural and cultural diversity of the world”, and to reaffirm the fact “that all cultures and all civilizations can contribute to sustainable development, of which they are essential elements”.
What is sustainable gastronomy?
Sustainable gastronomy is cuisine that takes into account the origin of foods, the way they are grown and the way they arrive on our plate. The goal is therefore to highlight local and seasonal products, while promoting the use of more sustainable energy in restaurants (for example, banning the use of coal).
This day aims to raise awareness among the general public of the benefits of this gastronomy: environmental protection, social development – equitable access to food healthy for all -, preservation of culture – venhance culinary traditions -.
The first summit of sustainable gastronomy took place on September 21, 2023, in Monaco. He’s the multi-starred chef Alain Ducasse who organized it, believing “that it was necessary to change the way we think about food, as consumers but also in the restaurant industry”.
The challenges of sustainable gastronomy
According to this summit, sustainable gastronomy must meet a certain number of challenges, addressed under five major themes: growing and fishing in the era of climate change, cooking sustainably, committing to sustainable gastronomy, restoring food education and think about the future of gastronomy. A chart sustainable food was also written following this summit by students from the Ferrandi school, a school of gastronomy.
As part of this day, UNESCO relies on three pillars:
- The Creative Cities Network (2004) : cities commit to sharing their best practices and developing partnerships in 7 creative areas, including gastronomy.
- Promoting clean energy for local restaurantsnamely the use of gas and electricity rather than coal.
- Public awareness through gastronomic TV channels and TV shows and through food cultural exhibitions, aimed at the food industry and farmers.
An essential part of this approach lies in food education. Educational programs are already in place such as “Eating Organic and Local, It’s the Ideal”, a promotion and awareness campaign on the benefits of consuming organic and local products.
The adoption of sustainable gastronomy is a essential step towards a more equitable and ecological food system. By working together, farmers, chefs, educators and consumers can create a future where gastronomy celebrates not only taste, but also the health of the planet.
