WORLD GASTRONOMY SUMMIT 2026

In a rapidly changing global food economy, traditional food offers one of the most promising pathways for youth employment, entrepreneurship, and community regeneration.

The World Gastronomy Summit 2026 will bring together chefs, policymakers, youth entrepreneurs, educators, researchers, and investors to explore how traditional food knowledge, recipes, and crafts can inspire new job creation and sustainable business models in gastronomy.

This summit aims to reframe traditional food not as a relic of the past, but as a living resource for innovation, sustainability, and inclusive growth.

Rationale

Youth unemployment remains a pressing challenge worldwide, particularly in rural and developing regions. At the same time, traditional foods—rooted in local biodiversity, seasonal cycles, and community skills—are disappearing due to globalization and industrial food systems.

Yet, these same traditions offer a unique source of creative, sustainable, and place-based employment for new generations. By investing in traditional food value chains, young people can find opportunities in agroecology, gastronomy, tourism, food innovation, digital marketing, and cultural entrepreneurship.

The Summit will demonstrate how local food systems can provide “good jobs” that respect the planet, sustain heritage, and empower youth.

Objectives

• Highlight success stories of young entrepreneurs revitalizing traditional foods.
• Exchange regionally-led policies and tools that foster youth employment through gastronomy.
• Promote innovation in traditional food sectors (digital platforms, tourism, education, design).
• Strengthen partnerships between regions, governments, NGOs, and private actors.
• Adopt a declaration or roadmap on “Empowering Youth to Safeguard their Food Futures” aligned with UN SDGs.

Expected Outcomes

• A Global Declaration on Empowering Youth to Safeguard their Food Futures
• Empowering IGCAT’s Youth Chef Ambassador Network
• Post-Summit report with recommendations for governments and international agencies as well as best practice case studies.