Jordi tresserras juan
Expert in Gastronomy & Sustainable TourismJordi is an expert in gastronomy, cultural heritage, and sustainable tourism, with extensive experience in research, international cooperation, and cultural development. He is the Director of LABPATC – the Laboratory of Cultural Heritage, Creativity and Cultural Tourism – and works as a consultant for UNESCO. He also co-founded the UNESCO Chair Food, Culture & Development UOC, promoting interdisciplinary approaches linking food, culture, and territorial development.
Sırma güven
Strategic Advisor in Gastronomy & Founder of The Kitchen ProjectSırma Güven is a project curator and strategic partnership manager specializing in gastronomy, culture, and international project development. Through The Kitchen Project, the platform she founded, she explores gastronomy as a space for cultural exchange, creative production, and international collaboration. For over a decade, she has worked within the international gastronomy ecosystem of The Food Capitals / Délice Network.
Fabián rodrigo bedón samaniego
Cultural heritage specialist, researcher, and consultantPhD candidate in Tourism at the Complutense University of Madrid. His professional experience in Bolivia, Ecuador, and Colombia focuses on intangible cultural heritage safeguarding, including safeguarding plans, community-based inventories, nominations, post-disaster recovery and resilience, cultural policy, regulatory frameworks, and intellectual property related to traditional craftsmanship and gastronomy, foodways and foodscapes. He has served in UNESCO,national government, municipal, and international cooperation settings, and has worked on UNESCO Creative Cities processes in Quito, Portoviejo, and Montecristi.
Melissa kyoungmin lee
Korea–Europe Business and Cultural ConnectorMelissa Kyoungmin Lee is based between Paris and Barcelona, with over ten years of experience in global brand marketing, communications, strategic partnerships, and international market development across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. As Food Capitals Ambassador for Asia, Melissa helps strengthen the Network’s connections with Asian cities and partners, creating opportunities for collaboration around gastronomy, tourism, city branding, sustainability, and cultural diplomacy.
Sergio salas yaro
Director of the Institute for Research and Innovation in Creative Economy, KreapolysSergio Salas is currently working on establishing the national network for creative economies in Peru, as well as setting up the Latin American Gastronomy Observatory and the programme to promote healthy eating in Arequipa. He is involved in Arequipa (Peru) within UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network for Gastronomy. Sergio has actively supported the development of The Food Capitals throughout Latin America by facilitating connections, supporting city candidacies, and promoting the network among regional stakeholders.