As we launch into many exciting projects and cooperations for 2026, The Food Capitals looks back on 2025 as a year marked by renewed connections, meaningful collaborations, inspiring events, and key milestones that have continued to nurture our growing international network.
Let’s rewind and take a look back at some of the delicious moments of 2025, rich in exchanges and collective achievements that once again demonstrated the power of gastronomy to drive sustainable urban development, preserve cultural heritage, and enhance the quality of urban life.
Strengthening global partnerships: The Food Capitals partners with IGCAT and participates in the 1st World Gastronomy Summit
The Food Capitals and the International Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Arts and Tourism (IGCAT) announced a new partnership, aiming to strengthen global collaborations between cities and regions that share common values around food, gastronomy tourism, and sustainability.
To kick off the partnership, The Food Capitals’ Executive Director, Jessica Férey, presented “Urban Challenges on the Route to Sustainable, Creative and Authentic Gastronomy” at IGCAT’s inaugural World Gastronomy Summit in Barcelona in September 2025. The Network also signed the World Gastronomy Summit Declaration on Food at the Heart of Cultural Policy and Community Well-being.
See also: The Food Capitals and IGCAT Partnership
See also: Press Release: The Food Capitals Supports IGCAT’s World Gastronomy Summit Declaration
New Executive Committee for 2025 – 2028
In 2025, The Food Capitals elected a new Executive Committee, composed of committed and active members of the network, dedicated to advancing its core values. J. Felipe Garcia, CEO and President of VisitTucson, and Karin Tingstedt, Project Manager in the Hospitality Department of the City of Malmö, were re-elected as President and Vice President of the Network, respectively. Other members of the Executive Committee include: Cali, Colombia; Lyon, France; Montreal, Canada; Stavanger, Norway; and the newest ExCom member, Wrocław, Poland.
See also: Press Release: Announcing the network's New Executive Committee for 2025–2028
Annual General Meeting in Lyon
The 2025 Annual General Meeting took place in Lyon, the birthplace of The Food Capitals, under the theme Food Policies for the Future: Ensuring Justice, Sustainability and Culinary Heritage.
This edition was held jointly with the SchoolFood4Change (SF4C) General Assembly. SchoolFood4Change is an EU-funded project running from January 2022 to early 2026, dedicated to promoting healthy and sustainable school meals for children across Europe.
The event brought together over 110 delegates from nearly 40 cities worldwide, offering a valuable platform for dialogue, knowledge sharing, and collaboration around food policies and urban strategies.
Launch of the Cities at the Table podcast
On World Food Day 2025, The Food Capitals launched its podcast Cities at the Table, a new platform designed to give voice to member cities and highlight their initiatives around sustainable food policies and gastronomy as a lever for tourism and urban development.
True to the network’s DNA, learning, sharing, and connecting, the podcast offers inspiring conversations with city representatives. The series launched with Wrocław, represented by Deputy Mayor Jakub Mazur, followed by Cali, Gaziantep, Castelldefels, and more cities to come.
Don't miss the next episode! Subscribe now on your favorite podcast platform.
Placemaking Week Europe
From 23 to 26 September 2025, Helsinki, Turin, and Wrocław, alongside The Food Capitals HQ, participated in Placemaking Week Europe in Reggio Emilia, Italy, exploring how food markets can drive community development, social inclusion, and urban–rural connections. Through shared experiences, the cities highlighted how revitalised markets (blending food, culture, and innovation) have become vibrant public spaces where people gather, celebrate local identity, and reconnect with urban food cultures.
See also: Meet Me at the Market: Stories of Food, Placemaking, and Community
Pueblos del Maiz 2025
Created in 2022 by Mérida and Puebla (Mexico) and Tucson, Arizona (USA), members of The Food Capitals network and UNESCO Creative Cities of Gastronomy, the Pueblos del Maíz Festival 2025 edition took place in September and October, first in Tucson and then in San Antonio.
The festival highlighted the many cultural, social, and culinary roles of maize through cooking demonstrations, live music, educational sessions, and art installations.
See also: Pueblos del Maiz 2025
What’s next?
From the creation of Gothenburg’s signature dish, the Gothenburg Royal, to international gatherings such as the Busan International Food Expo 2025, the Wrocław Culinary Grand Prix, and many other inspiring initiatives throughout our cities, 2025 has shown the diversity and vitality of the network.
Looking ahead, The Food Capitals is eager to continue creating, collaborating, exchanging, and learning together, with a focus on placing food and gastronomy at the heart of urban development strategies and the promotion of local culinary identities.
Thank you to all our member cities and partners for being part of this delicious collective adventure!
Hope to see you at the inaugural Food Capitals Summit in May 2026!
