Portoviejo and Guayaquil, Ecuador’s two member cities of The Food Capitals, hosted a series of activities featuring technical dialogue, culinary demonstrations and international networking on 13 and 14 October 2026 ahead of their participation in the IGCAT World Gastronomy Summit hosted by Manabí, designated World Region of Gastronomy 2027. The activities showcased how distinctive local cuisines can support education, cultural heritage, tourism and creative-sector collaboration.
At the Olmedo Cultural Centre beside the Guayas River, Food Capitals ambassadors Dr Jordi Tresserras and Fabián Bedón conducted an initial advisory session with the Municipality of Guayaquil on its proposed 2027 application to join the UNESCO Creative Cities Network as a Creative City of Gastronomy. The meeting formed part of the city’s Food Capitals action plan to strengthen its creative and gastronomic ecosystem.
The session explored how Guayaquil’s participation in The Food Capitals can facilitate international learning and visibility, and examined the assets that underpin a future candidacy: its port-city cuisine, the culinary traditions of the Guayas estuary, markets and food entrepreneurship, and the involvement of the wider gastronomic community. The discussion was an initial step towards a coordinated, stakeholder-led application, not the submission of a formal candidacy.
Portoviejo, a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy since 2019 and a Food Capitals member since 2026, welcomed guests from Ecuador, Colombia, and Spain for a study tour organised around culinary practice, educational exchange and local food businesses.
Hosted at PUCEM (Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador Sede Manabi), the program brought together students, local chefs, and international guests for a series of masterclasses and exchanges celebrating the region's rich gastronomic heritage and encouraging the next generation of culinary and hospitality professionals.
The sessions included a presentation by Dr. Jordi Tresserras and masterclasses led by local chefs Luis Balda and Leonardo Pinagorte, as well as Guayaquil's MasterChef Jorge Macchiavello, engaging students in an exchange of techniques, experiences, and perspectives on gastronomy. Portoviejo featured Jipijapa-style ceviche paired with tropical fruits, while Macchiavello presented Guayaquil’s “Paella Guayaca,” illustrating the city’s coastal and estuarine culinary influences.
This was a particularly meaningful opportunity to reconnect with the Portoviejo chefs who had participated in the inaugural Chefs Beyond Borders initiative at the Food Capitals Summit in Castelldefels in May 2026. What began as an international gathering of chefs in Spain has continued to grow into new opportunities for collaboration and learning in Ecuador.
The afternoon itinerary introduced Portoviejo’s food economy through a guided visit to Plaza Central Gastronomic Market, including an overview of its management model by Erika Borbor of Portocomercio EP, followed by visits to Pop 2 Go and a beverage exchange with chef Raúl Palma at Bar 6 de Diciembre. An evening programme at a traditional Montubio restaurant connected guests with Manabí’s living cultural and food heritage.
One of the highlights of the visit was a special ceremony during which the Mayor of Portoviejo presented the “Keys to the City” to Dr. Jordi Tresserras, in recognition of his contributions to promoting gastronomic heritage, cultural tourism, and international cooperation.
As a Food Capitals Ambassador, IGCAT Expert, and Director of the Laboratory of Heritage, Creativity and Cultural Tourism (LABPATC) at the University of Barcelona, Jordi has long championed the role of gastronomy in connecting cultures, strengthening local identities, and creating opportunities for sustainable development.
The gesture also reflects Portoviejo’s recognition of gastronomy and culinary heritage as essential pillars of the city’s identity, cultural richness, and development, as well as its commitment to promoting these assets through international cooperation and its active involvement in networks such as The Food Capitals.
"Portoviejo is proud to welcome our fellow Food Capitals representatives and to recognise Dr. Jordi Tresserras for his commitment to promoting gastronomic heritage and connecting cities around the world. Our cuisine is an essential part of our identity, our history, and our future here in Portoviejo. Through exchanges like this, we can share the richness of our culinary traditions while learning from other cities and creating new opportunities for our chefs, young professionals, and local communities," shares Carlos Gonzalo Wellington Sornoza, Coordinator of Heritage and Social Memory, City of Portoviejo.
"Portoviejo is a wonderful example of how gastronomy can bring together heritage, education, tourism, and community development. What makes these exchanges particularly valuable is the opportunity to connect local knowledge with international perspectives, bringing chefs, students, public authorities, and experts into the same conversation. Receiving the Keys to the City was a great honour, and I am especially grateful for the opportunity to continue building bridges between Portoviejo, Guayaquil, our other Latin America member cities and the wider Food Capitals network," says Dr. Jordi Tresserras, The Food Capitals Ambassador and IGCAT Expert.
Following the Portoviejo study tour, The Food Capitals continued its participation in Ecuador at the IGCAT World Gastronomy Summit in Manabí, bringing the experiences and exchanges from Portoviejo into a wider international conversation about the future of gastronomy.
Representing The Food Capitals, Ambassador Dr. Jordi Tresserras chaired a World Café roundtable on "Youth, Gastronomy and Health," exploring the connections between traditional food cultures and the physical, mental, and community well-being of young people.
The discussion brought together international and local perspectives, with contributions from representatives from Manabí's culinary, academic, and agroecological communities, as well as Chef Lizet Bautista Patzi, an Indigenous Aymara chef and Slow Food representative from Bolivia.
Representatives from fellow member city Guayaquil contributed to another roundtable, sharing their perspectives and experiences with international participants.
This participation builds on the official partnership between The Food Capitals and IGCAT, formalised in 2025. The two organisations share a commitment to championing food heritage, sustainable practices, and cultural exchange while strengthening connections between cities and regions across the globe.
The collaboration has continued to develop since 2025, when The Food Capitals headquarters participated in a panel discussion at the previous edition of the IGCAT World Gastronomy Summit in Catalonia, Spain.
From the inaugural Chefs Beyond Borders cohort in Castelldefels to the masterclasses in Portoviejo, and from exchanges between Ecuadorian member cities to international conversations at the IGCAT Summit, these activities demonstrate how relationships developed through the network can continue to evolve into concrete opportunities for knowledge sharing and cooperation.
"This is exactly what The Food Capitals is all about: creating meaningful connections between cities and seeing them grow into real opportunities for collaboration. It's especially rewarding to see chefs who first connected at our Summit in Castelldefels continuing to share their knowledge with the next generation in Portoviejo, while our member cities strengthen their relationships with one another,” shares Jessica Ferey, Executive Director of The Food Capitals network. “Our partnership with IGCAT adds another valuable dimension to these exchanges, helping us connect cities, regions, and international experts around a shared vision of gastronomy as a tool for positive change."
The Food Capitals warmly thanks the Municipality of Portoviejo, its cultural department and municipal teams, PUCEM, participating chefs, students, and local partners for their hospitality and commitment to sharing the city's gastronomic heritage.
Special thanks also go to Ambassadors Jordi Tresserras and Fabián Bedón, the representatives of Guayaquil, and IGCAT for their contributions to these valuable exchanges.
Photo credits: © City of Portoviejo; © IGCAT
