Regions - EUROPEAN REGIONS OF GASTRONOMY

1 June 2013 by Diane Dodd 4436

Regions of Gastronomy

The European Region of Gastronomy Award aims to contribute to a better quality of life in European regions, by highlighting distinctive food cultures, educating for better health and sustainability, and stimulating gastronomic innovation.

IGCAT experts developed the European Region of Gastronomy Award to recognise the growing convergence of food, culture and tourism sectors and the exciting developments happening at a local level that could support regional development. The idea for the award was then developed by IGCAT over a number of years together with 9 regions to identify focus areas that could respond to the needs of Europe’s regions.

The European Region of Gastronomy Platform provides cross-marketing opportunities and longer-term benefits.

In designing the award to stimulate gastronomic innovation and sustainable tourism, the regions identified the need to ensure longer-term benefits and thus the European Region of Gastronomy Platform was created to underpin and support exchange of knowledge among the regions taking part.

Being part of the European Region of Gastronomy Platform and bidding for the award brings a range of stakeholders together to confront development challenges in the region.

IGCAT introduced to the European Region of Gastronomy Award the concept of an interdisciplinary approach (gastronomy, culture, arts and tourism – and increasingly agriculture, education and health). In order to join the Platform and apply for the Award, regions must adapt to IGCAT service-learning model (making a regional stakeholder group of public, private, third sector and knowledge institutions) and through regular meeting identify the region’s challenges and propose actions to support capacity-building at a local level. This approach has been enormously successful already.

IGCAT organises an annual European Region of Gastronomy Introductory Seminar for regions considering putting forward a candidature proposal and to give them an insight into the costs, challenges and opportunities of holding the title and joining the Platform.

More information

For more information contact: info@europeanregionofgastronomy.org