Diálogos de Cocina 2025: Exploring Fear in Gastronomy
The 10th edition of Diálogos de Cocina, the boundary-breaking gastronomic congress, will take place on 3–4 March 2025 in Donostia-San Sebastián, tackling the theme of fear within gastronomy. Known for intertwining culinary arts with other fields of knowledge, this interdisciplinary event fosters critical and enriching dialogue about what happens around the table.
Organized by Mugaritz, the European Community of Chefs (Euro-Toques), and the Basque Culinary Center, the congress will welcome around 200 attendees to participate in lectures, roundtables, and creative workshops. This year, the focus will be on exploring the roots of fear, daring attendees to confront discomfort, the unconventional, and the unknown.
What Are We Afraid Of?
This year’s event will delve into the fears and aversions that shape gastronomy:
The fear of change or decay.
Fear of challenging norms, breaking rules, and defying conventions.
The tension between personal taste and collective acceptance.
Gastronomy has long been a battleground of tradition versus innovation, cultural taboos, and shifting social mores. Once, a fork was absurd, elbows on the table offensive, and chefs mere culinary laborers. Today, as food transcends nutrition and chefs become cultural icons, the field remains fraught with anxieties—from navigating political correctness to embracing the new and unknown.
A Bold Invitation to Transform Fear
Diálogos de Cocina 2025 will invite participants to confront these fears with a mix of love, humor, and joy, creating spaces where fear becomes an engine for creativity and transformation. By challenging comfort zones, the event aims to turn apprehension into opportunities for growth and inspiration.
Mark your calendars for this thought-provoking exploration of gastronomy’s most sensitive and thrilling boundaries.