Food as a bridge between cultures
Taking it slowly, on a journey through culinary culture full of flavours and traditions
Food is one of the most universal and direct forms of communication, with so much to say about places, people and stories. It can overcome cultural and language barriers, creating powerful connections between different communities. In the realm of regenerative tourism, food and wine provide concrete opportunities to forge genuine bonds with places and the people who spend their everyday lives in them.
Rather than just tasting local dishes, the idea is for people to appreciate their cultural value, the stories behind them and the way in which they have been passed down through the generations. This spirit is perfectly embodied by events such as Cous Cous Fest in San Vito Lo Capo (Sicily), where chefs from a number of countries gather together every year and present their individual takes on a dish that is part of many different Mediterranean traditions. The simple fare serves as a focal point for a celebration of communication, fusion and coexistence. The festival showcases something that happens away from the spotlight every day, revealing the table’s role as a place where people come together and identities remain in the foreground and enrich each other, rather than fading away.
The importance of taking things slowly
It takes time for food to really build a bridge between cultures. Time to listen, learn and share. Taking things slowly plays an invaluable part in all of this. Instead of holding things up, it is actually a key part of authentic experiences. Far from the hustle and bustle of mass tourism, regenerative travellers rediscover the pleasures of living life at a leisurely pace, showing care and respect for the world around them. Food helps them to forge connections. Sitting around a table with people who live locally, listening to their stories and seeing how they make traditional dishes can pave the way to the creation of genuine bonds that can endure even after the trip is over.
More and more destinations are choosing to champion this authentic side of culinary experiences and embracing a sustainable approach featuring strong connections with local communities.
Concrete examples of this vision are provided by the organisations involved in the Smarties for SMEs project. In Slovenia, food and wine trails promote local cuisine and biodiversity, bringing visitors face-to-face with producers and authentic landscapes. In Andalusia, stays in natural surroundings are complemented by experiences involving organic cuisine, herb picking and making meals with local communities.
Food is a form of expression revolving around flavours, methods and memories that continue to build bridges between cultures, giving local communities a core role and fostering more personal, ethical and sustainable tourism.
The transformative power of participation
When you stop simply watching and get actively involved, travel can be truly transformative. In many destinations, visitors get the chance to see distinctive aspects of everyday local life for themselves by taking part in activities such as visits to small-scale producers, harvesting olives, and cooking with people whose families have been passing down traditional recipes for generations. There is so much to learn from experiences such as listening to the stories of cheesemakers or kneading dough with people who bake bread every day, during which knowledge, practical skills and personal connections are all intertwined. Offering more than just sensory discovery, food is a means of raising awareness, promoting more sustainable consumption and creating genuine connections with people and places. It provides nourishment for the body, mind and community, in the broadest sense of the term.