The International Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Arts and Tourism (IGCAT) has chosen Catalunya as the world region of gastronomy in 2025. This title highlights and promotes those regions that contribute to improving the quality of life of citizens, asserting different food cultures, education for health and sustainability, and gastronomic innovation.
Thanks to this distinction, Catalunya is projected internationally, so that, as the Minister of Business, Roger Torrent, has said, it "highlights something that Catalans already knew; that it is the place in the world where one eats and drinks best."
The international jury, made up of experts from different fields such as tourism, culture, hospitality, and agriculture, has considered that Catalan cuisine is top-notch, providing a unique gastronomic experience due to the fusion of flavors and the quality of the raw material. In addition, it has highlighted the dedication and professionalism of people related to the food and hospitality sector and the will to progress.
The Govern will allocate 9 million euros to promote initiatives that exploit the potential of Catalan gastronomy and make it worthy of this title. Among these, the international week of the world region of gastronomy will be held wherever there are delegations of the Generalitat. Promotions in points of sale or restaurants, wine tastings, and cultural evenings, among others, will be included. The Àpat Catalunya, a multitudinous dinner in an emblematic public space in Barcelona, will also be held.
In this way, the aim is to give international value to Catalan cuisine and, thus, demonstrate what the Secretary of Food, Carmel Mòdol describes: "Catalunya, where gastronomy is culture."