The FRMNT Festival promotes the gastronomic revolution of fermented foods in Barcelona

At that crossroads between ancient tradition, experimentation, and community, the FRMNT Festival was born, the event that this March -from the 14th to the 16th- will once again turn Nau Bostik in Barcelona into the national epicenter of fermentation culture.

Sponsored by Gastrocultura Mediterránea-Töufood, the Festival aims to respond to the growing curiosity and interest in the world of fermented foods, not only among the general public but also among professionals in the gastronomy sector.

Therefore, in addition to the market, featuring some of the best brands in the sector, as well as a packed agenda of activities full of talks, pairings, workshops, and tastings combined with music and a good atmosphere, this year's big novelty is the expansion of the program with FRMNTPRO, an additional day —Monday the 16th— dedicated exclusively to education and networking, and aimed at professionals, schools, and institutions (with prior invitation and accreditation).

Barcelona, fermentation city

And it is no coincidence that this event is held in Barcelona. The Catalan capital, accustomed to absorbing influences and reinterpreting them, has become one of the most active hubs in Southern Europe for fermentation culture, driven by restless chefs, artisan producers, and a public increasingly interested in understanding what lies behind living foods such as kimchi, kombucha, misos, wild beers, or cheeses aged with new techniques.

Behind the FRMNT Festival are two profiles that symbolize the transversality of the phenomenon: Henk Cortier, founder of Lambicus and a key figure in the dissemination of Belgian beer culture in Barcelona, and Xavier Ramon, creator of Ferment Project, a fermenter, popularizer, and explorer of new gastronomic applications of koji and contemporary fermentation.

We spoke with both about the rise —and risks— of the fermentation boom and about the future of a discipline that, far from being a passing trend, is emerging as one of the most influential languages in current cuisine.

Fermentation is an ancient technique, but today it is presented as innovation. Are we recovering forgotten knowledge or reinterpreting it?

We believe that the fermentation movement has always existed. Now it is more in vogue because people have much more access to material, knowledge, and recipes, thanks to the work of specialists and chefs, and also to social media. The DIY movement, non-reliance on big industry, and a greater awareness of health and what we eat also have a lot to do with it.

What seduces you and what makes you uncomfortable about the current boom in fermented foods?

What we like most is the level of experimentation. Before, more traditional fermented foods were made, like soy tempeh, and now we see peanut tempehs or legume mixes, calçot kimchis, coffee kombuchas, or the use of fermented foods in areas where they were not applied before: biomaterials, mixology, food supplements, etc.

What makes us uncomfortable is the misinterpretation or misleading use of terms related to fermentation by the industry to sell products. For example, breads labeled as "sourdough" when they actually use industrial yeasts and quick processes, or products presented as fermented when they no longer contain live microorganisms.

From within the sector, what common mistake do you see in how fermentation is being explained to the general public?

In general, fermenters do a very good job of dissemination. The problem sometimes appears in some media, especially online, or even in certain AI tools, which generate fear by exaggerating the risks of fermenting at home. In reality, these errors are more related to poor food preservation in general than to fermentation itself.

There is a lot of talk about fermented foods in terms of health. Is this perhaps too simple or poor an approach?

It is a very important approach. When we say that an unpasteurized craft beer is healthier than an industrial beer, many people are surprised, although they readily accept that a cheap industrial wine is more harmful than a well-made wine. It is more than proven that, in general, fermented foods are very good for health. Furthermore, creating fermented foods is an interesting and healthy activity in itself due to the contact with food.

Looking back, what decision was key for FRMNT to stop being a project for initiates and start building a broader and more diverse community?

Last year we took an important step by opening the event to the general public, moving it to Nau Bostik, with much more space, several rooms, and the creation of the Market, a space where all kinds of fermented foods and materials can be bought and tasted. This year we are growing even more with a specific day for professionals.

This is the biggest and most ambitious edition of the festival. What made you most hesitate about growing it?

We had no doubts. It has been a natural process, the result of the effort of all participants and sponsors.

In fact, this growth is towards the professional profile. Do you think the restaurant industry is ready to integrate fermented foods with discernment?

A lot of work is being done in this regard. I believe we will see a significant boom in the near future, driven by the customers themselves. It will no longer be something exclusive to high-end restaurants. Cooking schools and research centers are also helping to make this progress real.

And is the market ready to pay for complex and living fermented foods?

Fermented food is always complex, although its creation or application can be simple. It can also be functional and not necessarily expensive. It all depends on whether the consumer is willing to get a little more involved: doing part of the process so it's not so expensive, trying new things, and understanding what they are consuming. If I make koji-aged meat, it doesn't cost much money or effort, but the result is spectacular. The festival exists to learn techniques like that.

The POP UP Lunch is one of the central activities of the festival. What can a menu based on fermented foods convey that a talk cannot?

Above all, it creates community. Ideas are shared while enjoying the knowledge of each participant through fermented dishes and drinks paired at the highest level. It is an important part of the festival, very exclusive – perhaps in a future edition we can make it for more people.

If you had to define the FRMNT FESTIVAL in one sensation, what would it be?

The feeling of being part of something bigger that is fermenting within.

Looking to the future, how do you imagine FRMNT in a few years?

With more interested people, national and international level talks, and activities throughout the year. Even in other places on the Peninsula. It is a project with a very interesting future.

And on a personal level, after so many years working with fermentation, what still surprises you?

That we haven't even seen the tip of the iceberg. Fermentation will be increasingly applied in many areas: health, food, ecological materials (even in construction), and general well-being. To live a fuller life.