More than what’s on the plate.
A meal can be an invitation to understand another culture. Gastrodiplomacy explores how cuisine helps nations and communities communicate who they are.
This project looks at the connections between food, tourism, national identity, and cultural exchange.
Where food and travel meet.
How does experiencing a cuisine shape the way we see a country? Dr. Suntikul’s research examines the relationship between gastrodiplomacy, tourism, and national identity.
Read the research paper (PDF) →
One table. Many cultures.
Explore the five countries in the original collection. Their dedicated guides are forthcoming.
France · South Korea · Thailand · Taiwan · Peru
People, places & the food between them.
Explore photographs from the original project.
A curiosity about the world.
Meet Dr. Wantanee Suntikul and learn about the person behind this project.
Let’s connect.
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COUNTRY COLLECTION / EUROPE
France
From celebratory meals to dinners hosted abroad, France offers a useful starting point for exploring how food connects cultural heritage, hospitality and international outreach.
Food and cultural identity
UNESCO inscribed the gastronomic meal of the French in 2010. The recognition concerns a shared social practice: marking important occasions through carefully chosen dishes, table settings, tasting and conversation. Its significance lies in bringing people together and passing knowledge between generations. It is a recognition of the meal’s customs, rather than a ranking of cuisines.
Public diplomacy example
Launched in 2015 by chef Alain Ducasse and France’s foreign ministry, Goût de / Good France invited restaurants and French embassies around the world to share French dinners. The French government’s 2024 gastronomy strategy included renewing these events in embassies abroad. Cooking workshops, demonstrations, tastings and partner restaurant menus were among the activities announced for that edition. This offers a documented example of a country introducing its culinary traditions to international audiences.
Explore further
Begin with UNESCO’s account of the meal’s social meaning, then compare the launch of Good France with the French government’s later strategy. Consider whose food traditions, skills and regional identities each initiative presents.
Official sources
A curated introduction based on the official sources above.
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