Declaration for the Support
of Culinary Heritage & Sense of Place

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Declaration for the Preservation of Culinary Heritage and Sense of Place

© World Food Travel Association

Taste of Place Movement
Adopted January 1, 2026


Preamble

Culinary heritage is a living expression of place. It is shaped by geography, climate, agriculture, history, culture, and the knowledge passed from generation to generation. Food is not merely sustenance or commodity; it is identity, memory, and meaning.


At a time of accelerating globalization, industrialization of food systems, climate disruption, mass tourism, and cultural homogenization, culinary traditions and local foodways face unprecedented risk. As these traditions erode, communities lose not only flavors and techniques, but also livelihoods, cultural continuity, and a vital connection to place.


The Taste of Place Movement affirms that safeguarding culinary heritage is essential to cultural integrity, social cohesion, environmental stewardship, and responsible tourism development.

Declaration


We hereby declare the following 10 principles:


  1. Culinary heritage is cultural heritage.
    Foodways, traditional ingredients, techniques, rituals, and food-related knowledge are integral components of cultural heritage and must be recognized, respected, and protected as such.
  2. Culinary heritage is living and evolving.
    Preservation does not imply stagnation. Culinary traditions must be allowed to adapt and evolve while remaining rooted in place, community values, and cultural continuity.
  3. Communities are the rightful custodians of their culinary heritage.
    Farmers, producers, cooks, artisans, elders, and culture-bearers must be centered in decisions affecting their food heritage. Their voices, knowledge, and consent are essential.
  4. Sense of place is inseparable from food.
    Culinary heritage derives meaning from local landscapes, ecosystems, seasons, and agricultural practices. Protecting food heritage requires protecting the environments that sustain it.
  5. Culinary heritage must not be exploited or appropriated.
    Commercialization, tourism development, and branding efforts must avoid extraction, misrepresentation, and cultural appropriation. Benefits must flow back to local communities and producers.
  6. Tourism has a responsibility to protect what it promotes.
    Food-related tourism should support preservation, fair economic participation, and cultural dignity rather than accelerate loss, dilution, or displacement.
  7. Education is essential to preservation.
    Culinary heritage must be documented, taught, and transmitted through formal and informal education, ensuring intergenerational continuity and informed stewardship.
  8. Equity, inclusion, and respect are fundamental.
    All culinary traditions, including those of Indigenous peoples, rural communities, migrants, and marginalized groups, deserve recognition and protection.
  9. Sustainability is inseparable from culinary heritage.
    Preserving food heritage requires supporting sustainable agriculture, biodiversity, animal welfare, and climate-resilient food systems grounded in local knowledge.
  10. Collaboration strengthens preservation.
    Governments, destinations, cultural institutions, educators, businesses, civil society, and travelers share responsibility for safeguarding culinary heritage through cooperation and shared values.

Commitment


By endorsing this Declaration, we commit to:


  • Advocate for policies that recognize and protect culinary heritage as cultural heritage
  • Support local producers, artisans, and food culture bearers
  • Promote responsible, place-based food tourism
  • Resist homogenization and extractive practices
  • Champion education, documentation, and intergenerational knowledge transfer
  • Act with humility, respect, and accountability toward the communities we engage

Closing Statement


Culinary heritage connects people to place, past to future, and culture to daily life. Its preservation is not a luxury, trend, or marketing tool, but a responsibility.

Through this Declaration, the Taste of Place Movement affirms its dedication to protecting the flavors, knowledge, landscapes, and people that make places distinct — today and for generations to come.

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