This post is sponsored by Melting Gastronomy Summit
Get ready, because for the very first time, Porto will be the stage of an international gastronomy summit! That means you can get full access to a premium special event attended by famous chefs from all around the globe, keen on sharing their amazing culinary experiences, as well as their knowledge and most valuable industry insights. The Melting Gastronomy Summit will take place from the 14th to the 16th of November 2019 at Alfandega do Porto and will not only unite chefs, but also many experts, researchers, artists and other influential names in the restaurant, food, and wine business.
For 3 days only, Porto will become the ultimate foodies’ paradise, with flavours, smells, spices and recipes that will resonate with your taste buds for a very long time!
HERE ARE FIVE REASONS WHY YOU CAN’T MISS OUT ON THIS EVENT:
1. IT’S THE VERY FIRST IN THE WORLD
A true gastronomic journey around the world, Melting is the first international summit of its kind in Portugal. As such, and in order to establish itself as a household event in the industry from the get go, organizers are sure to start things out with a bang and surprise its demanding public!
Created by AGAVI – the Portuguese Association for the Promotion of Gastronomy, Wine, Local Products and Biodiversity, Melting’s first ever theme will revolve around Portuguese writer and poet Fernando Pessoa’s concept of Sensationism. The name itself “Melting” gives you a sense of blended concepts: Sensations, Suggestions, Consciousness and Construction. It’s most likely the first time you will get the chance to see food and poetry so beautifully entangled!
2. IT HAS MANY ACTIVITIES WORTH TRYING
Photo by: The Melting Gastronomy Summit
At Melting Summit you will have the chance to taste new and different foods, take part in live cooking experiences, witness distinctive artistic exhibitions, watch movies, participate in open discussions, and even attend presentations about innovative projects in the industry at the “Melting Business Segment”.
The highlight of the event though, is the magnificent “Melting Dinner” – an outstanding dinner experience meticulously organized and designed by famous chefs, with the goal of creating a debate and spark a discussion around food, sustainability, art, nutrition and entrepreneurship – the main topics of this summit. Taking place on the 15th of November at 8pm, it marks the culmination of this highly-anticipated event.
You can find the complete program in the Melting Summit website. Keep in mind most subjects and themes are purposely broad in order to promote reflection and brainstorming, with topics such as “The Ten (Food) Commandments”, “The Senses of Gastronomy” or even “The Food, Nutrition and Health Trends for 2020”. With such a wide scope of topics and so many relevant themes to choose from, we recommend taking a close read at the aforementioned program so that you don’t miss a beat. We guarantee you will not regret being a part of this exclusive event!
3. IT TRULY IS A “MELTING” POT
Picking the name “Melting” for this outstanding summit is not just an homage to Fernando Pessoa and its merging concepts of sensation, suggestion, consciousness and construction – but also a way of showing what a melting pot this will be! During the summit, you can expect a worldwide debate around food, with experts from all over the planet! A beautiful representation of diversity and multiculturalism, this event will gather people, recipes, traditions and foods from all over the place – in an almost poetic connection. Portuguese, Taiwanese, Brazilian, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, English, German and many other nationalities assure a very eclectic and distinctive panel of speakers. The debate is global, and so the possibilities become endless.
4. SOME OF THE MOST RELEVANT NAMES IN THE CULINARY INDUSTRY WILL BE HERE
Photo by: The Melting Gastronomy Summit
If you consider yourself a foodie, a field expert or just a home cook enthusiast, we know for sure some of these names will pump you up!
André Chiang, the owner of Raw Taipei – regarded as the best restaurant in Taiwan (among many other business ventures) – will be here. Chiang’s “Octaphilosophy” concept transforms the simple act of cooking into an almost magical ability, with the goal of designing a dish that awakens our dearest memories. For his entrepreneurial successes and outside-the-box ideas, Chiang is widely regarded as one of the most anticipated speakers at the summit!
Jay Rayner, The Guardian’s food critic and the author of “A Greedy Man In A Hungry World: How (almost) everything you thought you knew about food is wrong”, is yet another household name. His presentation about “The Ten (Food) Commandments” will surely leave you craving for more!
Yoga teacher for the last 14 years, and co-founder of the Zero Waste Lab Portugal, Inez Aires is yet another speaker that promises to bring a different approach to our relationship between mind and body.
Rafael Ansón, the Honorary President of the International Academy of Gastronomy and of the Academy of Gastronomy of the European Union will also take part in the summit. Needless to say, Ansón is a well-respected figure among his peers. According to him, gastronomy represents “the only cultural activity that satisfies all the senses” – and this is exactly what Melting intends to provoke – a true stimulation of all your senses while feeding your curiosity and fueling your imagination towards food and gastronomy.
If you’d like to know more about the panel of speakers, just take a look at the Melting Summit website.
5. THE 4 CHOSEN TOPICS OF THIS SUMMIT COULDN’T BE MORE RELEVANT
Throughout these 3 magical days, a total of 4 topics will be explored, with 4 moderators fully invested in assuring a complete and enriching experience for every participant. Considering this is an international event, all debates will be carried out in English, with both Portuguese and French live translations available, as well as translating devices available on request for all guests.
EVOKING SENSATIONS is a topic moderated by Miguel Esteves Cardoso, which intends to discuss the concept of simplicity in life in general, and in food in particular.
EXPRESSING SUGGESTIONS will be moderated by Ricardo Dias Felner and stands as a space dedicated to debating and exploring what the future holds. Food and wine trends for the next several years and how they’ll impact the future of gastronomy.
CONSCIOUSNESS is yet another topic of this summit, and one that has never felt so relevant! Moderated by Chef Nuno Queiroz Ribeiro, our planet will be the focus of the debate, with a deep conversation about the impacts of our daily actions. This debate will not only highlight and identify current and future problems, but also possible solutions to make positive changes towards a healthy, sustainable and balanced footprint.
And finally CONSTRUCTION – the last talking point. Moderated by José Diogo Albuquerque, this topic will focus on the importance of authenticity in the future of culinary and gastronomy.
To sum it up (pun intended), these 4 themes promise a great opportunity for every participant to reflect about gastronomy, while simultaneously taking part in brainstorming sessions alongside some of the most respected names in the game.
WHEN AND WHERE
The Melting Gastronomy Summit will take place in the Alfândega do Porto during the 14th, 15th and 16th of November 2019.
Tickets are available on the summit website here.
And this is it! A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and a truly magnificent event every foodie, aspiring chef, nutritionist or healthy lifestyle enthusiast should attend! What are you waiting for? Get your hands on those tickets! Let us know which day you’ll be attending and what you hope to learn in the comments below!
