Exploring gastronomic landscapes – a new approach for food system sustainability

“Gastronomy is not just about fine dining; it can be practiced by everyone who prepares food thoughtfully, and foster deeper connections between people and their environments. By rethinking how we manage our landscapes with gastronomy in mind, we can foster more resilient ecosystems and communities,” says Centre director Line Gordon.

Together with Centre researchers Amanda Jonsson, Jamila Haider, Laura Pereira, Carl Folke, and Maria Tengö, she has co-authored a new paper introducing the concept of “gastronomic landscapes” – an innovative approach that links gastronomy with the sustainable stewardship of both land- and seascapes.

A key challenge of today’s food systems is the growing physical and emotional disconnect between food production and consumption. This is where the concept of gastronomic landscapes comes in as a potential way forward, the authors argue.

A gastronomic landscape differs from a conventional food-producing landscape in that it is cultivated or managed with a focus on broader culinary values, such as nutrition or taste, rather than solely the caloric output of its produce. In this way, gastronomy can be practised by everyone and motivate people, including farmers, hunters, and a wide diversity of cooks, to think more carefully about how food is produced and prepared.

Culinary craftsmanship as a driver of resilience

The research underscores how years of consolidation and rationalization of food production in many places around the world have led to the erosion of traditional and artisanal food knowledge. Yet, this knowledge is crucial for future resilience and sustainability of food systems. The authors argue that culinary craftsmanship can offer innovative pathways to overcome this and regenerate our biocultural landscapes. By focusing on locality, diversity, and quality, the gastronomic landscape approach can enhance the capacity of ecosystems to adapt and thrive, while simultaneously supporting food sovereignty.

“By embracing culinary traditions and innovation, we can unlock new possibilities for how we steward the biosphere. Food is deeply connected to our landscapes, and through thoughtful culinary craftsmanship, we have the opportunity to promote both ecological and cultural diversity,” summarizes lead author Amanda Jonsson.

Six global case studies

Drawing from six diverse cases across the globe, the paper explores how different landscapes, from forests to coastlines, can be sustainably governed through culinary practices. In the Pamir Mountains of Afghanistan, traditional recipes boost food security. In Sweden, sustainable management of a lamb farm increases yields and lowers climate impact. US salmon restoration projects, led by indigenous groups, strengthen food sovereignty. In Spain, reviving traditional ecological knowledge promotes shorter food chains. In South Africa, local foraging practices address biodiversity and equity, and in Sápmi, Sámi knowledge links land stewardship to high-quality produce.

The six cases illustrate the variety of knowledge systems that can inform the creation and nurturing of gastronomic landscapes. By doing so, the authors propose a typology that can be used to analyze these landscapes and their contribution to food system sustainability.

Drive the development of biosphere stewardship

In conclusion, the authors hope that the gastronomic landscape approach – emphasizing high-quality, nutritious, and diverse ingredients – can spark a greater interest in the stewardship of land and seascapes that produce essential culinary resources.

“By using the lens of gastronomy in understanding landscapes, we highlight how culinary craftsmanship, tradition, and innovation, from cooks in local communities to chefs of leading restaurants, have the potential to drive the development of biosphere stewardship that leads to more biocultural, diverse, and resilient landscapes,” the authors write.

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