Navigating Complexity: Transdisciplinary Approaches to the Future of Gastronomy – with Raquel Mestre Cuesta, Constanza Diaz del Castillo Velasquez (Basque Culinary Center)

This presentation explores a perspective on the gastronomic system as a complex adaptive network in constant evolution. It examines how cultural, ecological, economic, and technological factors intersect to shape contemporary food practices.
The inherent complexity of the gastronomic system requires approaches that transcend linear predictions and help navigate uncertainty while identifying opportunities.

Transdisciplinarity emerges as a crucial strategy, integrating knowledge from food science, sociology, ecology, economics, and design to address contemporary challenges. Embracing this complexity creates pathways for innovation and meaningful intervention in food systems. The presentation emphasizes that adopting systems thinking and transdisciplinary approaches enables future gastronomic professionals to actively participate in shaping more sustainable, just, and multicultural food futures rather than merely adapting to predetermined trends.

***Raquel Mestre Cuesta and Constanza Diaz del Castillo Velasquez are alumni of the Master’s in Gastronomic Sciences and are part of the coordination team for the master’s programs at the Basque Culinary Center — Gastronomy Open Ecosystem.

*Raquel Mestre Cuesta is a multidisciplinary professional with a background in Food Science and Technology and a specialization in Gastronomic Sciences. She currently works as a full-time professor at the Basque Culinary Center, teaching sensory analysis, research methodologies in gastronomy, new product development, and food trends. In addition to her teaching role, she contributes to academic program design, strategic coordination, and the development of industry partnerships. She is also a PhD candidate in Sociology, with a research focus on contemporary food trends.
*Designer, Master in Gastronomic Sciences, and Ph.D. candidate in sociology, Constanza Diaz del Castillo Velasquez serves as the Coordinator of the Master in Gastronomic Sciences at Basque Culinary Center. Venezuelan-born and based in Spain, she approaches gastronomy through a systemic lens, mediating intersectional teams to develop context-specific projects for social development. Her participatory methodology bridges multiple knowledge perspectives, resulting in transdisciplinary outcomes across research, consulting, and teaching. She has led social innovation initiatives in Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, and Spain, and organized prominent events including Dialogos de Cocina.