Catalonia World Region of Gastronomy closes with nearly 1,900 sign-ups and more than 450 activities

In 2025, Catalonia was recognised as a World Region of Gastronomy by the International Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Arts and Tourism (IGCAT), a recognition that rolled out a strategy coordinated by the Departments of Business and Labour and of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food, and shared with public bodies, economic stakeholders, social organisations, knowledge centres and industry professionals to showcase and project our gastronomy.

As set out in the project report, the designation has represented first-rate international recognition and has served both to assert the distinctiveness of the Catalan gastronomic model and to strengthen its leadership in food culture, sustainability and innovation, and food and wine tourism. The distinction has also been a unique opportunity to boost Catalonia's global profile and consolidate a high-quality gastronomic model of its own, rooted in the land and geared towards the future.

More than 450 activities and nearly 1,900 sign-ups

CRMG25 has been, above all, a nationwide project seeking the involvement of the public and all industry stakeholders to promote the traditional values of Catalan cuisine, add value to local produce and spread a healthy, sustainable food model rooted in the Mediterranean Diet. Throughout 2025, the project rolled out more than 455 activities and gathered 1,887 sign-ups from stakeholders across the food chain — public bodies, companies, producers, restaurateurs, schools and social organisations — demonstrating strong collective commitment.

Among the most notable collaborative initiatives within CRMG25 were the project 12 months, 12 landscapes, which sought to develop activities putting local communities and their agri-food landscapes centre stage, and the project Gastrosàvies, in which older women from across Catalonia shared their culinary knowledge at various gatherings, workshops and talks.

Other prominent activities included the Som Gastronomia Tour, a series of national and international presentations promoting Catalonia as a food and wine tourism destination, which travelled to Madrid, Vigo, San Sebastián, Tokyo, Beijing, London and Mexico, and the launch of the campaign “Catalonia, the best cuisine in the world”, featuring 140 real figures from the Catalan gastronomic and agri-food world.

A project with major media impact

The project also achieved notable media impact, with more than 362 million potential impressions in media worldwide and an estimated economic value of over 5 million euros. The involvement of well-known figures such as Ferran Adrià, Carme Ruscalleda and Joan Roca helped amplify this narrative, combining tradition and innovation and positioning Catalan gastronomy as a highly valuable cultural and economic asset and a first-rate gastronomic destination.

The digital strategy was another pillar of the project. Social media grew significantly, with more than 7 million combined views across Instagram and Facebook and a strong capacity to reach new audiences. In parallel, the official website SomGastronomia.cat recorded more than 14,600 unique users with a high engagement rate. This digital presence has helped spread awareness of Catalan gastronomic heritage and build an active community around the project.

A legacy that goes beyond 2025

The close of the World Region of Gastronomy 2025 consolidates Catalonia, thanks to the strength of collaborative work, as an international benchmark in gastronomy while helping to give continuity to policies in this field. Beyond the 2025 figures, CRMG25 has consolidated some of its activities, such as the “Gastrosàvies”, the popular “Mercat de l'Oli Nou”, the management of the “Cuina Catalana” brand, a unique inventory of traditional recipes, and the campaign “Catalonia, the best cuisine in the world”, which were born within the World Region framework but have been so successful that they will continue in order to keep promoting Catalan cuisine and preserving our gastronomy and culinary heritage.