TEHRAN—Iran plans to hold a gastronomy conference concerning the ancient Silk Road, for which it served a significant role for centuries, said Director General of UNESCO’s Food and Gastronomy Club Mohammad Babareza.

He also said that Iran ranks first in terms of food diversity worldwide, ISNA reported.

“We plan to hold Florida Atlantic University (FAU) courses with an approach to study Iranian restaurants and cafes. In addition, launching the Caravan of Food and Gastronomy Club, and preparing the grounds for holding a Silk Road gastronomy conference are the other upcoming plans.”

He called defining the goals of UNESCO’s Food and Gastronomy Club in Iran, appreciating the documentary themed “Saffron” and directed by Ebrahim Mokhtari, inking Memoranda of Understanding with Kish Institute of Science and Technology, Iranian Food Science and Technology Association and Mashhad University of Medical Sciences as the other measures conducted in recent years.

Unveiling Iran Culinary Tourism Atlas, holding joint gatherings with Friendship associations of Iran with Germany, Croatia, Hungary, Greece, South Korea, India, Malaysia, Uganda, Uruguay, and Mexico. 

He said correspondence with Federation of UNESCO Clubs for cooperation of gastronomy clubs particularly Silk Road, International Training Centers such as Michelin and Kordon bleu, formation of Architecture Department, Department of Science and New Technologies as the other activities.

Babareza continued that UNESCO’s Food and Gastronomy Club plans to hold the first expo of Iranian products such as pomegranate, pistachio, caviar, barberry and saffron, award the culinary tourism destination title, hold competitions on diplomacy of flavors, and hold food events for Iranian and ethnic groups.

Unfortunately, Iranian cuisine doesn’t have remarkable status worldwide due to poor publicity and wrong introduction, he mentioned. 

He said a project themed UNESCO culinary and gastronomy caravan, the recipes of cooking Iranian cuisines and making traditional drinks will be implemented lively. 

The culinary caravan moves from Rasht as the Eighth UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy with 188 cuisine and dessert recipes and ends in Chabahar with 114 cuisine and dessert recipes, he concluded.
 

KD