The heritagization of food—understood as the social process through which food products, practices, and knowledge are redefined and institutionalised as cultural heritage—has emerged as a key strategy in contemporary rural development, identity construction, and sustainability policies. From UNESCO designations to local certifications and chef-led revival initiatives, food heritage is increasingly mobilised across diverse arenas as both a cultural and economic resource.

Its growing recognition has prompted important scholarly debates across different disciplines and subfields focused on the study of food and gastronomy, such as anthropology, geography, sociology, marketing, etc.. On the one hand, heritagization is framed as a vehicle for community empowerment, transmission of traditional knowledge, and the sustainable promotion of local foodscapes. Creating and recreating cultural and historical meanings and identities around food can positively affect residents’ sense of belonging and enhance their understanding among the wider public. On the other hand, a growing body of critical literature points to the ambivalences embedded in these processes. Institutional and market-driven forms of heritage valorisation may lead to the standardisation of food practices, exclusion of local actors, and commodification of cultural resources. Exogenous pressure can lead to commodifying gastronomic heritage to suit the changing preferences of consumers and suppliers. As restaurants, chefs, and tourism actors increasingly engage in the politics of food heritage, there is an urgent need to investigate the socio-cultural, territorial, and ethical implications of these interventions.

This Special Issue aims to explore the transformative effects of food heritagization processes and to assess under what conditions these initiatives may contribute to—or undermine. We are particularly interested in the unintended consequences that may emerge: When do heritage projects reinforce inequalities, distort traditional knowledge, or diminish community agency? How does the market, through tourism, gastronomy, and certification schemes, reshape the meaning, representation, and value of food heritage? What actor constellations and governance mechanisms are conducive to inclusive, context-sensitive heritage practices?

We welcome interdisciplinary and methodologically diverse contributions that provide critical, empirically grounded, and theoretically informed insights into the contemporary dynamics of food heritage. Submissions may include case studies, comparative analyses, theoretical reflections, and policy evaluations.

Suggested topics include, but are not limited to:

● The political economy of food heritagization and commodification

● Food heritage in the restaurant and hospitality sectors

● Governance arrangements and actor configurations in heritage projects

● Certification schemes and exclusionary dynamics

● Tensions between authenticity, innovation, and marketability

● Community-led vs. institutionally-driven food valorisation processes

● Tourism development and the creative (re) invention/interpretation of culinary traditions

● Methodological approaches to studying food heritage and its impacts

By fostering critical dialogue and interdisciplinary exchange, this Special Issue seeks to deepen our understanding of the complexities and contradictions that characterize food heritagization processes and to inform more equitable and sustainable trajectories for contemporary food systems.

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Food Heritagization: Power, Politics, and Practices in Contemporary Foodscape