Sustainable Food Systems through Culinary Heritage and Cultural Landscapes

A place-based, practice-led research experience focused on the intersections of food systems, cultural identity, biodiversity, and sustainability. Set in Croatia’s Dalmatian region, including the island of Lastovo, Mount Biokovo, and Makarska, the programme immerses culinary arts students in hands-on fieldwork with chefs, food producers, and archaeologists. Students will explore how food traditions reflect ecological adaptation, sustainable practices, and cultural heritage.

The programme integrates cooking workshops, cultural site visits, and stakeholder engagement to support student-led inquiry into both traditional and contemporary sustainable food systems. Drawing inspiration from the Cetina culture and Mediterranean agroecological practices, students will apply critical thinking and reflective research methods to explore sustainability through a culinary lens.

The experience culminates in a creative research challenge: students will reimagine a food tradition, dish, or culinary practice — local or personal — through the lens of sustainability, drawing on insights gained throughout the programme. Deliverables may include reflective portfolios and creative outputs such as recipe redesigns, visual storytelling, or food narratives. The project strengthens applied research, problem-solving, and creative communication skills.

This Student Research Hub includes a mandatory physical mobility component in Croatia’s Dalmatian region. Participation is limited to a maximum of 10 students to ensure an immersive, high-quality learning experience. Please contact the organisers for further information: Michelle Maher – michelle.maher@setu.ie

General learning outcomes

By the end of the Student Research Hub, students will be able to:

• Analyse the relationship between food systems, place, and cultural heritage in a sustainability context.
• Demonstrate reflective thinking based on experiential learning in real-world, intercultural environments.
• Apply sustainability principles and systems thinking to reinterpret a food tradition or culinary practice.
• Communicate research-informed insights and creative solutions through written, visual, or oral outputs.
• Develop critical evaluation skills for sustainability practices.