The new annual April 18 celebration calls on communities and destinations around the world to recognize the people and practices that continue disappearing food traditions.
LONDON, April 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — With globalization, industrial standardization and changing consumer habits putting traditional eating habits under increasing pressure, the World Food Travel Association (WFTA) today launched World Culinary Heritage Day — an annual global celebration, held every April 18, dedicated to celebrating and safeguarding the food traditions that define communities, identities and destinations around the world. This celebration follows World Food Travel Day, which has been organized by the WFTA for the past eight years. The rebranding reflects a broader mission and greater global appeal – shifting the focus from culinary travel to culinary heritage itself – while ensuring that this day is more immediately understood by communities, media and policymakers around the world.
From family recipes and artisanal production methods to regional ingredients and ancestral cooking techniques, culinary heritage is one of the most accessible and meaningful cultural expressions – and yet it is disappearing. Based on a comparative study of 29 countries, the WFTA estimates that around 13% of traditional culinary practices have disappeared or are extremely threatened – losses that are accelerating. The people who preserve these traditions – farmers, fishermen, producers, cooks and local communities – too often remain invisible.
“Culinary heritage is not just about what’s on the plate: it’s about the grandmother whose recipe was passed down from generation to generation, the farmer growing a nearly forgotten grain, the fishing community whose techniques predate written history,” said Erik Wolf, executive director of the World Food Travel Association. “These traditions are disappearing faster than we can document them. World Culinary Heritage Day is a global call to recognize their value before it is too late.”
Anyone, anywhere can participate: from home cooks and chefs to tourism offices, educators and cultural organizations:
How to participate
- Share a photo or short video of a traditional dish, ingredient, food tradition, or culinary experience
- Tell the story behind it – its cultural roots, personal significance or community importance
- Recognize the people, creators or communities who continue the tradition
- Use the official hashtag #CulinaryHeritageDay
A story. A dish. A tradition. Pass it on.
Through storytelling, education and community action, World Culinary Heritage Day aims to make culinary heritage a vital pillar of cultural identity, sustainable tourism and local economic resilience – and to inspire the next generation to protect the traditions that make every place irreplaceable.
World Culinary Heritage Day is the flagship initiative of the Taste of Place movement. Join the movement at JoinTasteofPlace.org.
Media contact
Erik Wolf, executive director
World Association of Gastronomic Travel
help@worldfoodtravel.org
WorldFoodTravel.org
About the World Gastronomic Travel Association
Founded in 2001, the World Food Travel Association (WFTA) is the world’s leading authority on food tourism, serving professionals, destinations and businesses in more than 100 countries. Through its Taste of Place movement, WFTA works to protect and promote the culinary traditions that define communities around the world. WorldFoodTravel.org
Show original content:SOURCE World Gastronomic Travel Association
