Nordic-California Food Symposium

It has been over 50 years since the California Cuisine movement introduced the use of local and seasonal ingredients paired with more sustainable farming practices. Similarly, the New Nordic Food manifesto was published over 20 years ago and also focused on promoting fresh, local, seasonal, and ethical foodways. These once-provocative ideas have in the intervening years become more mainstream in both California and the Nordic region, even as food practices have had to adapt to new challenges like the ongoing climate crisis and shifts in global trade. If the future of food includes investing in regionalized food systems through solutions like reducing food miles and centering place-based sustainability practices, then what can cuisines across cultures learn from each other?

The Nordic-California Food Symposium on November 7-8, 2025 will examine the complexity of what happens when food culture travels, and what kinds of accommodations people make in an effort to assimilate or preserve food cultures. This two-day symposium will emphasize a ‘cultural-entrepreneurial’ approach and bring together scholars researching food cultures with culinary professionals and to think together about the interface between Nordic and California food cultures and practices. Attendees will be invited to reflect from a comparative point of view on the cultural specificity of their own everyday relationship to food.

In order to reduce food waste and because of limited number of seats, we ask that you only register if you can commit to attend at least one full day.

Accessibility: Chou Hall is ADA accessible. Restrooms are ADA accessible. If you will require accommodation to fully participate in the event, please contact Nathalie Muñoz ([email protected]) as soon as possible.

COVID Protocol: This event will be indoors so masks are optional, but highly encouraged. Please do not attend if you are feeling unwell.

Host or Publisher CRB /Food@Haas/Provenance Capital Group