Gastronomic heritage elements at UNESCO: problems, reflections on and interpretations of a new heritage category

The 2003 UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage paved the way as the first international and binding instrument to safeguard ‘intangible cultural heritage’. ICH is a relatively newly-defined concept by UNESCO, differentiated from the category of UNESCO World Heritage related to the 1972 Convention. This shift of paradigm – from tangible to intangible, from ‘cultural objects’ to ‘cultural processes’, and from protecting to safeguarding – constitutes a renewal of the definition and management of immaterial manifestations as well as their inscription on the UNESCO ICH Lists. In 2010, the Traditional Mexican Cuisine, the Mediterranean diet and the Gastronomic Meal of the French were inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. These inscriptions represented a step forward in UNESCO’s recognition of new heritage categories and, more specifically, the consideration of gastronomy with regard to its symbolic, identity and ritual role in societies. From 2010, more gastronomic elements made it to the List. Nevertheless, academic research on food heritage mainly analysed case studies about cuisine and food instead of providing theoretical perspectives, and the effects of food heritagisation on the UNESCO List are far from having been thoroughly studied and evaluated through fieldwork. The aim of this paper is to explore the ways in which heritage is constructed 1) starting by defining cultural heritage, Intangible Cultural Heritage and gastronomic heritages, 2) continuing to challenge the actual feasibility of heritagising gastronomy and the social practices associated therewith, via UNESCO, and 3) ending with some reflections on the reasons for the great interest in inscribing food heritage with UNESCO.