Gastronomy does not begin on the plate.
It begins in the land.
In the plants that take root in a place, in the herbs that grow with the rhythm of the seasons, in the fruits that ripen under the sun, and in the people who know how to read the landscape and transform it into food, experience, memory and culture.
This connection between nature, land and gastronomy was highlighted at the Botanical Garden of Crete during the 32nd World Regions of Gastronomy Platform Meeting, within the wider context of Crete’s recognition as European Region of Gastronomy awarded 2026.
Representatives from different gastronomic regions had the opportunity to experience a living space of biodiversity near Chania. A place where the Cretan land is not presented simply as an image, but as an experience. A place that gives life to flavour, knowledge and cultural continuity.
During the visit, participants toured the Botanical Garden and discovered a rich collection of Mediterranean and exotic plant species. The tour highlighted not only the natural beauty of the Garden, but also the deeper importance of preserving natural landscapes, protecting biodiversity and connecting gastronomy with the environment.
Petros Marinakis, founder and CEO of the Botanical Garden of Crete, welcomed the Platform representatives with local treats made from ingredients grown in the Garden itself. This gesture carried a deeper meaning. It was not only an act of hospitality. It was a reminder that flavour becomes meaningful when it remains connected to its origin.
Because before a product reaches the table, it has already travelled a long path. It has passed through soil, water, light, air, season and care. This journey is what gives Cretan gastronomy its deeper value.
On the occasion of World Bee Day, Platform representatives planted new additions to the Garden, creating a symbolic and meaningful moment of participation. The bee, as a vital link for nature, agriculture and the food chain, reminds us in the clearest way that environmental protection is not an abstract idea. It is a condition for the future of food, cultivation and gastronomic heritage itself.
The day continued at the Garden’s restaurant, where participants enjoyed tastings of local wine, olive oil, honey and tea. These products are not simply flavours. They are carriers of place. Every aroma, every texture and every taste memory is connected with the land of Crete, its seasons, its cultivation, its traditions and the way of life shaped around them.
As part of the meeting, an important conversation also took place around the preservation of local biodiversity and the way gastronomic regions can transform it into a coherent cycle: from research and mapping to the protection of natural resources, sustainable agriculture, value-added products and citizen engagement.
The discussion included key contributors such as the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania, the Geotechnical Chamber of Greece – Department of Crete, the Association of Cretan Olive Municipalities and the Region of Crete – Regional Unit of Chania. At the same time, Platform members from regions such as Galway-West of Ireland, Catalonia, Harghita and Sicily shared examples, practices and experiences from their own gastronomic communities.
The value of this exchange lies exactly there: in understanding gastronomy not as an isolated experience of consumption, but as a system. A system that includes nature, agriculture, local knowledge, cultural continuity, education and responsibility towards future generations.
For Crete, this connection is profound. Cretan gastronomy was not built on excess, but on an understanding of the land. On herbs, olive oil, honey, wine, fruits, simplicity and the wisdom of the seasons. It is a gastronomy that does not try to impress, but to remember.
To remember that food is relationship.
A relationship with place.
A relationship with nature.
A relationship with people.
Within this framework, the Botanical Garden of Crete functions as a living meeting point. A place where biodiversity becomes knowledge, nature becomes experience and flavour returns to its original source: the land.At a time when environmental protection and the promotion of cultural identity cannot be treated separately, such meetings become especially meaningful. They show that the future of gastronomy is not found only in kitchens. It is found in gardens, fields, landscapes, communities and in the people who continue to keep the memory of a place alive.
At a time when environmental protection and the promotion of cultural identity cannot be treated separately, such meetings become especially meaningful. They show that the future of gastronomy is not found only in kitchens. It is found in gardens, fields, landscapes, communities and in the people who continue to keep the memory of a place alive.
And in Crete, this memory has deep roots.
Roots in the land.
Roots in nature.
Roots in culture.
