Zack Denfeld, co-founder of the Center for Genomic Gastronomy, aims to explore future food scenarios through experiential events that highlight issues like biodiversity loss and environmental destruction. Collaborating with scientists, farmers, and artists, Denfeld’s team creates innovative dishes—such as pollution-infused cookies and barbecue sauce from radiation-bred crops—to prompt critical discussions about our food systems. The latest initiative, “MVP x FFF” (Minimum Viable Proteins x Food Forest Flavours), combines ancient agricultural methods with AI to generate recipes based on seasonal ingredients from food forests, emphasizing resilience over conventional farming.
The group has hosted “Mock Wild” picnics featuring AI-assisted dishes and explores concepts like consuming air affected by smog. Chefs worldwide are increasingly focusing their menus on highlighting endangered ingredients and the consequences of climate change.
Artists, including Evelyn Rydz, use food to convey the impacts of unseen environmental crises, such as ocean acidification. Rydz’s projects invite participants to reflect on personal connections to food amid shifting ecosystems. The overarching goal is to evoke emotions and memories through taste, fostering discussions on ecological challenges and what future food may look like.
