Useful Links

Conflict Cuisine – the study of the weaponization of food, limiting access to food sources, and the attacks on agricultural production in war zones – is a primary driver of forced migration and displacement, starvation, and malnutrition for children and adults around the world. Simultaneously, governments and diplomats are leveraging food in foreign policy as a soft power to rebrand their country or increase their sphere of influence on the world stage. The field of Social Gastronomy is a living movement, constantly evolving as more research is published and foodies, chefs, activists, and restaurateurs continue to use food as a tool for entrepreneurship and sharing immigrant diaspora cultures in their cities globally.

Here is a list of non-profit organizations, think tanks, humanitarian groups, individual food justice advocates, and many others to follow and keep up with. They are all doing phenomenal work to study and mitigate the fallout of conflict, expand the practice of Social Gastronomy and Gastrodiplomacy, and highlight immigrant contributions to the culinary world. Additionally, please click the button below for links to scholarly and popular/news sources for more research on these important themes and issues.

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Upcoming Events

(No upcoming events listed right now — check back soon!)

Past Events

World Food Day 2025: Culinary Memory & Politics of Food
October 16, 2025 | Washington, DC
Overview: A World Food Day event examining the intersections of food, memory, and politics in shaping identities, histories, and global food systems.

Recipes for Resilience: Rethinking Food Security from the Local to the Global
April 1–2, 2025 | Yale University, New Haven, CT
Overview: A two-day conference examining critical issues in global food systems, including access, sustainability, and power dynamics.

Conflict Cuisine: Diaspora, Identity, and the Power of Food in DC
March 5, 2025 | Washington, DC
Overview: A public conversation and tasting event exploring how diaspora cuisines shape identity, diplomacy, and cultural power in Washington, D.C

2019 Organization of American States – Testimony on Venezuela’s Humanitarian Situation
March 27, 2019 | Washington, DC
Overview: Expert testimony delivered before OAS with public access via YouTube.

2019 NAFSA Convention – “Is Food a Recipe for Peace?”
May 28, 2019 | Washington, DC
Overview: Plenary talk accompanied by a curated dinner by Chef Carlos Cesario.

2019 YEDI Symposium – “Foods that Build Peace, Foods that Cause Conflicts”
September 23, 2019 | Istanbul, Turkey
Overview: Featured talk on the complex role of food in both conflict and peace.

2019 Smithsonian Food History Weekend – “Empowering Communities Through Food”
November 8, 2019 | Washington, DC
Overview: Panel moderated on women migrants, refugees, and food entrepreneurship.

2019 American University SIS Panel – “Food Insecurity in the U.S.”
November 5, 2019 | Washington, DC
Overview: Panelist with DC Central Kitchen, Bread for the World, and others on college hunger.

2019 Inter-American Dialogue – Panel on Regional Security and Corporate Strategy
November 19, 2019 | Washington, DC
Overview: Presented on the intersection of climate, food security, and cyber threats.

2019 Share Our Strength – Podcast Interview with Noobsta Vang
December 3, 2019 | Online
Overview: Featured guest on food, community building, and conflict transformation.

2018 World Food Summit, Copenhagen – “Gastrodiplomacy in a Time of Uncertainty”
August 23, 2018 | Parliament Building, Copenhagen, Denmark
Overview: Plenary talk on the role of food in diplomacy during global uncertainty.

2018 Academy of Food, Nutrition and Dietetics Conference – “Gastrodiplomacy: The Transformative Power of Food”
October 23, 2018 | Washington, DC
Overview: Presentation on food’s role in transforming conflict at a leading nutrition conference.

2018 University of Milan – “Is Social Gastronomy a Recipe for Peace?”
December 3–5, 2018 | Department of Philosophy, Milan, Italy
Overview: Conference exploring peacebuilding through food-based community initiatives.