Gastrotourism/gastrodiplomacy through gastrophysics: A multisensory showcase of Saudi Arabian cuisine

Al Maidah, a ten-day multisensory and immersive dining experience was developed by Kitchen Theory in collaboration with the Culinary Arts Commission under the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Culture in 2023. The experience was presented as part of the annual marque culinary food festival Saudi Feast. As a flagship event at the Saudi Feast Food Festival, the initiative sought to elevate and communicate Saudi Arabia’s rich culinary heritage, regional biodiversity, and gastronomic future to an international audience through the lens of gastrophysics. The experience combined techniques adapted from modernist cuisine, culturally-relevant storytelling, projection mapping, and various sensory activations in order to create a multi-layered multisensory narrative around Saudi ingredients and hospitality. Working together with local chefs, artisans, scientists, and cultural experts, the experience was structured around a journey that began with guests entering a modern arabesque-themed apothecary serving non-alcoholic beverages based on recipes from medieval Arabian recipes developed in collaboration with Prof Daniel Newman (Chair of Arabic Studies, Durham University). This was followed by a tour around a sensory gallery by Saudi sensory and consumer scientist; Mashael Alhumaidan, and culminated in a six-course chef’s table dining experience. Each course was thematically linked to a specific facet of Saudi culture—poetry, art, sustainability, heritage, and innovation—while engaging all of the guests’ senses both on and off the plate. This project exemplifies how culinary diplomacy (gastrodiplomacy) can be enacted through experiential gastronomy, engaging both the intellect and emotions of diners while promoting cross-cultural understanding.