The Future of Food: Epochal Banquet

A pioneering culinary experience inspired by space, microbiology, artificial intelligence and hyperintelligence stirred the senses of curious diners at Expo 2020 Dubai, in a new concept designed to challenge the future of dining.

The Future of Food: Epochal Banquet was a never-before-seen experience cooked up by UK-based multi-sensory experience design studio Bompas & Parr, in collaboration with Expo 2020. The ground-breaking foodie adventure featured numerous world firsts, taking creativity, innovation and technology to a new level.

Diners had the opportunity to taste super-light delicacies formed using the same technique that NASA used to collect comet dust; edible creations that glowed in the dark; flavour-changing desserts; ultra-rare ingredients, including new-to-the-plate plants; and much more.

The immersive experience was inspired by the ‘Novacene’, a new era hypothesised by eminent 102-year-old scientist and inventor James Lovelock. The new age, he prophesised, will take over the ‘Anthropocene’ era, in which humans will be able to make large-scale changes to the planetary environment, and introduce a future where robots and artificial intelligence will rule.

The curated experience featured a multi-course exploratory menu, designed to entertain and inspire, while exploring important themes involving the future of food, including how humans and artificial intelligence could combine to sustainably feed a growing global population and tackle food waste, as well as the implications for future nutrition.

Marjan Faraidooni, Chief Experience Officer, Expo 2020 Dubai, said: “Our World Expo is a global experience that will offer an endless journey of discovery – including through food and beverages. The Future of Food immersive experience is extremely exciting, offering foodies and the curious a world-first taste of the culinary experiences of tomorrow, while also delving into pressing global challenges based around food security and how innovation and food will combine in the future.”