Our Journey to Food Day: Cultivating Dialogue at ETH Zurich
October 21, 2025This year, we are incredibly excited to co-organise the 9th annual Food Day at ETH Zurich. Since its launch in 2016, the event has become a dear tradition, bringing together our diverse community to tackle one of the greatest challenges of our time: building sustainable food systems.
As part of the World Food System Center (WFSC), we witness daily the breadth and depth of food-system-related research at ETH Zurich and its partner institutions – ranging from agricultural sciences and policy design to food engineering, nutrition, and beyond. Part of our mission at the WFSC is to create connection points that allow this pioneering research to generate real-world impact. Food Day, our flagship event, is one of these important bridges: a day where academic insights move from paper to dialogue.
A Crossroads for Our Planet
We stand at a critical moment. Either we change the way we produce and consume food, or we risk missing the UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. That urgency inspired this year’s theme, “Planting Healthier Nutrition,” underscoring the necessity of interdisciplinary collaboration to tackle this complex challenge.
For Olivia, whose background lies in sustainability consulting and communications, connecting scientific knowledge to a broader understanding feels essential. For Billie, trained in food science and with a professional journey focused on healthy, sustainable diets and plant-based innovation, it’s about making the sustainable choice the easy and delicious one.
Together, we wanted to design an event that goes beyond presentations – a space for interaction and co-creation. We envisioned an atmosphere where an industry representative, a policymaker, a researcher, and a student could all roll up their sleeves and exchange ideas on equal ground.
From Research to Recipe: Highlights of the Day
By leveraging diverse formats – from interactive workshops to insightful plenaries – we aim to ensure the event, centred around food systems research, is both accessible and relevant to the audience’s daily lives. This year’s workshops – exploring planetary health and plant-based diets, nutrition and longevity, sustainable plant protection, and the complexities of the cocoa value chain – filled in no time, a clear sign of the growing appetite for change.
At the heart of the day lies dialogue. Our Networking Lunch, curated and prepared by Daizy, will turn food itself into a catalyst for exchange. Each dish embodies the principles of sustainable gastronomy – proving that what nourishes us can also be good for the planet.
The Plenary Session showcases pioneering research from across our 50 WFSC member professors at ETH Zurich, on the topics of smart farming, future foods, and nutrition. Their work reflects the depth of ETH’s engagement in shaping more sustainable food systems. We’re especially looking forward to the keynote by Prof. Frank Ewert, who will explore how Living Labs can drive collaboration and real-world solutions for resilient future food.
The Poster Networking Session invites participants to meet the scientists behind the research. Over coffee and cake, guests can connect directly with researchers and vote for the best poster. And one of our favourite new additions: the Cook the Science – Food Day Special Edition. We’re joining forces with Professor Thomas Michaels’s lecture series, featuring our member Professor Patrick Rühs and chef Michaela Frank. They will uncover the fascinating science behind the structuring and cooking of plant proteins. This is the kind of story that resonates with a broad audience because it translates complex ETH research into an accessible, universal language: cooking.
Planting the Seeds of Change
From living labs to lab kitchens, this 9th edition of Food Day celebrates collaboration and exchange, curiosity, and the courage to rethink how we feed the world. For us, organizing Food Day is more than planning an event – it’s about connecting people who care deeply about change.
We can’t wait to see the ideas, partnerships, and inspirations that take root on Wednesday 29 October, at ETH Zurich – and to continue cooking up a sustainable future, together.
Workshops: Find links in the program below.
Plenary Session & Networking Poster Session: Register here.
Cook the Science Food Day Special Edition: Register here.
