10/03/2026
🍽️🍷 Do you love cooking and enjoy fine wine?
Are you inspired by local traditions, cultural diversity, and the stories behind food and wine?
If yes — we would love to have you on board!
Join our international culinary competition and become part of a growing community celebrating creativity, tradition, and the rich culinary heritage of the Danube Region.
The competition is organised within the Culinary Trail of the Ethnic and Local Cuisine in the Danube Region project and offers a unique platform to showcase ideas that connect food, sustainability, culture, and tourism.
Why would you like to participate?
By joining, you can:
✨ Present your idea to an international expert jury
🌍 Gain international visibility and recognition
♻️ Contribute to preserving and reinventing culinary heritage
🤝 Connect with chefs, sommeliers, tourism and cultural professionals
📚 See your winning concept integrated into professional training
🏆 Be announced as a winner at the Culinary Trail Festival in Novo Mesto, Slovenia (May 2026)
Competition Categories
🍽️ Frugal Gastronomes
Develop an innovative zero-waste dish concept that is sustainable, cost-efficient, and suitable for professional kitchens.
🍷 Ethnic Gastronomes
Create a model wine list that highlights regional wines, cultural storytelling, sustainability, and strong links between food, wine, and local heritage.
Who can participate?
✔️ Individuals
✔️ Teams (3–5 members)
✔️ Organisations
Participants must be 18+ and can apply at the national or transnational level. We especially encourage applications from young professionals, rural communities, people with disabilities, and participants from diverse backgrounds across the Danube Region.
Timeline
📅 Call for applications: February 2026
📅 Application & screening: March 2026
📅 Competition event: May 2026
🏆 Winners announced at the Culinary Trail Festival in Novo Mesto (May 2026)
How to apply
1️⃣ Choose your competition category
2️⃣ Submit your concept proposal online
👉 Apply now and become part of the future of sustainable and ethnic gastronomy in the Danube Region:
https://interreg-danube.eu/projects/culinary-trail/news/culinary-trail-open-call-international-competition-frugal-and-ethnic-gastronomes-online
*Note: Applications require uploading documents via Google Forms. A Google account is required to submit the application.
Join our international culinary competition and become part of a growing community that celebrates creativity, tradition, and the rich culinary heritage of the Danube Region.
