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Our History & Values

History of the Network

When the City of Lyon decided to create Délice in 2007, food & gastronomy was an undeniable asset for the city, an excellent trigger for attractiveness, employment, and quality of life. To enhance these impacts, the City of Lyon decided to develop a holistic strategy that would place food & gastronomy at the center of a series of projects and initiatives on the local and international levels. 

Délice was one of those initiatives initially created to gather like-minded cities looking to deeply link their image to food & gastronomy. 

Over the years, the vision of the public and public authorities on all food-related topics has changed, transforming the food sector with the creation of new initiatives, concepts, and business opportunities linked to food & gastronomy. 

Naturally, this topic has made a strong appearance in the strategic plans of cities. Many cities are reinforcing their inner and outer attractiveness with a specific food policy and various food initiatives.

A network created in Lyon

“Gastronomy is an integral part of the cultural heritage of our cities. It defines an identity, expresses a way of living and is an undeniable component of health and well-being.

It is nothing short of essential! It represents a key tool for our elected representatives in terms of taste education, quality of living and promotion of tourism. When we created Délice in 2007, our goal was to join forces, talents and ideas within a network of exchange on the theme of food & gastronomy. With the experience we have accumulated since then and through our shared discussions, we are more than ever convinced that the future of our cities depends on the quality of our food. There is only one step from good eating to good living, and this step is called Délice!”

Jean Michel DACLIN
Founder of Délice Network
Former Deputy-Mayor of Lyon
President of the Lyon Tourism Board

 

Values

The values shared by Délice Network cities

Food and Gastronomy are complex topics for city institutions. Each Délice member has a different approach to what they include and how they can act as public institutions. 
This diversity brings the strength of our network, with cities working on different concepts, different projects, and different approaches. However, by joining the Délice network, member cities all agree to share common values around food and gastronomy: 

 

  1. The need to preserve cultural heritage and raise people's awareness about the importance of gastronomic & food culture.
  2. The wish to rethink food & gastronomy in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way.
  3. The desire to bring together actors involved in the gastronomic value chain to develop a global project for each city.
  4. The belief that food & gastronomy are instrumental in creating strong social cohesion. 
  5. The commitment to establishing food & gastronomy as a cutting-edge sector in job creation and entrepreneurial development.
  6. The promotion of food & gastronomy for sustainable, high-quality tourism development. 
  7. The importance of education, transmission, and research when conveying strong values regarding healthy eating habits, food & gastronomy.