The Food Capitals by Délice Network is proud to announce its newly elected Executive Committee, which will lead the organisation for the next three years. The new leadership team held its first official meeting on June 3, 2025, in Lyon during the network’s Annual General Meeting, marking the start of its mandate to guide the network’s continued growth and collaboration activities.
The 2025–2028 Executive Committee is composed of the following representatives from member cities:
In his opening remarks as President of the 2025 General Assembly, Felipe Garcia emphasised the importance of the network’s founding values: learning, sharing, and connecting.
“At its heart, the Food Capitals network is about building bridges between cities through food. We learn from each other, we share our experiences openly, and we connect across borders and cultures to improve our communities,” said Garcia. “As we begin this new chapter, I encourage every member city to remain engaged—not just during our annual meetings, but throughout the year. The strength of our network lies in our continuous exchange and collaboration, and in turn we will see the major impact our work has to improve our local communities through food and gastronomy.”
Lyon continues its role as Secretary and the City of Cali has been elected to serve as the organisation’s Treasurer. Catalina Sterling reflected on the city’s deep engagement in the network, “I am honoured to continue serving on the Executive Committee of The Food Capitals and, even more so, to be the only voice from Latin America on the board. Representing Cali in this international space is both a great pride and responsibility. We remain committed to strengthening the role of gastronomy as a driver of sustainable development, cultural identity, and connection between cities.”
While most of the Executive Committee representatives have been re-elected from the previous mandate, the network is pleased to welcome the City of Wrocław, Poland, to the board—bringing new perspectives and fresh ideas for the future.
Jakub Mazur, Vice Mayor of Wrocław and a panellist in the recent Annual General Meeting roundtable in Lyon, Food Policies for the Future of Cities, shared his enthusiasm about joining the Executive Committee:
“We returned from the AGM in Lyon full of energy, inspiration, and ideas. It was an incredibly meaningful gathering—thoughtfully organized, deeply engaging, and, of course, delicious! I’m truly honoured to join the Executive Committee and grateful for the trust placed in me. Sharing Wrocław’s food scene journey and food policies, and connecting with so many committed cities, reminded me of the unique power of this network. I look forward to working closely with the ExCom and the Food Capitals team to turn our shared ideas into real, tangible action.”
The newly appointed Executive Committee brings a diverse mix of expertise and geographical representation, reinforcing the global vision and shared values of the Food Capitals network. Working closely with Executive Director Jessica Ferey, the ExCom will focus on strengthening city-to-city cooperation, supporting innovation in urban food systems, and advancing the role of food scenes and food culture in building more sustainable, inclusive communities.
For more information, please contact:
The Food Capitals by Délice Network
delice@delice-network.com
www.thefoodcapitals.com
About The Food Capitals by Délice Network
The Food Capitals by Délice Network is an international network of cities committed to using food and gastronomy as powerful tools for economic and sustainable urban development, cultural identity, urban well-being, and city attractiveness. Founded by Lyon in 2007, this non-profit organisation gathers cities working together on food culture, food sector, food policies, and food scene development. Through annual gatherings, study tours, collaborative projects and year-round dialogue, the network fosters a global community dedicated to learning, sharing, and connecting through food.
Photo credits: © The Food Capitals; © SchoolFood4Change
