Thousands of people participated in Gastronomare, the first MedEmporion event at Marseille's Old Port from September 18th to 20th 2009. People enjoyed a real mediterranean food market fair, attended tastings, cooking classes and colloquiums to promote market culture and Mediterranean gastronomy.  

MedEmporion activities started up in Marseille with the Gastronomare Festival.

Thousands of people got together at Marseille's Old Port from September 18th to 20th September 2009. People enjoyed a real mediterranean food market fair, attended tastings, cooking classes and colloquiums to promote market culture and Mediterranean gastronomy.Co-funded by the Med programme of the European Union, Gastronomare Festival starts up MedEmporion project.

The Gastronomare Festival, organized by the Conservatoire International des Cuisines Mediterranéens under the project MedEmporion has filled the old port of Marseille with gastronomic and cultural activities during the weekend of 18 to 20 September 2009.

The intense rainfall on the first day did not discourage some fifty producers of quality foods, coming from all corners of the Mediterranean Sea to expose from Friday afternoon in a "Mediterranean market" quality products installed in tents to the waterfront, which stands for Food Street, located near the Town Hall Square, offers visitors the chance to taste a menu of specialties from countries such as Greece, Turkey, Lebanon, Palestine, Croatia, various parts of Italy such as Piedmont and Sicily and France, including Provence.

A mediterranean market fair

A large tent located by the sea hosted during morning sessions several cooking classes from renowned chefs in Marseille. During the three days they were taught the art and technique in the preparation of their best dishes. The same big tent or Chapiteau was the scene of the two gala dinners on Friday and Saturday nights, where the chefs themselves served a menu consisting of fourteen specialities based on octopus, squid and other seafood .

The Festival was also included colloquiums and talks about the origins of cooking and food (from Mesopotamia to our times) and the importance of eating local fresh produce, the debate on food sovereignty and many other relevant question on today's food agenda. One of the main activities was a conference about the markets situation in the Mediterranean, with the participation of Turin, Istanbul, Barcelona and a representative of the new farmers market forthcoming soon in Marseille.

The section Minot Mare gave the children educational and cultural activities. A bookstore specializing in cooking and food throughout the Mediterranean allowed visitors to buy books that are usually difficult to find together in one library.

Gastronomare Festival, directed by Bruno Giraud-Héraud, President of the Conservatoire International des Cuisines Mediterranéens, is the first major activity of the MedEmporion Project, an initiative of the cities of Barcelona, Genoa and Turin and the Conservatorie Gastronomique of Piedmont and Marseille. The project, co-financed by the European Union Med Programme, aims to strengthen ties between Mediterranean cities that enjoy live food markets and improve their functioning since markets contribute to health, social integration and social cohesion.