Vision
Preservation and promotion of Cyprus’s gastronomic heritage
Our mission is to document, study, preserve, and present the gastronomic heritage of Cyprus. We are also committed to promoting this heritage for scientific, educational, and recreational purposes.
Aims
Our main objectives
A key objective is to highlight an important aspect of Cyprus’s culture—namely, the food and dietary traditions of its people—through an interdisciplinary approach that encompasses historical, archaeological, folkloric, nutritional, and environmental perspectives.
A parallel objective is the collection, preservation, organization, and presentation of related material in the form of a Virtual Museum. This museum serves as a comprehensive database, making the existing wealth of knowledge accessible at any time to the average Cypriot citizen, members of the diaspora, other European citizens, and a wide range of interested parties, including researchers, tourists, cultural organizations (e.g. the Society of Cypriot Studies), professional associations (e.g. the Dietitians’ Association), public services (e.g. Deputy Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Education & Culture, Ministry of Agriculture), as well as food-related businesses and artisanal producers.
The thematic sections of the Museum include the following:
- Traditional Cypriot Culinary Recipes.Nutritional Analysis and Assessment of Traditional Dishes
- The evolution of specific foods and dishes, such as various cereal products, dairy products, and items derived from native species, and how these have been influenced by the island’s historical journey and its interactions with other peoples.
- Dietary habits of the inhabitants of Cyprus during various historical periods.
- Typical menus and staple food items according to technological advancements and the ritual events of each era.
- Types of cooking utensils and other tools and equipment used from antiquity to the present for the production, processing, trade, and preparation of food (e.g., agricultural tools, storage containers, cooking vessels, cooking hearths, and dining utensils).
- A diachronic presentation of the production methods of various staple edible ingredients in Cypriot cuisine, such as olive oil, olives, wine, bread and other wheat products, fruits, nuts, vegetables, wild herbs, as well as meat and dairy products.
- The use of various edible materials both in nutrition and in other daily needs (e.g., medicinal, cosmetic, etc.), as well as their symbolic significance.
- A diachronic presentation of the techniques, production sites, and distribution venues of food (houses, workshops, markets, monasteries).
The material is accompanied by photographic and audiovisual content related to traditional foods and ingredients.
Usefulness
The key benefits anticipated upon the project's completion include:
- Safeguarding and showcasing a vital aspect of Cyprus’s intangible cultural heritage, both locally and abroad.
- Developing documentation that supports the historical identity of Cypriot food products, facilitating claims of distinctiveness or origin on an international level when required.
- Encouraging both small-scale artisanal and larger-scale industrial revival of traditional Cypriot delicacies that have faded from contemporary production.
- Enhancing the trade and export potential of Cypriot food products in international markets.
- Leveraging Cypriot gastronomy as a core component in upgrading and diversifying Cyprus’s tourism product.
- Promoting awareness and appreciation among younger generations regarding the value of safeguarding and sustaining traditional food culture.
- Fostering renewed interest in traditional dietary practices, contributing to a broader shift back toward healthy eating habits across the population.
The project is addressed to the entire Cypriot population, as well as to interested visitors from abroad. The content of the Museum includes material categories specifically designed for the following population groups:
- General public
- Students
- Food specialists
- Scientists and researchers
- Food industries
- Mass media
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