Troodos Mountain Food Market & Heritage Gastronomy Ateliers

Friday 25 September 2026 | Omodos | 10:00–22:00
Saturday 26 September 2026 | Omodos | 10:00–21:00

Scientific Design and Supervision: Dr Thanasis Jamurtas, Professor of Exercise Biochemistry

Gastronomy Programme Design and Curation: Evi Chioti, Executive Chef, President of Disciples Escoffier Cyprus, International Culinary Judge, Food Culture and Sustainable Gastronomy Consultant

Organised by: MountMed Institute

Institutional Support: Cyprus Sport Organisation, Cyprus Youth Organisation

Gastronomy Team

• Andreas Andreou, Executive Chef

• Giannis Liapakis, European Young Chef 2025

• Eleni Georgiou, Chef Pâtissier

• Marcello Zaccaria, Executive Chef, Member of the Italian Chefs Federation and Ambassador of Italian Culinary Heritage

• Marilena Ioannidou, Chef

• Stavros Georgiou (Stavris), Chef

• Triantafyllos Souliotis, Executive Chef – Specialist in Contemporary Cypriot Gastronomy

Scientific, Production and Community Contributors

The programme brings together clinical dietitians and nutritionists, olive oil experts, producers, grape growers, winemakers and sommeliers, dairy and cheese producers, cured-meat producers, small-scale food businesses and home-based producers, women's and cultural associations, traditional cooks and bread makers, craftspeople and local creators.

The Two-Day Programme

Taste, Move & Thrive is the gastronomic and agri-food programme of Mountain Games Cyprus 2026. For two days, Omodos becomes an open space for taste, knowledge, culture, movement, participation and hospitality.

The Mountain Food Market, experiential gastronomy workshops, thematic discussions, tastings, family activities and music and dance events showcase the products of Troodos, local techniques, the collective memory of its communities and the close relationship between food and place.

Connecting with the Work of MountMed

The programme is a public expression of an ongoing line of research and action by MountMed focusing on mountain agriculture and the agri-food systems of Troodos. Its design builds on the Institute's systematic work to document and highlight the quality, distinctive identity and added value of mountain agri-food products, support the agroecological transition, connect producers' knowledge and experience with scientific knowledge, link primary production with gastronomy, and strengthen small producers and local value chains.

Through projects, partnerships and European networks, MountMed seeks to contribute to the development of a healthy, competitive, fair and resilient agri-food system, built on sustainable agroecosystems and a strong primary sector.

Indicatively, the Troodos Agricultural Reconstruction Plan, the Agricultural Academy, TAPELINE and MountMed's participation in the AGROECOLOGY Partnership connect regenerative practices and the agroecological transition with producer education, quality, identity and the added value of products. Taste, Move & Thrive brings this approach to life, creating direct encounters between producers, home-based food businesses, traditional cooks, chefs, scientists and the public.

Through this approach, the iconic products and culinary heritage of Troodos are connected with the Mediterranean diet, health, sustainability and quality of life. Under the central message Healthy Lifestyles for All, food is presented as part of an active lifestyle, while movement is expressed through Orienteering, the Taste & Heritage Trail, the experiential exploration of Omodos and the Dance Gathering of the European delegations.

What It Offers

• Producers' Market & Tastings – a direct encounter between the public and the people and products of the mountains.

• Gastronomy Knowledge Workshops – experiential learning from “field to plate”, with chefs, traditional cooks, nutritionists and producers.

• Thematic Discussions – Mediterranean diet, sustainable production, authenticity, quality and community resilience.

• Movement & Participation – orienteering, a Taste & Heritage walking trail and a public dance gathering.

• Family & Creative Activities – bread and sourdough making, crafts, clay, basket weaving and participatory learning.

• Wine Pairing & Zero-Waste Cuisine – local wineries, wine appreciation, traditional preservation techniques and zero-waste practices.

The Approach – “From Field to Plate”

All activities are connected through a unified five-stage narrative:

origin → technique → nutritional value → participation → connection with the community

Traditional cooks and bread makers, as custodians of the culinary heritage of Troodos, meet chefs, scientists and producers. The public does not simply observe: they learn, taste, participate and discover the relationship between tradition, contemporary knowledge and everyday health choices.

Value for Producers, the Region and Partners

For Producers

Direct exposure and connections with chefs, the public and international platforms; showcasing PDO/PGI products, local produce and elements of intangible cultural heritage.

For the Region and Partners

Connecting sport, health, gastronomy and culture; strengthening sustainable tourism, public participation and the local identity of Troodos.

International Dimension: The programme connects with European policies and initiatives such as Farm to Fork and HealthyLifestyle4All, while drawing on the participation of the European partners of Mountain Games Cyprus 2026.