As part of its commitment to the cultural and creative industries, and specifically to the agro-industrial and gastronomic sector, the Bogota Chamber of Commerce (CCB) has opened the call to participate in the first edition of GastroFest (Bogota's gastronomic festival), which will run until August 31, 2022.

The festival seeks to exalt the country's biodiversity as a pantry; promote the use of local products, the understanding of cuisine as a life experience and gastronomy as a tool for social transformation.

The event, which will take place from November 25 to December 4, 2022 in the districts of Chapinero and La Candelaria; in the La Macarena neighborhood; and in the Doce de Octubre District Market Square, will bring together entrepreneurs from the restaurant sector in these areas/spaces to offer all citizens, through gastronomic tours, unique products and menus, at attractive prices, designed under criteria of quality, sustainability, among others.

The festival is part of the great commitment of the Bogota Chamber of Commerce (CCB) to the gastronomic sector, which also includes the Food and Gastronomy Cluster Initiative, which provides ongoing support to companies in the sector, contributes to the identification of gaps that limit competitiveness and generates projects that seek to overcome them. It also includes Bogota Madrid Fusion - BMF, a platform for circulation and contact for business in partnership with Grupo Vocento of Spain, which since 2019 generates spaces for networking and training to update the gastronomic sector, and this year will be held in parallel to the festival, from December 1 to 3 in the Great Hall of Corferias.

All businessmen and entrepreneurs from Chapinero, La Macarena, La Candelaria and the Doce de Octubre District Market Square, whose business registration has been renewed as of the last year (2021 as of the closing date of this call), and who fall into one of the following categories of gastronomic and/or beverage establishments, may participate:

• Signature cuisine / Gourmet / Haute cuisine

• Casual cuisine / Fast casual

• Traditional cuisine

• Pastry shops / Bakeries / Confectioneries

• Coffee shops

• Craft breweries

• Flagship project for the reactivation of the gastronomy sector of the CCB

How to participate in GastroFest?

To formalize their application, those interested in participating in this new initiative should consult the conditions and guidelines at GastroFest, fill out the online form completely with the requested information, and accept the terms and conditions. The registration process can be completed until August 31, 2022 exclusively through the aforementioned form.

Selection process

The proposals will be evaluated by a team of curators, external to GastroFest and the CCB, who will select up to 10 companies and/or commercial establishments for each of the categories of the call - signature cuisine, gourmet, haute cuisine; casual cuisine, fast casual; traditional cuisine; pastry shops, bakeries, pastry shops; cafes; craft breweries; establishments belonging to the flagship project for the reactivation of the CCB's gastronomy sector.

Those selected will benefit, among others, from:

1. An individual diagnosis by sector experts to create a roadmap aimed at strengthening the business/gastronomic proposal.

2. Specialized accompaniment.

3. One (1) pass to the Bogota Madrid Fusion - BMF Haute Cuisine Congress on December 1, 2 and 3, 2023.

4. 10 invitations to the Bogotá Madrid Fusión - BMF Trade Fair for December 1, 2 and 3, 2023.

5. Exclusive access to the Bogotá Madrid Fusión - BMF Business Roundtable on December 1 and 2, 2023.

Know more in gastrofest.com.co