Food Design
A pioneering programme merging gastronomy and design thinking to address the major challenges of the food industry
Bilbao
On campus
ESP
Master
Language
Spanish
Start date
October 2025
Frequency
Afternoons and Saturdays
Fruition
On campus
Duration
9 Months
Course Coordination
Maddalen Arrecubieta
Price
Creation of innovative design products and experiences at a centre of excellence in this discipline.
The Master in Food Design at IED Kunsthal Bilbao was the first programme in Spain to address the creation and management of innovative projects for the food industry and gastronomy-related sectors through design thinking.
Through experimentation and a critical approach, you will learn how to design or reinvent products and experiences in an efficient and sustainable way to meet the challenges of a sector that needs to move towards responsible consumption and requires specialised professional profiles.
Along the way, you will discover specific techniques, processes, skills and methodologies to promote innovation in the food sector, using tools such as research, creativity and communication. The culmination of the program is the presentation of your Final Project as your Master's Thesis. Finally, a one-week study trip to IED Florence is planned during the development of the Food Experience Event Design Project.
Information to decide
Advanced training designed by one of the largest educational groups in design, integrating this discipline into the field of gastronomy to drive innovation.
In this master´s degree you’ll study theory and gain experience to give you the mindset you need to set up and implement an effective research process.
You’ll discover how to analyse information to prepare work plans and propose viable concepts, using conceptualisation strategies to develop sustainable, feasible, innovative ideas.
The program is based on face-to-face classes with visits to companies, laboratories, research centres and Food Design spaces.
The Master’s Degree in Food Design is a cross-disciplinary program for students and graduates in different fields of design (graphic design, product design, interior design, etc.).
Managers and/or directors of companies operating in the food sector who want to update their vision of the gastronomic and food world from a creative perspective will also find this program particularly interesting and useful.
It’s also ideal for professionals working in architecture, professionals working in marketing or communication and people who work directly or indirectly in the food sector and the culinary arts.
This is the first master’s programme in Spain to combine gastronomy and design thinking to promote innovation. It is therefore a pioneering programme in its field, as it introduces the design perspective to promote new professional profiles in high demand.
The only private center for higher education in design in the Basque Country, IED Kunsthal Bilbao is also part of an international network, with 11 campuses in Italy, Spain and Brazil, which boasts over 50 years of history in design education.
Studying in Bilbao is an advantage, because you will develop your education in an area of international gastronomic prestige, coming into contact with leading companies and building a solid networking.
At the end of your training, you will have acquired the profile of a food designer capable of working on your own or holding positions in the research and development, communication and marketing departments of food companies.
Syllabus
MODULE 1 THEORY AND KNOWLEDGE
Nutrition and food technology
Cutting-edge technology and food tech.
Hospitality, industry, and the avant-garde
Food art
Consumer goods and business management
Biomaterials and sustainability
MODULE 2 MARKETING, COMMUNICATION, AUDIOVISUALS, AND DESIGN:
Gastronomic and consumer marketing
Branding and packaging
Gastronomic photography
Communication and audiovisual tools, 3D design, and prototyping
MODULE 3 LOCAL PROJECT
Product identification and seasonality (Sustainability and consumer habits)
Manual and mechanical harvesting and production processes
The evolution of foodstuffs and returning to an ancestral diet
The colour range, shape and texture of food
Designations of Origin, regulations and regulatory bodies
MODULE 4 FOOD EVENT
Event organization
Project management
Interior design for gastronomic spaces
Social trends in food
Project 2
Utensil and support design
MODULE 4: TECHNICAL EXPERTISE AND RESOURCES
Food Tech. Science and nutrition
Cereals and bread
Fruit and vegetables
Meat and fish
Design and extra virgin olive oil
Design and sweet things
Drinks and food pairing
Master's Thesis
Research
Economic viability
Communication
Mentoring
Brainstorming
MODULE 6: FINAL PROJECT
Art Direction and briefing
Project development, feasibility and execution
Coordination and implementation
Communication Strategies and Public Speaking
Faculty
Maddalen Arrecubieta
Course Coordinator
Elsa Yranzo
Teacher
Iván Merino
Teacher
Carlos Hurtado
Teacher
Marta Arrecubieta
Teacher
Marc Cardenas
Teacher
Víctor Caleya
Teacher
Vero Gómez
Teacher
Aitor Buendía
Teacher
Virginia Matesanz Riaño
Teacher
Cesc Grau
Teacher
Betiana Pavon
Teacher
Pablo García San Gines
Teacher
Eneko Egaña
Teacher
Adele Orcajada
Teacher
Idoia García de Cortázar
Teacher
La Caja de Tipos
Teacher
Puño
Teacher
Eli Pérez Pagola
Teacher
Mónica Rodríguez Limia
Teacher
Inside the labs
+4
Textile Workshop
+3
Agora
+6
Classrooms
+3
Prototyping Workshop
+2
Artistic Workshop
+3
Yard
+4
Common zones
+8
Entry
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