Givaudan said it will convene the seventh edition of its Chef’s Council in Mexico City from March 23 to 27, 2026, marking more than 25 years of collaboration between the company’s flavor specialists and leading culinary figures.
The gathering is set to focus on hot and spicy tastes, an area the company views as central to the next wave of global food innovation.
The Chef’s Council brings together Givaudan’s flavor expertise with chefs from around the world to explore how culinary creativity and food science intersect. Since its launch more than two decades ago, the initiative has served as a platform for developing new ideas and technologies that translate creative concepts into solutions food manufacturers can use to meet evolving consumer preferences. Givaudan said insights generated through past editions have contributed to first-of-their-kind breakthroughs that influence products on a global scale.
This year’s program will examine a wide spectrum of heat-related sensations, ranging from intense pungency to more nuanced effects such as lingering warmth, cooling notes and contrasting flavor experiences. Interest in the category remains strong, with Givaudan citing research showing that more than 80% of people worldwide are eager to explore hot and spicy foods from different cultures.
“Around the world, more than 80% of people are eager to explore hot and spicy foods from multiple cultures, yet spiciness is about far more than just heat,” said Thomas Ullram, Global Marketing Director, Givaudan. “Through this 7th edition of Chef’s Council, we’re uniting the culinary creativity of world-class chefs with our deep expertise in flavour and taste to push the boundaries of hot and spicy, embracing all the nuances and sensations that make heat truly satisfying.”
During the weeklong program, participants will take part in what Givaudan calls a Hotness Trek, visiting markets, street food vendors and restaurants across Mexico City to gather inspiration. Those experiences will be followed by hands-on cooking workshops where chefs and scientists will analyze techniques, ingredient layering, flavor pairing and sensory contrasts, with the aim of translating culinary experimentation into insights grounded in food science.
Five chefs representing different regions will collaborate closely with Givaudan experts. They include Ricardo Muñoz Zurita of Mexico City, a chef, researcher and author known for his role in preserving Mexican culinary heritage; Saul Montiel of New York City, executive chef at Cantina Rooftop and a proponent of modern interpretations of Mexican street food; Qian YiBin of Shanghai, a contemporary authority on Chinese cuisine with a focus on Sichuan and Hunan flavor systems; Cyrus Todiwala of London, an award-winning restaurateur and longtime chef proprietor of Café Spice Namasté; and Mythrayie Iyer of Bengaluru, a culinary innovator and head chef at Farmlore.
Givaudan said the work produced by the Chef’s Council is designed to help customers turn bold ideas into formulation-friendly, scalable and more sustainable solutions. By combining experimentation with practical application, the company expects the Mexico City edition to deliver complex and dynamic flavor concepts that respond to rising consumer expectations for authenticity and excitement in hot and spicy foods.
Find out more at: https://www.givaudan.com/