Next symposium

While it can be argued that all foodstuffs altered by human activity are works of the imagination, what concerns us this year is the conscious, creative process that transforms what we eat beyond the minimum required for sustenance. The instinct to transform appears universal: as the product of the mind, it marks the beginning of culture.  If cooking is what makes us human, imagination lit the flame. Read more 

Online again this year, with live events all weekend and beyond

With a year of research and development under our communal belt, we’re confident that this year’s Symposium will be as lively and interactive and welcoming as usual. The weekend from July 9th-11th 2021 will be a full-time immersion in gatherings for keynote talks, papers, meals as well as educational and other inspiring activities. As in 2020, discussions and on-line meetings will then continue until August 1st, the Grande Finale of the Symposium.

A symposium for everyone

It’s going to be another great adventure. We anticipate a high level of enthusiasm, so will be limiting places to allow all participants to make their virtual voices heard.  The Symposium has always been a coming-together rather than setting-apart: Admission will be, as usual, first-come first-served, no academic qualifications required.

Awards, grants & prizes

We have a number of assisted places, student rates, awards, grants and prizes that all applicants should endeavour to consult before registering their place.

St Catz is still our spiritual home

As soon as we can, we will return to St Catz, and you can read about the physical campus below. The next challenge will be combining the physical and virtual events so that our community can continue to thrive.

FAQs

For further information on the Symposium, including activities, meals, dress, Symposium etiquette and more.

Every year the Oxford Symposium on Food and Cookery invites anyone with an interest in food and its history to submit a paper for consideration. The Symposium has a longstanding tradition of quirky openness to all things, including seemingly non-academic topics. However, to maintain our high standards regarding content and to keep everything manageable, we ask all authors to conform strictly to our rules. We reserve the right to return or to refuse proposals as well as papers for technical reasons.