Food Design

Language

Spanish

Start date

October 2026

Frequency

Afternoons and Saturdays

Duration

9 Months

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. Finally, during the development of the Food Experience Event Design project, students will take part in an international collaboration with IED Firenze, including an academic stay in Florence focused on creative exchange, research, and project development within an international context.

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

Course Coordinator

Maddalen Arrecubieta

Teacher

Elsa Yranzo

Teacher

Iván Merino

Teacher

Víctor Caleya

Teacher

Carlos Hurtado

Teacher

Santos Bregaña

Teacher

Marta Arrecubieta

Teacher

Aitor Buendía

Teacher

Virginia Matesanz Riaño

Teacher

Cesc Grau

Teacher

Pablo García San Gines

Teacher

Adele Orcajada

Teacher

Idoia García de Cortázar

Teacher

Eli Pérez Pagola

Teacher

Jonathan García

Teacher

Martí Guixe

Teacher

Teresa De Juan Estelrich

Projects

Product and Service Design

Bilbao

Final projects / thesis projects
Caldo de Ojo

Product and Service Design

Bilbao

Final projects / thesis projects
Cafés Fortaleza for the Silver Economy

News

Crowded stalls of an auditorium

15 September 2026

More than 200 students from 52 nationalities open the 2026-2027 academic year of the IED Barcelona

On 14 September, the Welcome Event welcomed a new generation of creatives and designers joining the undergraduate programmes.

11 September 2026

Issue 4: Material World - Plural Intelligences

What happens when we recognize the intelligence of materials and learn to work with it responsibly, collectively, and collaboratively?

11 September 2026

IED Kunsthal Bilbao temporarily transforms Doña Casilda Park with ‘Sareak’

A cross-disciplinary project bringing together nearly 200 members of the community to reflect on contemporary communication through design.

07 September 2026

Fashion show and festival: the IED Public Programme is back

In September, IED's Public Program returns with a calendar of events across its campuses in Italy and Spain, offering opportunities for dialogue, exchange and discovery open to the community and the wider public.

07 September 2026

Exploring Human-Robot Collaboration in China

New forms of collaboration between humans and robots through AR

07 September 2026

IED Madrid Alumni Talent at OMODA Madrid es Moda 2026

Designers and IED Madrid alumni Luis Berrendero and Carlota Barrera have taken part in this edition’s programme, alongside other IED Madrid initiatives such as its Fashion Show 2026 and the event with Roberto Verino.

28 August 2026

What does sustainability mean for a design school?

When discussing sustainability, the debate often focuses on environmental impacts and the responsible use of resources. But what does sustainability mean, in practical terms, for a school that educates future designers, creatives and professionals capable of driving change?

27 July 2026

IED community stands out at the 2026 Delta Awards with five accolades and 21 selected projects

Aaron Gonzalo, an alumnus of IED Kunsthal Bilbao, has been awarded a Silver Delta Medal for his project X-plorer, while, in the professional category, four projects developed by faculty members from IED Barcelona have received Delta Awards.

Wooden speaker placed on a table covered with a plaid blanket

22 July 2026

Design at the Intersection of Craftsmanship and Digital Manufacturing

In collaboration with the Government of Catalonia, through the Consorci de Comerç, Artesania i Moda (CCAM) of the Department of Business and Labour, and the Ateneu de Fabricació de Gràcia, third-year Product Design students from IED Barcelona have taken part in a new edition of 'New Crafts. Digital Revolution'.

Don't miss it

Exhibitions and Festival

28 April 2026 - 30 September 2026

Barcelona

“Caliu” in “Matter Matters. Designing with the World”

The project “Caliu”, by IED Barcelona alumnus Judith Aubà, has been selected to form part of this exhibition, which reflects on the major challenges facing design today and in the future at a critical time marked by the scarcity of raw materials.

14 September 2026 - 18 September 2026

Barcelona

IED Barcelona 2026 Undergraduate Welcome Week

The welcome event for undergraduate students, teachers and staff to mark the official opening of the new academic year will take place on Monday 14 September.

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Exhibitions and Festival

17 October 2026 - 17 October 2026

Barcelona

Barcelona Dibuixa 2026: “The Power of Hand Drawing”

IED Barcelona is offering this workshop, where participants will discover, guided by architect and lecturer Gianfranco La Cognata – Laco 2, how design takes shape through illustration.

Interior of an educational center with a courtyard with plants, stairs and banners
Workshop

21 October 2026 - 21 October 2026

Barcelona

Strategic Design Clinic: What we need to disrupt the future

A collaborative experience within the framework of Barcelona Design Week that brings together alumni, professionals, innovation leaders, students and experts in Strategic Design Management to address real-world challenges through strategic thinking and design.