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

10 July 2026

Degree Show 2026 opens IED Kunsthal Bilbao to talent, design and the city

Once again, the Papelera Building opened its doors to the public, showcasing the work developed by students over four years of study and turning the school into a meeting point for design, culture, industry and institutions.

03 July 2026

“ORA” wins the 3rd IED Alfaro Hofmann Collection Award

The project by IED Barcelona Product Design student Elisaveta Loseva is a tabletop device that reintroduces the sense of smell as a means of creating an emotional connection within the dining experience.

03 July 2026

July: Exhibitions, Installations and New Horizons for IED.60 Public Program

With the arrival of July, IED Graduation Days enter their busiest phase across IED’s Italian campuses, bringing with them a series of public events designed to showcase the ideas, projects and research developed by students.

02 July 2026

Product Design IED Madrid alumni Jorge Penadés designs the Museo Reina Sofía's new public space

The designer created Alhacena, an installation conceived to encourage visitors to pause, read and connect within the museum's permanent collection.

01 July 2026

Three IED Designers Win at the 2026 Spanish Fashion Academy Awards

Alumni Ernesto Naranjo, together with faculty members Miguel Becer (ManéMané) and Juan Vidal, have been recognised at the third edition of the Academia de la Moda Española Awards for their outstanding creative work.

30 June 2026

This Was IED Madrid's Graduation Shows 2026: Two Days of Designing the Future

Under the concept Times New, IED Madrid's campuses hosted the final project exhibitions for Graphic Design, Product Design, Interior Design and Fashion Design, culminating in the traditional Avant-défilé.

23 June 2026

Best Thesis Awards 2026 – IED Barcelona

Fashion that evokes nostalgia through layered fabrics; a reinterpretation of retail as a living biological interface; an exploration of how Korean Wave (Hallyu) cultural products generate value within the luxury fashion sector; and an interactive digital experience that makes a previously hidden financial language visible.

22 June 2026

Jaime Hayón, Product Design IED Madrid alumni, honoured at the Escala Interior Design Awards

The designer received the National Excellence Award, recognising the work of leading interior design professionals in Spain.

19 June 2026

Sense of Dubai, a Project by Two IED Madrid Students, Wins at the Accor Design Awards 2026

Ana Cristina Lara Sanabria and Camilla Lari Prado received the Second Prize and the Public Choice Award for a proposal that transforms Dubai’s evolution into an immersive experience.

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.