Food Design

Language

Spanish

Start date

October 2026

Frequency

Afternoons and Saturdays

Fruition

On campus

Duration

9 Months

Course Coordination

Maddalen Arrecubieta

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

Course Coordinator

Maddalen Arrecubieta

Teacher

Elsa Yranzo

Teacher

Iván Merino

Teacher

Víctor Caleya

Teacher

Carlos Hurtado

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
Cafés Fortaleza for the Silver Economy

News

12 January 2026

Portfolio Review Design 2026

The annual showcase of standout projects by final-year students in Interior, Product, Transportation and Business Design at IED Barcelona presented innovative proposals that envision the companies, objects, homes and vehicles of the future.

19 December 2025

IED Barcelona celebrates Graduation Day for a hundred students from Master's and Specialisation Courses

The event recognises their successful journey through their studies at the school.

Green lettering on a blue background with the copy Welcome Event 26

18 December 2025

Welcome event Postgraduate 2025/2026 - IED Barcelona

It will take place on 15 and 16 January for Master's, Postgraduate and Specialization Course students.

Environmental Psychology and Interior Design: The Influence of Space

15 December 2025

Environmental Psychology and Interior Design: The Influence of Space

How to design interior spaces that enhance psychological well‑being

15 December 2025

Solutions to boost the circular economy in the automotive industry and regenerate ecosystems by uniting science, creativity, and technology

Students from IED Barcelona, UPC and Esade together with SEAT and MAD Travel–Ateneu de Manila University have developed innovative proposals for recycling and extending the life of vehicles and monitoring systems in favor of sustainable rural development in the Philippines.

01 December 2025

AQU Catalunya and IED Barcelona begin a mass survey to gauge the satisfaction of recent graduates

More than 60,000 people who finished their university and artistic studies last year will receive the survey, which will serve to improve the degrees currently being taught. Participants will be entered into a prize draw for the latest generation iPhone.

Tres premios a Alumni y estudiantes IED Madrid durante el mes de noviembre: Premio Nacional de Innovacion, Frame Awards & Premio Antalia Decora

28 November 2025

Three awards for IED Madrid alumni and students in November: National Innovation Award, Frame Awards & Antalia Decora

Federico Sáinz de Robles wins the National Innovation Award with his brand Sepiia, while Lucas Muñoz receives the FRAME Editor's Pick mention for his COLAB project for Sancal and Jacobo López del Hierro Llopis wins third prize at Antalia Decora

28 November 2025

Talent Days at IED Torino: a bridge between creativity and the world of work

Two days of meetings and interviews between students and companies to foster networking, dialogue, and early professional opportunities in the fields of yacht design and communication.

27 November 2025

Paula Garrote, IED Madrid Alumni. The experience of being the winner of a Francesco Morelli scholarship

Paula Garrote has been awarded with this scholarship to continue developing her final degree project, Órtesis Urbanas

Don't miss it

Open Day

24 January 2026 - 24 January 2026

Multiple

IED Open Day Italy

A calendar of appointments to discover all training courses IED Italy in the areas of Design, Fashion, Visual Arts, Cinema, Communication, Art and Restoration.