The National Gastronomy Agency of Georgia is a new state institution responsible for protecting, developing and promoting Georgia’s gastronomic heritage.
The agency also aims to increase the international recognition of Georgian gastronomy, support local producers and contribute to the development of gastronomic tourism.
The National Gastronomy Agency of Georgia operates as a Legal Entity of Public Law (LEPL) under the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia.
Its responsibilities cover gastronomic heritage, traditional products, local production, tourism, international promotion and cooperation with businesses and other stakeholders.
What Is the National Gastronomy Agency of Georgia?
The National Gastronomy Agency is a state institution created to coordinate and support the development of gastronomy in Georgia.
The agency was established by Government Resolution No. 270 of June 18, 2026. The resolution entered into force on July 20, 2026. Official Government Resolution on the National Gastronomy Agency
The agency operates under the state control of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia.
Its mandate covers both the protection of Georgia’s gastronomic heritage and the development of gastronomy as a cultural, economic and tourism-related sector.
Why Was the National Gastronomy Agency Created?
Georgia has a rich gastronomic heritage that includes traditional dishes, recipes, agricultural products, food preparation methods and regional culinary traditions.
The creation of the agency is intended to provide a coordinated approach to protecting and developing this heritage.
According to the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, the agency was created to safeguard, develop and promote Georgia’s gastronomic heritage, strengthen its international recognition and implement a unified state policy in the gastronomy sector.
The agency’s work is therefore connected not only with food and cuisine, but also with agriculture, local production, regional development, tourism and international promotion.
What Does the National Gastronomy Agency Do?
The agency has a broad range of responsibilities.
Its official mandate includes:
- identifying, researching and documenting Georgia’s gastronomic heritage;
- identifying and registering traditional gastronomic products and practices;
- preserving traditional recipes, products and food preparation methods;
- supporting local agricultural crops and varieties;
- supporting the commercialization of traditional products;
- strengthening the capabilities of local producers;
- developing regional gastronomic routes;
- supporting professional education and training;
- cooperating with restaurants, chefs, the HoReCa sector and food producers;
- organizing gastronomic events, masterclasses, forums and conferences;
- promoting Georgian gastronomic products in domestic and international markets;
- developing international cooperation in gastronomy.
These responsibilities are defined in the official statute of the agency.
Official Statute of the National Gastronomy Agency
National Gastronomy Agency of Georgia and Gastronomic Heritage
One of the agency’s central objectives is to identify, document and preserve Georgia’s gastronomic heritage.
This includes traditional recipes, local products, preparation techniques, gastronomic customs and other forms of culinary knowledge.
The agency is also expected to strengthen mechanisms for protecting and promoting this heritage.
Georgia’s gastronomic identity is closely connected with its regions and agricultural traditions. Different parts of the country have their own dishes, products, recipes and culinary practices.
The work of the National Gastronomy Agency of Georgia can help preserve this diversity while also creating opportunities to present Georgian gastronomy to international audiences.
National Gastronomy Agency of Georgia and Local Producers
Gastronomy is closely connected with agriculture and local production.
For this reason, supporting local producers is another important part of the agency’s work.
The agency is expected to support the commercialization of traditional products, strengthen producers’ capabilities and improve the competitiveness of Georgian products in domestic and international markets.
Its work also includes cooperation related to geographical indications and appellations of origin. These mechanisms can help protect the quality, authenticity and reputation of Georgian products.
This can be particularly important for small and regional producers that rely on traditional products and local identity.
National Gastronomy Agency of Georgia and Tourism
Gastronomy is an important part of the tourism experience.
Travelers often discover a destination through its food, wine, restaurants, local products and culinary traditions.
The agency has a specific role in supporting the development of gastronomic and agri-tourism in Georgia. The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture has identified tourism development as one of the areas that can benefit from the agency’s activities.
Travel News has also examined Georgia’s wider tourism potential, including wine, gastronomy, culture and regional experiences, in its guide to Georgia’s tourism potential.
The development of gastronomic routes can connect visitors with local producers, restaurants, wineries, farms and regional culinary traditions.
This can create new tourism products and encourage visitors to explore destinations outside Georgia’s main tourism centers.
Gastronomic Tourism and Regional Development
Gastronomic tourism can have an important regional dimension.
A gastronomic route can connect several businesses in one destination or region.
For example, a visitor may combine a winery, local restaurant, family farm, food producer and cultural attraction during the same trip.
This type of tourism can help distribute visitor spending across different businesses and communities.
It can also encourage longer stays and create additional reasons for travelers to visit regions outside the main tourist centers.
Travel News also covers Wine Tourism in Georgia – Wineries, Regions and Wine Tours as part of its wider coverage of Georgian tourism and regional experiences.
The National Gastronomy Agency and International Promotion
Another important goal is to increase the international visibility of Georgian gastronomy.
The agency’s responsibilities include marketing and information campaigns, participation in international platforms and cooperation with international organizations.
It can also organize or support international exhibitions, festivals, competitions, tastings and other events.
International promotion can help introduce Georgian cuisine and traditional products to new audiences.
It can also support Georgia’s wider tourism brand by presenting gastronomy as an important part of the country’s identity.
Cooperation With Restaurants, Chefs and the HoReCa Sector
The National Gastronomy Agency is not focused only on heritage.
Its official responsibilities also include cooperation with restaurants, chefs, the HoReCa sector, producers, associations and other stakeholders.
This creates a direct connection between public policy and the businesses that work with consumers every day.
The agency’s structure includes departments responsible for gastronomic heritage, development, promotion and projects, as well as units responsible for international relations, sector coordination and analytics.
National Gastronomy Agency – Legal Framework
Gastronomy Events, Training and Professional Development
The agency is also expected to support professional development in the gastronomy sector.
Its responsibilities include identifying sector needs, supporting training and qualification development, and cooperating with educational organizations.
The agency can organize masterclasses, forums, conferences and other events related to gastronomy and food culture.
These activities can help connect chefs, producers, restaurants, tourism businesses, researchers and other professionals.
Who Leads the National Gastronomy Agency?
Levan Karumidze was appointed Chairman of the National Gastronomy Agency on August 3, 2026.
According to the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, Karumidze has experience in public administration, governance and international relations. The ministry said his experience is expected to contribute to the international promotion of Georgian gastronomy, the preservation and development of gastronomic heritage and cooperation with international partners.
Ministry of Agriculture – Levan Karumidze Appointed Head of the Agency
What Is the Budget of the National Gastronomy Agency?
According to the initial version of Georgia’s 2027 state budget draft, the National Gastronomy Agency is allocated GEL 5.74 million.
The draft provides for 65 employees, with GEL 3 million allocated for salaries.
The total expenditure component is listed at GEL 5.02 million.
These figures refer to the initial version of the 2027 budget draft and may change during the parliamentary approval process.
The budget is an important indicator of the scale of the new institution, but its main role is broader than financial administration. The agency is expected to work on heritage protection, local production, tourism development and the international promotion of Georgian gastronomy.
Legal Basis of the National Gastronomy Agency
The National Gastronomy Agency was established as a Legal Entity of Public Law under Government Resolution No. 270 of June 18, 2026.
The resolution places the agency under the state control of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia.
The resolution entered into force on July 20, 2026.
Matsne – Government Resolution No. 270
The agency’s detailed functions and organizational structure are defined in its official statute.
Matsne – Statute of the National Gastronomy Agency
What Could the National Gastronomy Agency Mean for Georgia’s Tourism Industry?
The creation of the National Gastronomy Agency gives gastronomy a dedicated institutional structure at the national level.
Its activities connect several areas that are important for Georgia’s tourism industry:
- local food production;
- gastronomic heritage;
- regional development;
- hospitality;
- gastronomic tourism;
- international promotion;
- traditional products;
- cooperation with tourism businesses.
If effectively implemented, the agency’s work could help turn Georgia’s culinary traditions and local products into stronger tourism experiences.
For travelers, this could mean more organized gastronomic routes, events and experiences.
For producers and tourism businesses, it could create additional opportunities for promotion, cooperation and market development.
For Georgia as a destination, gastronomy can become an even stronger part of the country’s international tourism identity.
Conclusion
The National Gastronomy Agency of Georgia represents a new institutional approach to the country’s gastronomic sector.
Its mandate goes beyond the preservation of traditional food.
The agency is expected to connect gastronomic heritage with local production, regional development, tourism, business cooperation and international promotion.
Georgia’s cuisine, traditional products, wine culture and regional food traditions provide a strong foundation for this work.
The long-term impact of the agency will depend on how effectively these resources are transformed into sustainable tourism products, stronger local businesses and internationally recognized Georgian gastronomic experiences.
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