WRITING & RESEARCH

Ideas, research, and stories across culture, food, and place.

Long-form writing, field reflections, and cultural research exploring how food, hospitality, heritage, and place reveal the ways people build trust, identity, and connection across cultures.

EDITOR'S JOURNEY

A place to begin. These writings introduce the ideas that shape Yvonne's work across culture, diplomacy, food, and the Mediterranean.

Yvonne Maffei, author and researcher exploring culinary diplomacy and food culture.

Why Culinary Diplomacy Matters More Than Ever

FEATURED · CULTURAL DIPLOMACY

Some of the most meaningful conversations between cultures begin not in conference rooms—but around a dinner table.

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FEATURED WRITING

Begin Here

A curated collection of writing introducing the ideas at the heart of Yvonne's work.

CULTURAL INTELLIGENCE

FOOD DIPLOMACY

HERITAGE & COMMUNITY

Food, Trade & Global Systems

GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES

Writing exploring the intersections of economics, diplomacy, sustainability, and international cooperation.

GLOBAL FOOD ECONOMY

Why Cultural Fluency Is the Last Competitive Advantage

Understanding, not assuming, is the rarest and most durable edge a brand can hold.

CULTURAL INTELLIGENCE

Traditional Mediterranean fish market illustrating food culture, trade, and culinary diplomacy.

Food as Soft Power: What Every Government Should Understand

Why what a nation serves at its tables can shape how it is remembered abroad.

CULINARY DIPLOMACY - COMING SOON

EDITOR'S REFLECTIONS

Reflections & Memory

Personal writing exploring identity, belonging, memory, and the lived experiences behind cultural research.

Historic doorway and stone architecture representing belonging, memory, and cultural identity.

On Belonging to Two Traditions

A personal reflection on identity, memory, and finding home between cultures.

ARTICLE - COMING SOON

Formal dining table representing hospitality, diplomacy, and international cultural exchange.

What Embassy Tables Teach Us About International Relations

The quiet diplomacy that unfolds through hospitality, ritual, and shared meals.

MEDITERRANEAN - COMING SOON

People sharing food around a table, illustrating gastrodiplomacy and cultural exchange.

Gastrodiplomacy or Culinary Diplomacy? Understanding the Difference

Two frequently confused ideas—and why the distinction matters.

GASTRODIPLOMACY - COMING SOON

Notes on culture, food, diplomacy & place.

THE NEWSLETTER

Once a month: one original piece, one story from the archive, and a few thoughtful discoveries.