A pioneering culinary experience inspired by space, microbiology, artificial intelligence and hyperintelligence will stir the senses of curious diners at Expo 2020 Dubai, in a new concept designed to challenge the future of dining.

The Future of Food: Epochal Banquet is a never-before-seen experience cooked up by UK-based multi-sensory experience design studio Bompas & Parr, in collaboration with Expo 2020. The ground-breaking foodie adventure will feature numerous world firsts, taking creativity, innovation and technology to a new level.

Diners will have the opportunity to taste super-light delicacies formed using the same technique that NASA uses to collect comet dust; edible creations that glow in the dark; flavour-changing desserts; ultra-rare ingredients, including new-to-the-plate plants; and much more.

The immersive experience is inspired by the ‘Novacene’, a new era hypothesised by eminent 102-year-old scientist and inventor James Lovelock. The new age, he prophesises, will take over the ‘Anthropocene’ era, in which humans have been able to make large-scale changes to the planetary environment, and introduce a future where robots and artificial intelligence will rule.

The curated experience features a multi-course exploratory menu,designed to entertain and inspire, while exploring important themes involving the future of food, including how humans and artificial intelligence can combine to sustainably feed a growing global population and tackle food waste, as well as the implications for future nutrition.

Marjan Faraidooni, Chief Experience Officer, Expo 2020 Dubai, said: “Our World Expo is a global experience that will offer an endless journey of discovery – including through food and beverages. The Future of Food immersive experience is extremely exciting, offering foodies and the curious a world-first taste of the culinary experiences of tomorrow, while also delving into pressing global challenges based around food security and how innovation and food will combine in the future.”

Known for its genre-defining projects, Bompas & Parr rose to prominence with its jelly creations that take architectural forms, such as Grimshaw’s The Eden Project and Lord Foster’s wobbly Millennium Bridge. The experiential firm is behind the world’s first multi-sensory fireworks display, commissioned for New Year’s Eve 2013 in London, and the world’s first cultural institution solely dedicated to food and drink, the British Museum of Food, which opened in 2015.

Sam Bompas, Director, Bompas & Parr,said: “We are thrilled to be bringing The Future of Food: Epochal Banquet to a global audience at Expo 2020 Dubai, where we hope to inspire diners to think positively about the reality of technology-infused dishes. Each course will take guests deeper into the future through first-of-its-kind dishes, as well as immersive experiences that stir each of the senses.”

Available throughout the six months of Expo 2020, tickets for the two-hour culinary odyssey are expected to sell fast. They will be available at www.expo2020dubai.com from early September, starting at AED550.

A food destination in its own right, with 200-plus food and beverage outlets offering a world of cuisines and innovative concepts, Expo 2020 will ensure there is something new for everyone to taste. Coupled with up to 60 live events – including film nights, poetry readings, art activations, musical concerts, cultural tours, parades and interactive journeys for all ages – the site will be alive with sounds, rhythms and flavours from across the globe.

Expo 2020 runs from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022, inviting visitors from around the world to join the making of a new world and experience a six-month celebration of human creativity, innovation, progress and culture.

Note: The experience is not suitable for guests under 14 years of age and features strobe lighting that may affect those with sensory sensitivities. As part of the shared experience, diners are seated at a communal table, which conforms to COVID-19 measures.