At Vatră și Ogradă – From Farmers to Food Lovers, gastronomy was celebrated in many forms.
Not only through food, producers and tastings, but also through stories.
One of the highlights of the event was the relaunch of “The Sarmale Collector and Other Gastronomic Stories” (Colecționarul de sarmale și alte povestiri gastronomice), a volume by Cosmin Dragomir, one of Romania’s leading culinary journalists, researchers and advocates for gastronomic heritage.
The book invites readers to look beyond recipes and ingredients and explore food as culture, memory and identity.
Spanning more than 700 pages, the volume brings together articles, editorials and culinary studies published between 2017 and 2023. Structured into 13 thematic chapters and illustrated by artist Mihai Coșulețu, it explores Romanian gastronomy through stories of forgotten ingredients, traditional dishes, local customs, culinary history and the people who have shaped the country’s food culture over generations.
It is not a cookbook. It is a book about the culture of taste.
Through years of research, documentation and storytelling, Cosmin Dragomir has become one of the most important voices in the effort to rediscover and preserve Romania’s culinary heritage. His work demonstrates that food is more than nourishment. It is a reflection of history, geography, migration, traditions and community life.
The relaunch event featured a conversation with Oana Coantă, chef and owner of Bistro de l’Arte, who brought additional perspectives on the role of local producers, the importance of seasonality and the need for restaurants to remain connected to the places and communities from which their ingredients originate.
Together, the discussion highlighted a shared belief: meaningful gastronomy begins with understanding where food comes from and the stories it carries. It also offered a glimpse into future collaborations, as Oana Coantă is set to return to Dobrogea on 17 July for a special four-hands dinner at Rozmarine Tapas & Wine in Constanța, alongside Chef Octavian Băloi — an event that will continue the dialogue between local ingredients, regional identity and contemporary Romanian cuisine.
For Flavours of Dobrogea, the moment had a special significance.
Cosmin Dragomir is also an ambassador of Dobrogea – Candidate European Region of Gastronomy 2029, a project that promotes gastronomy not only as a visitor experience, but also as a form of cultural heritage and regional identity. His work aligns closely with the values of the initiative, demonstrating how research, education and storytelling can help preserve traditions while inspiring new generations to appreciate them.
As Dobrogea continues its journey towards becoming a European Region of Gastronomy, conversations like these remind us that safeguarding food heritage requires more than preserving recipes. It requires documenting stories, supporting local knowledge and understanding the cultural context that gives meaning to every dish.
Because behind every recipe lies a story.
And behind every food culture, there are people dedicated to ensuring those stories are not forgotten.
