Vértize Food Event Experience

A Multisensory Gastronomic Journey

2025 | IED Kunsthal Bilbao, Master in Food Design | Project under the guidance and inspiration of food designer Ivan Merino

 

Vértize Food Event was an immersive gastronomic experience designed to explore the evolving consumption habits of Generation Z through five narrative-driven phases, each representing a milestone in the transition from youth to adulthood. Developed in collaboration with La Salve and Bodegas Elosegi, the event combined food design, storytelling, and multisensory interactions to create a time-traveling journey through taste, culture, and identity.

Video Summary of the Vértize Food Event Experience

Concept & Inspiration:

Vértize was inspired by the way Generation Z interacts with food and beverages—seeking authenticity, personalization, and sensory engagement. Each phase of the event reflected a distinct life stage, from early social drinking experiences to sophisticated gastronomy and intimate home celebrations. Pase 4: Vértize Club (2034) was a key moment in this journey, designed as a futuristic nightlife experience where guests could explore playful, experimental food interactions in a club-like setting.

In the role of the art director and conceptual designer for the Vértize Food Event, I oversaw the visual and experiential narrative of the project, ensuring a cohesive and immersive journey across all phases. My primary focus was Pase 4: Vértize Club, where I took on the role of conceptual, production, and media designer, shaping the atmosphere, set design, and storytelling elements of the futuristic nightclub experience. Additionally, as food designer for this phase, I developed the Spherified Mini Micheladas and the Edible Happiness Bags (obulato pouches with popping candy), completed by the Edible Crystals (created by Erika Helo Yamhure), curating a playful, sensorial food experience that blurred the lines between taste, texture, and spectacle.

Process & Materials:

  • Food & Sensory Design:

    • Designed spherified mini micheladas—a reimagined beer cocktail encapsulated in a burst-in-the-mouth sphere.

    • Created Edible Happiness Bags—delicate obulato pouches filled with popping candy, delivering an unexpected textural and sensory surprise.

    • Introduced Edible Crystals, made from vegan gummies with diverse flavors and textures, crafted by Erika Helo Yamhure, fellow Food Design Master attendee. These crystalline treats added a tactile and sensorial dimension to the disco experience.

  • Edible Invitation Design:

    • Developed a wafer-based edible invitation, marking the transition between Pase 3 (a futuristic pintxo bar) and the Vértize Club Disco moment.

    • The invitation featured a printed menu of the club’s edible offerings, including the Mimosa from La Bañista (a sub-brand of Bodega Elosegi).

    • Served the Mimosa in laboratory glass tubes, elevating it into a ritualistic and immersive tasting experience.

  • Set & Production Design:

    • Transformed the venue into a neon-lit, immersive club environment, aligning with the futuristic aesthetics and playful engagement of the night.

    • Designed interactive food stations, merging gastronomy, ambiance, and performance.

  • Creative & Technical Collaboration:

    • Worked closely with food designer and mentor Ivan Merino, refining experimental food techniques.

    • Collaborated with a multidisciplinary team to synchronize gastronomy, ambiance, and storytelling.

Outcome & Reflection:

Vértize blurred the line between food, art, and experience, turning gastronomy into a medium for storytelling and emotional engagement. Pase 4: Vértize Club embodied the event’s playful and sensorial essence, offering a glimpse into the future of food consumption and nightlife culture.

Beyond being a one-night experience, Vértize served as a conceptual framework for how brands and designers can engage new generations through food, multisensory interaction, and immersive storytelling.