The city of Portoviejo is the capital of Manabí, in the central, coastal region of Ecuador. With a population of 280,029 inhabitants, the city has a rich agricultural and maritime industry, employing over 50% of the population, as well as a flourishing gastronomic sector. With a unique combination of traditional dishes and European influence, contemporary cuisine in Portoviejo uses new culinary techniques to create a complex and characteristic fusion of flavours that distinguishes its culinary style. Despite the devastating effects following an earthquake in 2016, local gastronomic and creativity enterprises have been the frontrunners to support thousands of those affected, bolstering Portoviejo’s resilience and generating thousands of jobs.

In recent years following the earthquake, the city’s primary concern has been on the restoration and reconstruction of public spaces, such as open-air dining areas and marketplaces, as well as the provision of clean drinking water. Focusing on promoting culinary advancement within the region, the gastronomic sector is now regarded as the main post-disaster cultural industry, providing employment opportunities and reducing poverty for local inhabitants. With increased support from the government, Portoviejo’s culinary sector hopes to grow, not just on a national, but an international scale, by participating in international markets and food festivals, as well as hosting a number of gastronomic events, showcasing local dishes and traditional skills.

In addition to implementing short-term initiatives to support local culinary businesses, Portoviejo has also established a development plan until 2030, that includes the regeneration of its historic center with the reconstruction of parks, lighting, pedestrian spaces, and urban beautification. The UNESCO’s Historical Urban Landscape (HUL) approach along with local gastronomy and creativity initiatives will support the initiative to preserve the natural and cultural environment in which Portoviejo’s citizens live. It is an approach based on a balanced, sustainable relationship between the urban and natural environment, looking to the needs of present generations, while taking into account their history and their future.