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Food is not more than just something we put into our mouths. Food is a bridge between people, places, human world and the rest of the living things on the planet. By casting a design mind set onto the basic act of sustaining human life, we can gain fresh perspectives on how food is both driving change, and being forced to change by wider developments in society and the environment.

If we are to make the most of the limited resources available on this planet, in a way that will provide a physically and culturally healthy environment, we must effectively tackle the challenges surrounding food in the 21st century. As luck would have it, food and design are currently in the midst of a creative explosion. The barriers between producers, creators and consumers have been cast aside, exposing endless possibilities for collaboration and experimentation.

This issue of SIGNED highlights just some of the possibilities in this emerging field of design. Our starting point is a discussion with Food Design pioneer Marije Vogelzang, in which she highlights the power of food to change people, and society. Our next article Neo Fruits, not only gives a glimpse into the future of food, but uses cutting-edge technology to bring focus on what has already been lost. Following this is Feel the Peel, an experiment in hyper-local food delivery in the form of orange juice. Finally, is the story of Kitchen Theory, a delicious exploration of why we need to spread our collaborative wings widely to make sense of the perfect meal.