Step inside a story.

Imagine walking up the timeworn steps of a majestic, centuries-old building in the heart of Dordrecht. The air carries whispers of history, and as the doors of the Food Design Playground open, so does a new chapter in your creative journey.

For four immersive days, you’ll find yourself surrounded by fellow food design explorers from around the world. Together, in this extraordinary space where ideas ferment and flavors become language, you’ll dive deep into the world of food and design.

Guided in person by Marije Vogelzang, you’ll embark on a hands-on, hearts-on process to craft your own conceptual dinner—a meal that speaks, questions, surprises, or soothes. Whether you’re a seasoned designer or a curious beginner with a love for food, Marije will walk with you step by step, stirring your imagination and helping you shape an experience that’s uniquely yours.

Expect days rich with wonder, inspiration served daily, and nourishing shared lunches that become part of the creative ritual. With Marije’s personal attention and over 25 years of experience in the field, you’ll not just learn—you’ll transform the way you think, create, and connect.

This isn’t just a workshop.
It’s a feast for your mind, your senses, and your soul.

Dates: 18-21 May 2026, 13-16 July 2026. Get in touch for dates in Autumn and Winter.

After registration, we’ll reach out to check which date you’d like to join. If a retreat sells out, it will simply vanish from the website so no one accidentally longs for something that’s already gone.

This retreat is for food lovers who:

• are interested in food beyond taste

• want to be guided in person

• like to be challenged mentally and creatively

• look for tangible and tasty inspiration

• want to train their creativity on food

• want to experience the magical side of food

Imagine being able to create:

• a dinner that brings back forgotten memories

• a dinner that reveals the invisible labor behind every ingredient

• something to help you fall in love

• a meal that helps people grieve

• a dinner that slows down time

• a dinner to help people realize how f*cking amazing it is that there’s food in the first place!

• a dinner where no one speaks, yet everything is said

Learn to see the world of food with new eyes.

What do you get for your investment?

You'll create your own, unique conceptual dinner.

• Four days of hands-on creation.

• A group of likeminded people to share your experiences with.

• An amazing venue for our adventures

• Be the first to do a live food and design retreat at the Playground

• personal guidance by Marije and culinairy mentor Terri

• go home with an actual project

Starting at just €697, join Marije for 4 days at the Food Design Playground in The Netherlands.

18-21 May 2026/ 13-16 July 2026. Get in touch for dates in Autumn and Winter.

What to expect:

Four days of creative nourishment

From the moment you arrive at the Food Design Playground, you’ll step into a carefully curated rhythm of inspiration, creation, and reflection.

We’ll begin with a welcoming breakfast beneath the vaulted ceilings of the monumental building—an opening ritual to meet your fellow explorers, ground yourself, and spark curiosity. After this warm introduction, we dive straight into the world of food design. Your first classes will awaken new perspectives, offer tools for creative ideation, and begin shaping the journey ahead.

Each morning becomes a studio of the senses. You’ll move between hands-on classes, feedback sessions, and quiet moments of creative flow. We’ll explore what it truly means to work with food as a material, a messenger, a memory-maker. You’ll learn how to create meaningful concepts, refine your ideas, and design experiences that touch people beyond taste.

And of course—every day at noon, we pause for a shared lunch. Thoughtfully prepared, seasonal, and nourishing, this is not just a meal, but part of the experience: a moment to connect, reflect, and taste the day as it unfolds.

Afternoons are yours. Use them to deepen your project, sketch, research, or forage for ideas in the charming streets of Dordrecht. The city is a hidden gem—full of old-world beauty, riverside cafés, and unexpected inspiration. You’ll also receive guidance on the culinary side of your work, so your ideas can begin to take edible shape.

On the final day, it all comes together.

You’ll present your conceptual dinner to the group—your story told through textures, temperatures, rituals, and surprises. Then, we sit down to eat—each dish a reflection of someone’s journey, a moment turned into matter, a concept made tasteable.

What’s included:

• Welcome breakfast on day one

• 4 shared lunches (one each day)

• All classes, workshops, and personal guidance by Marije Vogelzang

• Culinary guidance by on the third day by culinairy mentor Terri Salminen

• A beautiful workspace in the historic Food Design Playground

• A pantry full of high quality, local food products

What’s not included:

• Dinner (except for your final presentation—your own creation!)

• Accommodation (but we’re happy to recommend wonderful hotels in Dordrecht)

This retreat is more than a course.
It’s a space to connect—to yourself, to others, and to food as a creative force.
It’s about stepping out of your routine and into a playground for the senses.
It’s a short journey that might just change the way you eat—and think—for life.

Choose to join 18-21 May 2026/ 13-16 July 2026. Get in touch for dates in Autumn and Winter.

After registration, we’ll reach out to check which date you’d like to join. If a retreat sells out, it will simply vanish from the website so no one accidentally longs for something that’s already gone.