This special issue of Nutrición Hospitalaria includes a selection of the presentations given at the Expert Meeting on "Nutrition, gastronomy and omics", held in San Sebastian, 24-25 April 2017. A scientific event imbued with much preparatory work, excellent lectures given by academics, gastronomes and top-level chefs, who tried to symbolize the union between research, the scientific community, gastronomy and cooking.

Dietary intake has a great importance in health, the economy and the welfare of people. This physiological process, based on appetite sensation, takes us into a complex, cross-cutting and, to some extent, unknown world. We were particularly interested in linking with a common thread all the pieces connected to food and the nutritional process: from genetic conditioning factors, modulation of apetite and satiety, individualized nutritional needs, microbiota, precision nutrition and metabolic alterations, up to the history of taste, food in history, the science of gastronomy or the magic art of some of the best chefs in the world. In our case, the excellence of the cuisine of Arzak, Mugaritz and Etxanobe, or the educational centers linked to gastronomy with capital letters: the Basque Culinary Center, School of Hospitality of Leioa or Alicia Foundation, including the different mass catering companies represented in the meeting .

In a fairly orderly way, we are entering the field of nutrigenetics and the different "omic" sciences that can indicate which foods, nutrients and food components are most suitable for health and illness; how to preserve or improve food, improve bioavailability and functional impact through nanotechnology; what is hidden behind this "new organ" called microbiota or microbiome, an important part of metabolic processes, immune functioning and health.

Nutritional recommendations are not intended to put everyone on a diet, nor even to part of the people. The idea is to bring the scientific evidence to food habits and customs, so as to improve as much as possible the impact of food lifestyles on the health of individuals in future generations. What really matters is the daily, the hard core, of food lifestyles according to recommendations. Once the prerequisite is satisfied, then can indulge ourselves occasionally.

At the present time and looking into the future, nutritional recommendations and gastronomic models will have to seriously consider sustainability. Food and sustainability should be part of our thinking, shopping basket and content in our plates. A responsible consumer will be governed by the 5 "R"s rule; reduce, reuse, recycle, repair and reject (all not in accordance with fair trade, animal welfare, the improvement of the environment or the sustainability of the planet).

Many thanks to all the authors and collaborators who have contributed to this special issue; with our recognition for their excellent work and precious generosity.