Championing Sustainable Food Innovation, Sodexo Greater China “Cook for Change!” Sustainable Chef Challenge Concludes

April 10, 2025, Shanghai — Sodexo, a global leader in sustainable food and valued experiences, recently hosted the 2025 Sodexo Greater China “Cook for Change!” Sustainable Chef Challenge at its Shanghai offices. The competition not only showcased the creativity and expertise of Sodexo’s culinary teams but also underscored the company’s commitment to sustainability.

 

Over the years, Sodexo has organized “Cook for Change!” Sustainable Chef Challenge worldwide, where chefs from diverse cultures present delicious and nutritious dishes. This year, Sodexo Greater China launched its first " Cook for Change!" inspiring chefs to leverage their skills in crafting innovative, low-carbon recipes. By using local fresh ingredients and adopting eco-friendly cooking techniques, participants made efforts to reduce food waste without compromising flavor. After rigorous selection, ten top chefs from different sites gathered to deliver a feast of creativity and taste.

The judging panel, comprising expert jury and public jury, evaluated dishes based on criteria, including innovation & business applicability, sustainability & CO2 footprint and flavor & taste. Competing chefs used their best skills and expertise—some delivered carbon-conscious dining with bold flavors, others combined French cuisine artistry with Chinese traditional cooking techniques, while many minimized waste by maximizing ingredient efficiency. Their technical mastery and boundless creativity brought Sodexo’s low-carbon vision to life, earning unanimous acclaim from the judges and audience. Sodexo is dedicated to providing sustainable, delicious, and healthy food solutions. Through sourcing local seasonal products, curbing food waste, and lowering carbon emissions, the company actively addresses climate challenges to protect the planet.

As a purpose-driven organization, Sodexo serves 80 million consumers daily around the world. We highly value corporate social responsibility and sustainability across daily operations—from reducing packaging waste and partnering with ethical suppliers to optimizing the use of water and energy and fundraising globally to stop hunger. Each initiative reflects its unwavering commitment to a better future.

Mr. Ricardo CASTRO, Growth and Commercial Officer of Sodexo Greater China, remarked “It’s my privilege to serve as a judge for this competition and support these important initiatives. Sodexo has embedded sustainability into every aspect of food services, from seasonal sourcing to carbon emission control. We look forward to collaborating with more partners to pioneer innovative models in sustainable food, setting new industry benchmarks while delivering enhanced service experiences for consumers.”

“I was honored to attend this remarkable event,” as the sponsor representative of this competition, Wolfgang SYHR, Executive Vice President ASIA North of Rational China, expressed, “We saw high quality and inspiring culinary treats being prepared in an efficient and sustainable way in a great atmosphere of friendly competition. Together, we’re inspired to find more collaboration opportunities to jointly delivering better and healthier food services for Chinese consumers.”

Julie Koch, Sustainability Specialist of Sodexo Greater China, said “By organizing the 1st China Edition of Cook for Change Competition, we aimed to promote the concept of sustainable food as well as empowering our Chefs to create new recipes for our sites. Feeding over 1,2 million people per day in China, our selection of ingredients and recipes can have great impact. Involving our Chefs and our consumers is key for us to reach our net-zero ambitions by 2040. ”