Social Initiatives in the Restaurant Industry

There are many restaurant professionals whose work goes beyond feeding their hungry guests. Some of them do their part for public health, nutrition and the environment every day. The Basque Culinary World Prize has celebrated their commitment for four years. It honours culinary professionals from all over the world for their outstanding contributions to social change.

To be considered for the award, they must be nominated by another industry professional. From all entries, the technical committee chooses ten top candidates for the final. The Basque Culinary Centre International Council, a partner of GastronoMETRO in Turkey, jointly picks the winner during its annual meeting. He or she receives a cash prize of EUR 100,000 in support of an initiative that supports the positive social impact of the restaurant industry.

This year, the international jury of influential chefs, scientists and industry experts decided to honour Anthony Myint from the United States. The renowned chef and owner of “Mission Chinese Food” has been taking action to combat climate change. He is working on solutions to reduce his environmental impact and has launched the ZeroFoodprint project. Consulting food producers on reducing their CO₂ emissions is a part of his daily work. Myint has persuaded many high-ranking international restaurants to boost their sustainability efforts. Last year, the Basque Culinary World Prize went to Jock Zonfrillo, who advocates for the preservation and protection of Aboriginal Australian food culture. His restaurant “Orana” introduces its visitors to the special traditions and dishes of Australia’s native peoples.