"Sustainable Chef Challenge": Rational and Sodexo choose the best sustainable dish

Whole cauliflower with roasted cauliflower leaves and cauliflower kimchi was the winning dish at the third Sustainable Chef Challenge final held by Sodexo and Rational in Paris in mid-November.

Adam Collison from the UK was delighted to receive the award. He beat fellow finalists Sandrine Leriche (France), Michal Fabiszewski (Poland), Gaurav Pawar (India), Ryan Hickey (USA), John Oliveira da Conceicao (Brazil), Christopher Paredes (Chile) and Nabila Kerbout (United Arab Emirates /Morocco).

The finalists first had to impress the judges – Lloyd Mann, Charles Guilloy and Julie Wagner from Sodexo, star chefs Kate Austen and Frédéric Anton and Florian Hartmann from Rational – during a three-day competition. In addition to balanced flavour and great presentation, the dishes had to be 100% plant-based, made from sustainable ingredients and avoid food waste. Additional points were awarded for creativity, financial feasibility in company restaurants, cooking skills and techniques.

Dessert was a particular challenge. The participants had to create it spontaneously from previously unknown ingredients. Collison’s winning dessert: a vegan chocolate brownie with beetroot and orange and a vegan silken tofu and dark chocolate mousse with beetroot coulis.

In addition to the main prize, two special prizes were awarded. When it came to minimising food waste, Michal Fabiszewski from Poland impressed the judges with his szkarlotka, a typical Polish cake that used all the ingredients of a banana – he even made a syrup from the skin. Sandrine Leriche from France took home the prize for the most visually appealing dish. Her celeriac roll with lovage and spinach impressed with its clean, minimalist presentation.

With this year’s Sustainable Chef Challenge, Rational and Sodexo have for the third time awarded the best sustainable dish and once again set an example for sustainable catering. Florian Hartmann, jury member, and Vice President Product Application iCombi at Rational: “Sustainability can only succeed if everyone pulls together. It’s not just about the right ingredients, it’s also about the right cooking technology and equipment – for example, cooking systems that use little water and energy. That’s why we at Rational work every day to make our iCombi Pro combi-steamer and iVario Pro advanced bratt pan even more efficient and economical.”

The recording of the award ceremony is available on youtube.com, and more information about Rational and the cooking systems can be found at rational-online.com.