Sodexo celebrates culinary excellence and taste as it brings together chefs from across the world for the Grand Finale of its Cook for Change! competition

Press release

Issy-les-Moulineaux, February 25, 2026

Sodexo celebrates culinary excellence and taste as it brings together chefs from across the world for the Grand Finale of its Cook for Change! competition

On March 24, 2026, nine finalist chefs from eight countries will head to London to compete in the Grand Finale of Cook for Change!, Sodexo’s sustainable culinary challenge. Through this flagship internal competition, Sodexo shines a light on the culinary talent of its chefs, committed to creating food that is both healthier and lower in environmental impact.

A competition that champions culinary excellence and a commitment to healthier, and more sustainable food

Encouraging creativity and celebrating the commitment of Sodexo chefs to healthier and more sustainable food - that is the ambition of Cook for Change!. The competition has become a showcase of Sodexo’s broader commitment to supporting its clients in evolving their food offers in response to rising consumer expectations and sustainability challenges.

This fourth edition is organized in partnership with Rational Group, the world market and technology leader in the field of hot food preparation for professional kitchens. Over recent months, it has brought together more than 500 chefs from 30 countries through a renewed format that included three regional semi-finals held last November in Chicago, Shanghai and France.

Thierry Delaporte, Sodexo Group CEO said:

Nine finalists competing in an exceptional final

The nine finalists from Australia, Brazil, Chile, France, India, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States, will go head-to-head in an intense day of competition in London. Their dishes will be evaluated by a jury of renowned chefs and food experts.

The awards ceremony – also livestreamed on YouTube – will take place in London at the end of the competition on March 24, alongside Sodexo clients and partners. A reception will follow, where the finalists’ creations will be served, perfectly reflecting the spirit of the competition.

Each finalist has created a recipe that expresses their culinary identity, while placing plant-based ingredients at the center of the plate and focusing on seasonality, nutritional quality and reduced carbon footprint.

• Peter Brass (Australia): Curried Sweet Potato & Lentil Croquette with Herbal Tea-Infused Cauliflower Leaves and Cauliflower Purée, Finished with Sweet Potato Chips.
• Ricardo Machado (Brazil): Tian of root to stem Beets, mushrooms and Squash, beetroot reduction and root granola.
• Denisse Galvez (Chile): Slow cooked Cochayuyo (seaweed) confit vegetables, Potato Mille-Feuille and young Sprouting shoots.
• Randall Prudden (United States): The Whole Pumpkin with roasted Maitake Mushroom & Mole Negro.
• Joel Ryan (United States): Vegan Panisse "Poutine" with maitake mushroom hemp gravy and cashew curds.
• Faustine Germain (France): Perfect poached egg, creamed polenta, tomme de savoie, glazed asparagus with a crispy quinoa and sauce vierge.
• Gordon Carberry (Ireland): Miso roasted Parsnip with textures of Parsnip, wild rice, crispy chickpeas and aquafaba mayonnaise.
• Pravin Nanaware (India): “Sustainable Sea & Root” Grilled watermelon sweet potato crisps and candid watermelon marmalade.
• Robert Janse (Netherlands): Smoked Kohlrabi with miso, white bean cream and kombucha beurre blanc.

Mobilizing chefs to accelerate the food transition for the benefit of clients and consumers

As consumers seek food that is affordable, flavorful and healthy, catering has a more essential role to play than ever. On the front line, Sodexo chefs translate these evolving expectations into practical, high-quality, inventive and healthy solutions.

Through their choice of ingredients, cooking methods and creativity, chefs also play a crucial role in guiding consumers toward more responsible and sustainable food habits.

With this culinary competition, Sodexo reaffirms its ambition to make food a lever for positive transformation and business performance for its clients.

About Sodexo

Founded in Marseille in 1966 by Pierre Bellon, Sodexo is the leader in Food and Services, shaping better everyday experiences at every moment in life: work, heal, learn and play. The Group stands out for its independence, its founding family shareholding and its responsible business model. With its services, Sodexo meets all the challenges of everyday life with a dual goal: to improve the quality of life of our employees and those we serve, and contribute to the economic, social and environmental progress in the communities where we operate. For Sodexo, growth and social commitment go hand in hand. Our purpose is to create a better everyday for everyone to build a better life for all. Sodexo is included in the CAC Next 20, CAC SBT 1.5, FTSE 4 Good and DJSI indices.

Sodexo key figures

• 24.1 billion euros Fiscal 2025 consolidated revenues
• 426,000 employees (as at August 31, 2025)
• #2 France-based private employer worldwide
• 43 countries (as at August 31, 2025)
• 80 million consumers served daily
• 6,5 billion euros in market capitalization (as at January 7, 2026)

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