The Partnership Between The Chefs’ Forum & NHS England Make Edie Sustainability Awards Final for Groundbreaking Healthcare Chefs’ Workshops
The Chefs’ Forum is thrilled to announce that we’ve reached the finals of the prestigious Edie Sustainability Awards (or net-zero Oscars), in recognition of our nationwide series of six workshops developed in partnership with NHS England and an incredible network of healthcare catering experts.
This incredible achievement celebrates a unique collaboration between The Chefs’ Forum, NHS England and key industry professionals, all united by a common purpose: transforming NHS food for a healthier, more sustainable future.
Launched to accompany the second edition of The Healthcare Chefs’ Knowledge, these workshops set out to drive real change in hospital catering following the recommendations of the NHS Hospital Food Review (2020). Published last year, this essential resource spotlights 100 carbon-friendly recipes designed to boost patient health, reduce environmental impact, and inspire the next generation of healthcare chefs.
Phil Shelley, National Lead for Food (NZC) at NHS England, said:
“The Healthcare Chefs’ Knowledge 2: Eating The Rainbow will cover everything healthcare chefs and stakeholders need to understand about modern hospital food practices and the positive changes being introduced, with a particular focus on sustainability and developing healthy, nutritious menus. We are very excited to work with The Chefs’ Forum to engage chefs, showcase best practices, and provide a valuable resource for hospital kitchens.”
The six workshops have been a vibrant showcase of cross-sector collaboration, gathering NHS chefs, catering managers, dietitians, and chef students at leading culinary colleges across England. From the South West’s Food Works SW to University of West London, South & City College Birmingham, Bournemouth and Poole College, Northampton and Bradford College, each session facilitated hands-on learning, sustainable menu design, and low-carbon recipe development.
Max Kindred, Net Zero Senior Insight Manager, Soft FM at NHS England, added:
“These workshops have been a brilliant way to bring together the entire NHS food value chain and ensure the national approach to Net Zero is shaped by those on the ground. This collaboration has been a game-changer in connecting catering teams with sustainability strategy, building resilience and cost-efficiency into NHS food.”
Also supporting the workshops was Andrea Zick, PhD researcher at the UK Food Systems Centre for Doctoral Training:
“I’m honoured to have designed and facilitated these workshops, which underscored the importance of systems thinking and structured collaboration. Achieving the ambitions of the Hospital Food Review relies on exactly this type of joined-up approach. This initiative showed how key it is for chefs, dietitians, and catering managers to work together, ensuring patients receive nutritious, sustainable, and cost-effective meals.”
The Chefs’ Forum is immensely proud of this recognition, which not only supports environmental goals for NHS foodservice but also provides a valuable educational experience for NHS chefs and Catering Managers, empowering the next generation to lead on sustainability in healthcare catering.
Catherine Farinha, Publisher and Project Coordinator, said:
“This has been about creating positive change – bringing together the best minds in catering to create dishes that nourish both patients and the planet. To be recognised by the edie Sustainability Awards is a fantastic honour and testament to everyone’s hard work.”
