Humane World For Animals Foundation's renowned Forward Food program was proud to collaborate with Global Affairs Canada to train and empower chefs from across the Government of Canada, encouraging the expansion of plant-based options on government menus. Forward Food is a free-of-charge culinary resource program designed to increase plant-based options in foodservice, ultimately making our food system more compassionate, sustainable, healthy and more cost-effective.
On January 9 and 10, 2025, Global Affairs Canada and Forward Food co-hosted an innovative and bilingual culinary education session. Led by Forward Food culinary specialist Chef François Murphy, the event brought together 12 chefs from various Government of Canada departments, including Global Affairs Canada (GAC), the RCMP, Canadian Armed Forces, the Coast Guard and the Quebec government to explore the many benefits of plant-based cuisine.
The first day of training saw the chefs craft 24 innovative plant-based dishes, including black bean seitan burgers with avocado lime mayo, yam and coconut curry soup with red lentils, traditional Greek salad with tofu feta, and decadent desserts like tiramisu and carrot cake cupcakes. These vibrant dishes were served at an evening forum, Green Cuisine: A Forum on Sustainable Food Procurement in Government Institutions. The forum provided a platform for government experts working on sustainability or purchasing to explore actionable strategies for reducing Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions through food procurement. Attendees offered enthusiastic feedback on the plant-based dishes while connecting with like-minded advocates committed to advancing sustainability in government operations.
The second day featured a plant-based food tour in Ottawa, where participating chefs visited three foodservice establishments that are succeeding with plant-based offerings. Participants sampled innovative dishes, toured kitchens, and engaged with chefs and owners to gain firsthand insights into the thriving world of plant-based dining.
The participating chefs expressed overwhelmingly positive feedback, highlighting how simple and delicious plant-based foods can be, and a desire for additional training on the topic. As one participant said, "I 100% believe all food institutions should offer this course for their chefs, cooks, FOH [front of house] and investors.”
A major milestone of the event was celebrating ecoGAC – a team within Global Affairs Canada that promotes sustainability within domestic operations – signing of the Forward Food pledge. Through this commitment, ecoGAC will encourage the department's foodservice providers to serve more plant-based foods, marking a significant step forward in the Government of Canada’s sustainability efforts.
About Forward Food:
Forward Food is an innovative culinary resource program that helps the foodservice industry – foodservice management companies, large-scale institutions such as universities and hospitals, restaurants, food distributors, and other operations – to put plants at the centre of the plate. The program offers culinary training, recipes, menu development support, guidance on marketing and communications, educational sessions, and greenhouse gas impact assessments to help foodservice professionals meet the increasing demand for delicious, accessible plant-based options. Forward Food provides services free of charge, and asks those they work with to sign the Forward Food pledge to make their menus or food purchasing at least 20% more plant-based.
Ready to bring Forward Food to your food service operation? Contact us to learn more!