The Green Spatula Award nurturing Sustainable Kitchen Practices
How the Nestlé Professional Green Spatula Award is shaping Sustainable Kitchen Practices.
Since its debut at the Worldchefs Global Chefs Challenge Finals 2024 in Singapore, the Nestlé Professional Green Spatula Award inspires chefs worldwide to lead with sustainability and creativity.
As the first Nestlé Professional culinary award dedicated to sustainability and endorsed by the World Association of Chefs' Societies (Worldchefs), it celebrates chefs who prioritize sustainable practices in ingredient selection, food waste reduction, cooking methods, water conservation, and balancing taste, nutrition, and environmental responsibility. By integrating these into their skillsets, chefs help drive more sustainable practices across the industry.
Driving Change Through Daily Culinary Practice
As Ana Aragón, Global Head of Sustainability & Nutrition at Nestlé Professional, explains, "the award celebrates chefs who, beyond delivering exceptional culinary experiences, are embedding meaningful sustainable practices in their kitchens".
Its influence has grown steadily. Since launch, it has been integrated into the 2025 Regional Semi-Finals across Asia, the Americas, Africa, and the Middle East, expanding its reach and relevance. We were on hand at the Global Chefs Challenge Asia Regional Semi-finals, to honor chefs’ contributions en route to the Global Chefs Challenge Finals in Wales in May 2026.
Moreover, it was featured at the prestigious 6th World Golden Chef Competition 2025 in Malaysia, where over 200 chefs from more than ten countries, showcased culinary creativity, teamwork, and youth talent.
Worldchefs President Andy Cuthbert highlights its broader impact: “The Nestlé Professional Green Spatula Award represents creativity, leadership, and respect for our planet. We’re proud to encourage chefs to be agents of change.”
What Sustainability looks like in the Kitchens of the Winners
At its launch, three chefs became the inaugural recipients:
- Tom Lamers (Netherlands) – Global Chefs Challenge
- Andreas Enger Fjellheim (Norway) – Global Young Chefs Challenge
- Dinars Zvidrinš (Latvia) – Global Vegan Chefs Challenge
These winners are demonstrating the award’s power, inspiring innovation in sourcing, waste reduction, and forward-thinking practices.
Tom Lamers, Global Chefs Challenge Winner, reinforced his commitment by sourcing local and seasonal ingredients, reducing waste through smart kitchen processes, fostering team-wide responsibility. “The award motivated us to work toward these goals together.”
His team now explores improved waste monitoring and stronger producer partnerships. With the Global Chefs Challenge Finals 2026 in Wales ahead, the next wave of sustainability driven chefs will soon take the stage.
Andreas Enger Fjellheim, Global Young Chefs Challenge - Winner of the Young Chefs category, Andreas has embedded sustainability into his restaurant operations by prioritizing local and regenerative producers, reducing waste through whole ingredient cooking, optimizing energy and water efficiency, inspiring his team to challenge routines and embrace experimentation.
“The award validated our direction and strengthened our purpose,” he says. Sustainability is not a trend, it’s where the industry must go.” Looking ahead, he plans to expand zero-waste concepts, improve guest communication around sustainable choices, and collaborate with researchers on low impact culinary innovation.
Dinars Zvidrinš, Global Vegan Chefs Challenge - Global Vegan Chefs Challenge competitor, Dinars focuses on continues improvement on using seasonal and local ingredients, designing menus to minimizes waste, implementing reusable kitchen solutions and energy efficiency.
The Nestlé Professional Green Spatula Award encouraged his team to push further: “It strengthened our confidence and ignited new curiosity to find environmentally friendly solutions.” His next steps include improved composting systems and deeper collaboration with farmers to close the loop from kitchen to field.
A Movement That Continues to Grow
In a short time, the Green Spatula Award has evolved from a competition honor into a gentle but meaningful driver of more sustainable practices in professional kitchens. It inspires rethinking sourcing, waste, and resources, encouraging young chefs to view sustainability as essential.
With each cycle, it celebrates not only culinary talent but the chefs shaping responsible gastronomy’s future.
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