Sustainable gastronomy: The new frontier for the Cypriot culinary Industry
Fostering a deeper connection between consumers and the food they eat is perhaps one of Lidl Cyprus’ most holistic initiatives. As a company with a vision for a better tomorrow for individuals, communities and the environment as a whole, it often takes actions with well-being at their core.
With these values in mind, over the years Lidl Cyprus has established a number of actions that have all become institutions in their own right. The Lidl Food Academy opened its doors in 2015 to promote healthy, homemade cooking with local ingredients through cooking classes for both young and old, seminars on nutrition, balanced diet and healthy living, all with the aim of improving shoppers’ quality of life.
Its mind REset programme is implemented in collaboration with Junior Achievement Cyprus and the Ministry of Education. It embodies the development of ideas with five fields of action aimed at a planet with less plastic. Youth are invited to get in touch with innovation by creating a virtual business that looks towards reducing the use of plastic in everyday life. As such, the programme focuses on the training of students in environmental entrepreneurship and innovation with a practical approach to setting up a business while offering familiarity with social and environmental studies and raising youths’ awareness of environmental protection issues. Perhaps one of the most fundamental elements of the programme is enticing students to identify the environmental problems our world is facing and coming up with suggestions to deal with them.
In 2021, Lidl Cyprus launched the Sustainable Gastronomy Competition, perhaps its most innovative institution thus far, that reaches far and wide. Not only does it practically enhance and embrace the company’s commitment to promoting sustainable practices in the gastronomy industry, but it reaches out to every one of us in the belief that individuals and communities can contribute to the conservation of natural resources, the support of local economies, and the promotion of healthier and more environmentally friendly food systems.
“Sustainable gastronomy is not only about the quality of the ingredients we use, but also about the way they are produced and consumed. Our aim is to encourage the use of local and organic products, reduce food waste and promote practices that protect the environment,” Communication and Corporate Responsibility Manager of Lidl Cyprus Georgios Dimitroulakis said at the awards ceremony for this year’s competition.
Now in its fourth year, the competition has established itself as an annual event that highlights the harmonious blend of culinary innovation and environmental stewardship by bringing the talents and commitments of young culinary professionals across Cyprus to the fore. In partnership with prominent educational institutions, Lidl Cyprus brings together contestants who are challenged to come up with creative menus that are judged with regards to taste, and most importantly adherence to sustainability principles, such as using local and seasonal ingredients and minimising water and energy consumption.
It’s safe to say that sustainable gastronomy is a concept that combines the principles of gastronomy with a focus on making sure they are here for tomorrow’s consumer. Often, gastronomy is referred to as the art of food and embodies exploring and understanding food as a cultural expression. Sustainability, on another hand, underlines the responsible use of natural resources and environmental conservation to ascertain that activities such as agriculture, fishing and food preparation can be carried out in a way that does not harm the environment or deplete resources.
Dimitroulakis added that “as an environmentally responsible company, Lidl Cyprus is committed to the continuous improvement of sustainability in all aspects of its activities. We strongly believe that sustainable development is not just a choice, but a necessity for the future of our planet and future generations. Through this competition, we want to highlight and reward future professionals in the culinary industry who share the same vision.”
Every year, the competition is aligned with the International Day of Sustainable Gastronomy under the auspices of the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth, the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment and the Cyprus Chefs Association. With the support of notable educational institutions such as American College, City Unity College, KES College and the Vocational Education and Training Institutes of Post-secondary Education and Training (MIEEK), young culinary professionals across Cyprus are given the opportunity to add to their pool of knowledge and delve into the holistic approach to cuisine that is sustainable gastronomy, and practically understand the benefits the art exudes. In turn, the aim of these competing schools, colleges and institutes is to create the tastiest and most sustainable three-course menu that meets the criteria set by a committee. Among other things, the criteria evaluated are the seasonality and locality of the raw materials, the low consumption of energy and water for their preparation, the portion sizes, the use of sustainable products and the recyclability of the packaging.
To this end, young and upcoming chefs learn about the entire lifecycle of food, from its source to its consumption, which ultimately means understanding the origins of ingredients, the methods applied for food production, and the processes involved in delivering food to markets and in this case, the menus they prepare. “I find this initiative very important and very useful, because as we know, everything now revolves around sustainability and cooking could not be an exception,” said Director of Secondary Technical and Vocational Education and Training Dr Elias Markatzis. Minister of Education Dr Athena Michaelides amplified Lidl Cyprus’ efforts to take actions that trickle through all layers of society and contribute to protecting the nature that feeds us all. “This competition has become an institution and contributes to the adoption of good practices by all of us, professionals and ordinary households so that food habits become healthier and more environmentally friendly,” she said. It is indeed by promoting a food system that is environmentally friendly, socially responsible and economically viable that sustainable gastronomy benefits our planet, our health and our local economies.
As part of Lidl Cyprus’ overarching sustainability strategy to make good food accessible to everyone, their vision ensures that food and all the products produced, sold and consumed are done so in ways that benefit producers, people and the planet. At the heart of the Sustainable Gastronomy Competition lies a vibrant tapestry of locally sourced and seasonal ingredients. While looking at issues such as reducing the carbon footprint associated with long-distance food transportation and supporting local farmers and food producers or by aligning with natural growing cycles that reduce the need for energy-intensive preservation and storage methods to name a few, Lidl Cyprus invites an upcoming generation of chefs to celebrate the environment through their creations. From contestant to consumer, from food producers to vendors, from educational bodies to government, from your hands to mine, Lidl Cyprus’ Sustainable Gastronomy competition reaches far and wide.