Toque teams judged on health, sugar tax (again!); French doggy bags, dairy industry should green brand, caterer provides 66,000 people with drinking water
Toque d’Or teams judged on nutrition and health
Footprint has been busy this week judging this year’s Nestlé Professional Toque d’Or 2016 entries. These have focussed on the theme of “Nutrition, Health and Wellness.” This year the 28-year old competition has received a record 156 team entries from 68 catering colleges. Known as the MasterChef of the catering industry, the competition is famed for nurturing bright young catering talent, with past winners including Jamie Oliver and Anton Mosimann.
“Nutrition and health is something we want all chefs to consider instinctively when they’re cooking and menu planning,” said Charlie Miers, co-CEO, Footprint. “It’s great to help pick the teams that will go through to the regional heats, and then on to fight for a place in the Grand Finals in March.”
Sugar taxes
Sugar taxes have been in the news again this week. Despite ruling a tax out last October, David Cameron hasn’t ruled out a levy on sugar as part of the government’s upcoming childhood obesity strategy, threatening to introduce a sugar tax if industry fails to act faster on tackling the obesity crisis.
Doggy bags go French
French restaurants have been asked to offer doggy bags under new obligations to cut food waste. The move has come from restaurant union UMIH who are looking at ways to meet waste targets. The leftover bags are being marketed as “le gourmet bag” in an effort to improve their reputation, with one poll finding only 1% of the French public engaging in the practice.
Dairy industry must sell green and sustainable brand
Dairy industry could bolster sales by setting out a coherent strategy that sells the benefits of assurance schemes, argued NFU Deputy President Minette Batters this week. Speaking at the SEMEX conference in Glasgow on Monday, she highlighted how the Irish green and sustainable marketing message is “marching across the globe”. Batters noted that it’s a marketing message that can be successfully attributed to British dairy too, “if we focus on developing a strategy, pull together and back British dairy farming.”
Compass provides clean drinking water to over 66,000 people
Through its partnership with ethical bottled water company, Life Water, and associate charity drop4drop, Compass Group UK & Ireland has successfully completed 44 clean drinking water projects by donating wells to communities in India and Uganda. The three-year contract with Life Water means that for every bottle sold at least 1,000 litres of clean drinking water is provided to a community in need.
