We’re Smart Future Awards 2024 winners known: Pamela Peeters person of the year, De Vijf Seizoenen (BE) wins Green Chef's Hat
Rotterdam, September 24, 2024. At the hospitality trade fair Gastvrij Rotterdam, We're Smart, the undisputed reference for fruits and vegetables, presented its annual Future Awards. These prestigious awards are given to companies and organisations that introduce groundbreaking food products, innovations, or projects for a more sustainable future. The winner of the Green Chef's Hat competition was also announced, and Emile Van der Staak (De Nieuwe Winkel) is now officially 'Untouchable'.
The Belgian environmental economist Pamela Peeters was named person of the year. Her book "Eco Hero" and the accompanying youth comic inspire young and old worldwide to live more sustainably. In addition, the Dutch company BeetZ Europe, which produces dried beets, won the Innovation of the Year award. These beets are pickled, cooked, and hung using the dry-aged technique. This introduces a new, sustainable, and flavorful addition to the kitchen. The annual green gastronomy congress Vestial from Almeria is the project of the year.
MEDIA AWARDS
Awards were also presented in the field of communication and media. The Italian podcast "The Green Spoon Podcast" won the prize for communication of the year. At the same time, the dutch magazine Entree Magazine was crowned the best media platform for the hospitality industry. These media are important in informing and inspiring a wide audience about sustainable food.
HONORED PRODUCTS
At the product level, there were also impressive winners. The Spanish company Beyond Seeds developed BINU, a new unique vegetable, which won the Product of the Year award. In addition, the Dutch initiative Spoony, which offers packages full of vegetable fun for children, won the special future award of the year.
"These awards show a huge diversity of innovative initiatives in sustainable food," says Frank Fol, founder of We're Smart. "From dried beets to podcasts and from new vegetables to inspiring books, the winners show that sustainability and taste go hand in hand."
AND THIS YEAR THE GREEN CHEF’S HAT GOES TO…
Restaurant De Vijf Seizoenen (BE) won the final of the We’re Smart 100% Pure Plant competition 'The Green Chef’s Hat 2024' in Rotterdam. According to the jury consisting of 2 five radishes chefs, the culinary jury of the Gastronomic Guild of the Netherlands, and jury chairman Frank Fol, the five dishes presented by chefs Jonas and Laurence Haegemans were very strong in both simplicity and taste. They were also the most consistent team across the board.
A SUSTAINABLE AND TASTY STEP TOWARDS THE FUTURE
The presentation of these awards marks an important milestone in the history of sustainable gastronomy. It shows that there is a growing awareness of the impact of our food on the environment and that more and more innovative solutions are being developed.
The evening was reinforced by a unique six-course menu, prepared by three of the world's best vegetable chefs: Xavier Pellicer (Healthy Kitchen, Spain), René Mathieu (La Distillerie, Luxembourg) and Emile van der Staak (De Nieuwe Winkel, Netherlands). Van der Staak, who won first place in the We're Smart Top 100 for the second year in a row, was crowned 'Untouchable' during the ceremony for that reason.
For more images, please visit the media galleryAbout Gastvrij Rotterdam
Gastvrij Rotterdam is one of the largest hospitality trade shows in the Netherlands and a meeting place for professionals from the hospitality and food service industry. The fair is known for its focus on innovation and sustainability.
About We're Smart
We're Smart is the undisputed reference in the culinary world of fruits and vegetables. Frank Fol's brainchild, The Vegetable Chef ®, recognizes and promotes individuals, restaurants and organizations that put fruits and vegetables at the center of their diets. The annual gourmet guide We're Smart Green Guide features the world's best vegetable restaurants, ranked from one to five Radishes. Each year, the best vegetable restaurants and organizations are awarded the We're Smart Awards. In the We're Smart Academy, the world's best vegetable chefs share their knowledge with anyone interested in healthy and ecological eating. This is how We're Smart® World contributes to a healthy, sustainable and ecological world. We're Smart World was selected by the Belgian government in 2021 as one of the official SDG Voices, the ambassadors of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. For more information, visit www.weresmartworld.com. Follow We're Smart World Facebook or We're Smart Green Guide Instagram for the latest updates.
kevin major
saar dietvorst
pauline martens