Vege'tables - Smart Food Consulting
Vege'tables tackles food system issues for a sustainable world by promoting Smart Food, the food that is healthy, ethical and sustainable to raise awareness about food choices' impact and thereby contributing significantly towards reducing 83% global Greenhouse Gas emissions that is caused by animal agriculture industry.
We provide tailormade Smart Food consulting such as “know-your-food” info-catering, team building events, chef trainings and competitions for chefs, companies, and groups. Our consulting services are designed using proven science-based research to promote ethical plant-based practices for healthy lives and planet
Who are the people behind the project and what is your background?
Nadia Hanessian, Cofounder and CEO has built a solid expertise in consulting, project management and research in both the private and public sectors.
Sophie Hanessian, Cofounder and COO has worked for over 14 years in international and national companies in several HR positions.
Dhanesh Kothari, Mentor & Advisor, startup mentor, advisor and judge primarily in the areas of technology + sustainability.
Dr. Med. Chiro. Laurence Froidevaux, Health and Nutrition Expert Consultant.
How did your idea come into being?
Vege'tables sprouted from Nadia and Sophie's realization of non-inclusive nature of food options at collective catering and restaurants due to lack of plant-based options for those who would opt for those choices for variety of reasons such as sustainability concerns, health issues, dietary requirements, etc. Through this discovery journey, they found an opportunity in fixing the broken food system, motivating them to drive transformative change and shaping Vege’tables vision and mission.
Their passion was fuelled further by winning public prize at the Hub Neuchâtel Activation program and a surge in Smart Food consulting requests from chefs, companies seeking improvement in their offerings, and also from individuals eager to change their habits and contribute to positive change and healthier choices.
Vege’tables want to lead this paradigm shift that is being experienced in the food sector by offering initial and continuing training already at CFC level and in professional kitchens in Switzerland and then globally
What is your idea to impactfully design a climate positive FOODprint for Switzerland?
Vege’tables is planning to build first-ever fully-equipped, multi-purpose Smart Food cooking training center(s) in Switzerland.
This initiative not only reduces greenhouse gas emissions but also provides a practical response to the climate emergency due to reduced meat & dairy consumption by Swiss population.
Over the last 24+ months, we have demonstrated that by changing food habits towards Smart Food each person has an immediate CO2 reduction up to 75% (*) in Neuchâtel and surrounding regions. Vege’tables now want to take it’s proven, inclusive Smart Food consulting model nationwide across Switzerland serving national and international customers
Through collaboration with our network's experts in nutrition, plant-based cooking, sustainability, and agriculture, we can deliver tangible, measurable environmental and health solutions. We view this as a collective commitment, urging everyone in the food sector to participate in this transformative journey.
(* source: https://www.alumni.ox.ac.uk/article/less-meat-better-for-environment)
How do you define the positive impact of your solution on the problem described above?
Vege’table has set itself challenging goals with spreading Smart Food expertise among chefs and individuals (in groups):
2023 to 2024: 125,000 meals through 200 chef trainings, 400 individuals and info-catering
2025: 300,000 meals through 400 chef trainings, 900 individuals and info-catering
2026: 1,000,000 meals through 1,000 chef trainings, 2,000 individuals and info-catering
1 meatless meal has the potential of saving 75kg of CO2, which means that 1mn meals can result in saving 75kg CO2.
