Sodexo partners award winning Chef Bjorn Shen to launch plant-based menu

Bjorn Shen, chef of Artichoke and Small's, will team up with Sodexo to launch new plant-based menu for Sodexo’s consumers

Singapore, 21 April 2022 – Sodexo Singapore, a world leader in food services and facilities management, has announced its partnership with award winning celebrity chef Bjorn Shen to bring his culinary expertise to create plant-based menu for Sodexo’s existing consumers.

Sodexo recognises that nutrition, health and well-being are intricately linked to the food we consume and has been actively working to promote plant-based food options. The long-term sustainability of our diets is also vital to food security and the future of our planet. Ahead of Earth Day, this partnership reaffirms Sodexo’s commitment to doing good business in a good way by ramping up its food sustainability efforts.

Propelling Singapore Further in the Global Race for Sustainable Food Alternatives

The demand for plant-based foods and transition to flexitarian lifestyles has doubled since the onset of Covid-19 in Singapore, driven by heightened consciousness of social, environmental, and health issues. This partnership with Chef Bjorn aims to expand Sodexo’s current plant-based offerings to its customers in Singapore, which include LinkedIn and United World College. Through Chef Bjorn’s elevation of plant-based foods, Sodexo hopes to inspire consumers to get creative with simple, everyday alternatives. 

“I am excited to be collaborating with Sodexo to support their sustainability initiatives and further strengthen their commitment in offering more plant-based menu options. With the growing demand for low-carbon alternatives, Sodexo, being a food services partner, is able to champion the drive and shift to plant-based foods”, said Chef Bjorn Shen. “It’s really heartening to see Sodexo being so passionate in advocating this cause and I am glad for the opportunity to put my creativity to the test to create a menu that reflects both our vision and goal.” 

From left to right: Appetizer - Hummus Msabaha with Mushroom Shawarma; Warm Salad – Wild Rice Pilaf: Ras El Hanout Roasted Pumpkin & Cauliflower, Nuts, Seeds & Sprouts; Main - Impossible Koftes in Iskender Sauce, in a tomato & red pepper sauce, baked with potatoes, onions & green chilli

“Chef Bjorn is an innovative chef known for putting creative spins on homely foods. We are thrilled by this exciting opportunity to work with him to spice up simple, everyday ingredients with a healthy and delicious twist. By elevating our consumers’ everyday experience with plant-based alternatives, we hope to inspire more to make mindful choices and cultivate healthier eating habits.,” said Abel Ariza, President, Malaysia & Singapore at Sodexo. “By raising awareness of locally produced plant-based foods, we also hope to contribute to Singapore’s sustainability targets”.

Abel Ariza (left), President, Malaysia & Singapore at Sodexo and Chef Bjorn Shen (right) celebrate the launch of this partnership.

The Inspiration Behind the Creation of Planet-Friendly Menu

When it comes to plant-based diets, Sodexo is at the forefront of research and educating the wider community on its environmental and health benefits. To respond to the booming plant-based food trend, in 2019, Sodexo partnered with Knorr and the WWF-UK to establish the Future 50s Food report, which details 50 plant-based ingredients that are nutritious and have a lower environmental impact. 

Chef Bjorn has been presented with an exciting opportunity to push the boundaries of innovation, incorporating the Future 50 ingredients in his menu specials. Further inspired by Chef Bjorn’s vision and life influences, this Earth Day menu draws from his Middle Eastern speciality, using locally sourced ingredients while being big on flavour. 
     
Sodexo is committed to reducing its environmental impact through responsible consumption and contributing meaningfully to the quality of life of the communities it serves. By leveraging chef Bjorn’s expertise and creativity, Sodexo aims to elevate consumers’ experience in adopting healthier and more sustainable alternatives by providing them with more plant-based options adapted to their lifestyles and the diversity of their tastes.

The menu will be exclusively launched to Sodexo’s consumers in schools and workplaces in the months of April and May.

Championing the Sustainability Movement Within the F&B Industry

This partnership creates an opportunity to protect the planet and promote good health, while at the same time fostering creativity and culinary experimentation. More importantly, it adds to Sodexo’s continual efforts in helping businesses to embrace and achieve their sustainability targets across the F&B industry. Sodexo is increasingly adopting a ‘farm-to-fork’ approach in its on-site food services, incorporating sustainability into various stages of their supply chain. This includes sourcing locally with suppliers; tracking food waste of its clients through its WasteWatch technology; and providing training for chefs in plant-based cooking. 

“Sodexo has been a great partner and we are inspired by their commitment towards providing healthy, nutritious meals for our employees in a sustainable manner. We have seen an increase in demand from our employees for more plant-based options to be made available and needless to say, we very much look forward to this collaboration between Sodexo and Chef Bjorn,” said Natalie Hall, APAC Workplace Manager, LinkedIn. “In addition, we’re also working with Sodexo to constantly look at how we can reduce our environmental impact throughout our business operations.”