A Rapid Review on Research Linked to Chefs, Greenhouse Gas Emissions and the Food System

EasyChair Preprint 15957

Abstract

Chefs have been targeted as actors of change in the food system for sustainable and healthy diets. Yet we know little about chefs' skills required to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) associated with menus.

A rapid review (RR) carried out in January 2024 explored peer-reviewed research linked to chefs, GHGE and the food system to develop an understanding of potential pathways chefs influence the food system and to map their position in it.

RR found an increasing number of publications linked to chefs, food systems and GHGE. The synthesis of 25 peer-reviewed academic papers suggests that research has been carried out on different systems dimensions and that Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory could be applied as a framework for analysis. Some papers (28%) suggest that chefs have various forms of influence on changes in their immediate micro-food system and that these ripples if observed over longer periods, can be far-reaching and impact the wider food system. However, no clear connection between GHG emission reduction in the sector and chefs has been made in spite increasing interest of stakeholders to get chefs engaged in reducing food-associated GHG emissions.

Keyphrases: Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory sustainable diets, Hospitality, Scope 3, food environments, sustainable menus

@booklet{EasyChair:15957,
  author    = {Andrea Zick and Ximena Schmidt and Christian Reynolds},
  title     = {A Rapid Review on Research Linked to Chefs, Greenhouse Gas Emissions and the Food System},
  howpublished = {EasyChair Preprint 15957},
  year      = {EasyChair, 2025}}