The power of the network: synergies and stakeholders connected to GoodFood
Changing the way we produce, consume, and think about food is no longer just a choice, it is an urgent necessity. Today, sustainability ties everything together: protecting our planet, ethical responsibility, and our daily lifestyle choices. This is exactly where GoodFood steps in. Our project has a mission that is as simple as it is ambitious: to give future culinary and catering professionals the tools to become true change-makers in their communities and future workplaces. How? By bringing new skills into the classroom that combine sustainable choices, social sciences, and behavioural change.
However, a challenge of this magnitude cannot be tackled in isolation. One of the core strengths of the project lies in its ability to generate synergies with other initiatives and to activate a rich ecosystem of stakeholders revolving around it.
The impact of this network unfolds uniquely across the four partner countries of the project, adapting to each contest differently:
Italy
In Italy, the driving heart of the GoodFood project’s synergies is the strategic alliance between the project partner Castello di Padernello and the world of Slow Food (specifically the Condotta TerreAcque Bresciane of Slow Food, one of the chapters in the vast Slow Food network, responsible for promoting Slow Food’s values and principles throughout the province of Brescia). This collaboration is a profound convergence of values that anchors the entire local ecosystem. Castello di Padernello, a historic hub for cultural and social regeneration in the Brescia lowlands, serves as the ideal stage where Slow Food’s philosophy of “good, clean, and fair” food is translated into concrete action. At the center of this synergy is the Earth Market (Mercato della Terra) of Padernello, a monthly event hosted inside the castle walls. It is an international network hub reserved exclusively for small-scale local farmers and artisan producers who sell their goods directly to consumers at fair prices. Every product meets strict sustainability criteria, preserving biodiversity through the inclusion of Slow Food Presidia (Presidi Slow Food) and Ark of Taste (Arca del Gusto) products. The Castle and Slow Food uses this market as a living laboratory for community building, economic resilience, and educational outreach.
The Istituto Mantegna, the Italian school directly involved in the project, is also deeply rooted in the Slow Food philosophy. As an active member of the Slow Food Cooks Alliance (Alleanza Slow Food dei Cuochi), the school has a long-standing history of hosting educational events and dinners focused on biodiversity and seasonal local products. Through the Alliance, students are trained to develop a constructive critical sense, discover the real stories behind food supply chains and learn to champion the environment from the field to the table. For the students and teachers involved, GoodFood offers a double win for their growth: the benefits of the European project are naturally amplified and enriched by the direct, value-driven connection with the Slow Food movement.
Spain
Leioa School demonstrates a strong multi-stakeholder approach, where internal and external actors collaborate to promote sustainability in hospitality education. These stakeholders play complementary roles, generating value through cooperation and shared objectives.
Internal Stakeholders
At the core of the initiative are students, who act as key contributors to sustainable practices. They are actively involved through assigned responsibilities such as waste management, energy monitoring, and data recording during workshops. This direct participation transforms them from passive learners into responsible actors within the system.
Teaching staff represent another essential stakeholder group. They are responsible for embedding sustainability into training activities, guiding students, and monitoring their performance using structured tools such as sustainability checklists and evaluation systems.
The school as an institution also plays a strategic role, coordinating initiatives such as waste reduction plans, energy-saving measures, and the integration of sustainability modules tailored to different professional areas. It acts as the main hub connecting all stakeholders.
External Partners
GoodFood benefits from collaboration with several external partners that provide expertise and innovation. For example, Forkprint (carbon footprint measurement tool developed with the University of Manchester) collaborates with the school in a pilot to integrate environmental impact calculations into recipes and ingredients.
GAP Spain (as a GoodFood Partner engaged in sustainability collaboration) also contributes to the development and implementation of project initiatives.
In addition, organized visits to organizations such as Mercabarna (central wholesale food market of Barcelona) offer practical insights into sustainable food systems, particularly through their Foodback initiative, which redistributes surplus fruits and vegetables to reduce waste and support social entities.
Other partners include Ekolurra (Basque organization promoting organic agriculture and sustainable food), which provides training sessions and awareness activities on ecological products, helping students understand sustainable sourcing.
Similarly, Waste Lab (research and innovation center focused on waste management and circular economy) offers exposure to innovative waste reduction practices and new sustainability models.
Finally, Baserri Kaiku (local producer of Km0 dairy products based on Basque farm traditions) connects students with local supply chains and sustainable food production systems, reinforcing the importance of proximity and traditional practices.
The Netherlands
In the Netherlands, two different campuses of Koning Willem I College are involved in the project, each adopting a different approach.
In Cuijk, students organise a Food Tour every year. This event takes place in the town centre and attracts around 1,500 visitors. The Food Tour offers four different routes, each with ten tasting dishes provided by local restaurants. Every year, the students contact local hospitality businesses and encourage them to take part. As part of the GoodFood project, the students wanted to change one of the four routes into a Dutch Cuisine (sustainable) route this year. To achieve this, the students sent a letter to more than 40 local businesses. The letter introduced the Dutch Cuisine route and explained the concept. After that, the students called every business to explain Dutch Cuisine again and asked if they would like to join the route. The businesses did not only have to say whether they wanted to take part. They also had to describe the dish they planned to serve and explain what made it sustainable. The students then used their critical thinking skills to select ten businesses for the Dutch Cuisine route.The Dutch Cuisine route was a great success and was the first route to sell out. The route also attracted a great deal of media attention. For the participating businesses as well as for the organisation, this was a valuable confirmation that they had made the right choice.The Food Tour organisers have already confirmed that there will be at least one Dutch Cuisine route again next year.
In Den Bosch, we chose to work together with Brabants Streekgoed, a cooperative of local farmers.The students were divided into small groups, and each group was paired with two local farmers. During a treasure hunt, the students looked for sustainable “treasures” on their farms. They explored questions such as: Who is the farmer? What is their story? How do they care for the soil, the animals, and nature? After the treasure hunt, each group selected a GoodFood theme. This was a sustainability topic that they considered important, and that they had to include in the dish they needed to create. The groups also chose a Good Life theme, because Good Food + Good Life = Good Chef. The Good Life theme guided the way the students worked together throughout the project. At the end of the project, the students invited their farmers to a networking lunch at one of the participating farms. During the lunch, where over 40 persons were present, each group served its dish and shared the story behind the farmer as well as the Good Food theme that had inspired it. For the students, it was both enjoyable and educational to get to know their own farmers and learn directly from them.
Germany
For the German school particular added value of the GoodFood project lies in the development of sustainable networks and the exploitation of synergies. The teaching concepts and recipes developed as part of the project, as well as topics such as the use of regional and seasonal food, reducing sugar and meat consumption, and the responsible use of food, are intended to have an impact beyond the school. Through close collaboration between project leaders at the local education authority and the provision of a GoodFood training course, teachers from other schools are reached, inspired and supported in implementing sustainable food education.
Pupils, too, put the project’s content into practice. Many of them work or undertake work placements in catering establishments, such as the Allianz Arena. There, they apply their knowledge of sustainable food processing, resource-efficient working practices and health-conscious cooking. This creates valuable multiplier effects that extend far beyond the classroom and contribute to a more sustainable future in education and the catering industry. The project thus builds a strong network between schools, teachers, pupils and the wider industry, and promotes the long-term exchange of knowledge, experiences and innovative ideas.
The analysis of these diverse national contexts demonstrates that the GoodFood project is far from a fixed, isolated format; it is an adaptable, living project that thrives on interaction with local and regional networks to drive real change.
