Dublin's Gordon Carberry wins Sodexo Culinary Innovation Award
Gordon Carberry, a craft development chef with Sodexo Ireland, has won the Culinary Innovation title at the Sodexo global Cook for Change Sustainability Chef Challenge 2026.
Cook for Change! is Sodexo’s global culinary competition and is designed to spotlight the creativity and expertise of its chefs and their central role in driving more sustainable and healthier food practices.
Hailing from Swords in Co Dublin, Gordon competed against eight other Sodexo chefs from Australia, Brazil, Chile, France, India, the Netherlands and the US at a live cook-off held at Rational's purpose-built kitchen at its UK head office.
Carberry's winning dish, Meacan Bán, included miso glazed parsnip, gochujang, parsnip puree, popped chickpeas, wild rice, nori, citrus plant mayonnaise and crispy parsnip skins served with parsnip and apple shrub.
“I love competing. Throughout this competition I have met chefs from across Sodexo who are creating not only amazing food, but are doing so with sustainability at the heart, whether reducing food waste by using as much of an ingredient as possible or creating more plant-forward dishes," said Carberry.
"It has been an inspiring journey, and I am proud that I have won the Culinary Innovation title using the humble, but delicious parsnip.”
The overall Cook for Change! 2026 champion was Robert Janse from Sodexo Netherlands for his smoked Kohlrabi with miso, white bean cream and Kombucha beurre blanc.
The award for Impact at Scale went to Randall Prudden from Sodexo USA for his whole pumpkin with roasted Maitake mushroom & Mole Negro.
“This competition not only focuses on creating amazing food for Sodexo’s customers but puts sustainability at the heart of it," said Anna Haugh, guest judge and Sodexo UK & Ireland’s new culinary partner.
"That is something I feel really passionate about. As Sodexo’s new culinary partner for the UK and Ireland, it’s been a unique experience seeing how Sodexo is transforming food services for its clients and I’m looking forward to our continued work in the coming months.”
It is the third consecutive year that a chef from Sodexo UK & Ireland has won an award at the competition, in November 2023 Sharon McConnell, from Northern Ireland, was joint winner and last year Adam Collison was named the overall winner.
This year’s competition was developed with a renewed format that included three regional semi-finals held last November in Chicago, Shanghai and France.
More than 500 chefs from 30 countries entered the competition.
The competition came to an end with a showcase event focused on food innovation and purpose.
Held for the first time in the UK, Sodexo Group CEO Thierry Delaporte and Jean Renton, CEO Sodexo UK & Ireland welcomed over 200 guests and Sodexo colleagues from around the world to the stunning Vision Hall @ Town Hall by Bottaccio, London.
“The Cook for Change! competition has become a showcase of our commitment to supporting clients in evolving their food offers in response to rising consumer expectations and sustainability challenges," said Jean Renton, CEO of Sodexo UK & Ireland.
The winning dish created by Gordon Carberry, a craft development chef for workplace services provider Sodexo Ireland.
"The nine chefs who made it through to the final are inspirational in their creativity and commitment to serving delicious, nutritious and sustainable food for our customers every day.
“As CEO of UK & Ireland I am proud to see Gordon win the Culinary Innovation award and as host to this fantastic event this year we have welcomed clients, partners and colleagues from across the world and showcased the amazing food we are serving our clients in our region.”
Photo: Gordon Carberry. (Pic: Supplied)
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