Marrying shared missions, the Good Food 100 Restaurants and James Beard Foundation have forged a partnership to accelerate transparency in the culinary community and promote the importance and impact of a sustainable food system.
As a featured non-profit partner, the James Beard Foundation will dedicate resources to encourage chefs to participate in the Good Food 100—a carefully curated rating system and economic impact report based on the quantitative measurement of restaurants’ self-reported annual food purchasing data. These purchases support state, regional and national good food producers and purveyors.
“Ongoing engagement of chefs and restaurants is the stepping stone for the Good Food 100. As the nation’s preeminent culinary organization, the James Beard Foundation has deep relationships and brings a new set of participants to the table,” says Sara Brito, co-founder and president, Good Food Media Network, which publishes the Good Food 100 Restaurants List. “This is a natural synergy and embodies both of our commitments to cultivating and nurturing a better food system for all.”
In 2018, an analysis of restaurants’ food purchasing data found that the overall food purchases of the 125 participating restaurants totaled $120.1 million. Of this, restaurants reported domestic spending $80.1 million on good food, which translated to a $255 million economic impact on the national good food economy. Many of the Good Food 100 participating chefs already have strong ties to the Foundation, with 23.5 percent of the participating chefs being James Beard Foundation Chefs Boot Camp Alumni and 13.4 percent James Beard Award winners.
“We know good food is critical to a sustainable and healthy food system, but to what extent? The Good Food 100 is building the economic case to measure that impact,” adds Katherine Miller, Vice President of Impact, James Beard Foundation. “As we enter a new phase of the Foundation’s future with a strong commitment to shining a light on a food system that supports people, the planet and economies, we are happy to work with the Good Food 100 team to encourage more robust participation from the culinary community.”
The Good Food 100 helps to establish benchmarks and best practices at restaurants and food service businesses across the country so they can evolve their business practices to grow the community for good food. All U.S. restaurants and food service operations–Quick Service, Fast Casual, Casual Dining, Fine Dining, Meal Delivery, Catering, Food Service (colleges/universities, hospitals, schools, sports arenas, etc.)–are eligible to participate.
The application is available until May 31, 2019 and can be previewed and completed on the Good Food 100 website.
