Beyond the kitchen: co-creating sustainable menu strategies through participatory action learning

Abstract

Introduction: This study explores the systems-level dynamics of menu transformation in the hospitality and food service (HaFS) sector through participatory action learning (PAL) workshops with professional chefs. Framing the menu not merely as a list of dishes but as an “operating principle” within a business, the research investigates how chefs navigate competing priorities and stakeholder influences in the context of sustainability goals, particularly reducing food waste and greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE).

Methods: Two PAL workshops were conducted with professional chefs (n = 8 and n = 12). Drawing on Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory, stakeholder maps and menu priority artefacts generated during the workshops were analysed to identify the relative influence of micro, meso, exo, macro, and chrono-level influencing agents on menu decision-making.

Results: Findings indicate that meso-level agents, such as procurement teams, business owners, and restaurant managers, are perceived as the most influential on menu decisions, while micro-level agents, including chef colleagues and friends, are seen as the least impactful. Menu priorities were similarly ranked, with product/dish and customer-related factors dominating over sustainability and acceptability considerations. The workshops also revealed a shift in participant thinking from identifying “who” influences menus to understanding “how” decisions are shaped by systemic constraints such as shelf life, infrastructure, and profitability.

Discussion: The participatory format enabled chefs to surface tacit knowledge, reflect on their agency, and engage in systems thinking. While the findings are context-dependent, they highlight the need for multi-level stakeholder engagement in menu transformation and suggest that sustainability goals must be embedded within the operational logic of the menu to be actionable. This research contributes to the growing literature on participatory methods in food systems change and offers a replicable model for chef-led sustainability interventions.

Highlights:

• Chefs ranked product/dish and customer factors above sustainability in menu design.

• Meso-level actors were seen as most influential in shaping menu decisions.

• Workshops enabled chefs to reflect on food waste and GHGE in their practices.

• GHGE calculations triggered critical learning and inspired recipe reformulation.

• Participatory methods surfaced tacit knowledge and fostered systems thinking.