FOODWORKS, a national restaurant incubator under Compass Group USA, has launched its annual Global Street Food Competition in partnership with the National Honey Board, inviting restaurant partners to discover creative ways to incorporate honey into their spring menu offerings. Running from March 3 to June 30, 2025, the competition highlights honey’s ecological importance while promoting plant-forward cooking methods.
The competition was launched in celebration of Earth Month, promoting environmental awareness through sustainable culinary practices. This year’s focus on honey as a sustainable ingredient builds upon previous partnerships with organizations like the National Peanut Board, Lentils.org, and the Mushroom Council. Each collaboration has championed environmentally conscious food systems and reduced environmental footprints.
“Honey is not only a delicious, all-natural ingredient, but it’s also a sustainable one, supporting pollinators and ecosystems that are essential to our food system,” explained Catherine Barry, Vice President of Marketing for the National Honey Board. “Together, we’re inspiring culinary creativity and promoting the benefits of honey in innovative, plant-forward dishes.”
FOODWORKS: Advancing sustainability through culinary innovation
The competition specifies that all entries must be at least 51% plant-based, aligning with plant-forward culinary trends. By featuring honey, the competition highlights the ingredient’s relationship with pollinator populations and connects food service practices with broader ecological systems.
“Partnering with the National Honey Board allows us to continue championing sustainable ingredients and celebrating the cultural diversity of street food,” noted John Coker, President of FOODWORKS. “This competition has become a platform for showcasing the versatility of plant-forward cuisine.”
Past winners have demonstrated how sustainable ingredients can transform traditional street food concepts. Charleston’s Verde created an “Unbeanlievable Burger Bowl” using lentils as a sustainable protein alternative, while Chef Reina Montenegro developed a plant-based version of Filipino Mushroom Sisig, significantly reducing the dish’s environmental footprint.
Environmental impact through conscious cuisine
The competition acknowledges the significant environmental benefits of plant-forward cooking, which typically requires fewer resources and produces lower greenhouse gas emissions than animal protein-centered dishes. By incorporating honey, chefs also highlight the critical relationship between pollinators and global food security.
Participating chefs will submit plant-forward recipes featuring honey as a key ingredient, with submissions evaluated based on creativity, taste, and presentation. The first-place winner receives a $2,500 cash prize plus entry into the grand champion competition, including passes to CIA Menus of Change, a conference focused on sustainable food systems.
“I encourage our culinary partners to embrace this opportunity to elevate street food culture and inspire healthier, more flavorful menus nationwide,” said Coker.
For more information about this sustainability-focused culinary initiative, visit foodworks.org or follow @foodworkslocal on social media.
