We recently had the pleasure of catering for the Future Plates, Future Food event led by the University of West London in partnership with Mise En Plastic.
The event focused on agroecology as a way to transform our food system for the better – highlighting the importance of strong connections between farmers and chefs, reinforcing the idea that they are partners in a joint venture.
Agroecology is a sustainable approach to farming that works with nature, applying both ecological and social principles to food production. This results in systems designed to complement natural ecosystems, with farmers at the heart of the process.
Agroforestry is a great example – combining trees and farming to allow food production and nature to co-exist. Grazing animals under trees provides them with shelter and natural fodder, while their manure enriches the soil. In turn, the trees support additional crops such as fruit, nuts or timber. Their deep roots also help create a healthy soil structure, ensuring long-term soil health for future farming.
This approach doesn’t just benefit the environment – it improves the nutritional quality of our food. Healthier soils contain more nutrients, which are absorbed by the crops we eat.
For an agroecological future, everyone – farmers, caterers, retailers and consumers – needs to embrace a new way of thinking about food, farming and the environment.
That’s where food service providers like us play a crucial role. It’s our responsibility to create a route to market for sustainable growers who practise agroecology and regenerative farming. At Lexington Catering, we are committed to being conscious of the food we serve and ensuring it aligns with these values.
The day featured insightful panel discussions with:
Joshua Sparkes – Head Grower at Birch Farm
Ella Phillips & Darryl Gadzekpo – Electric Future Foods
Diego Alejandro Ricaurte – Restaurant Palmito
Arran Denning (Chair) – No Mise En Plastic
Joshua Sparkes (Birch Farm) spoke about the biodiversity benefits of eating more perennial crops, explaining how they differ from annuals and biennials. He emphasised the role of insects and pollination over compost in soil health.
Darryl Gadzekpo and Ella Phillips (Electric Future Foods) discussed their journey of blending Caribbean flavours with plant-based cooking, while also involving people of all ages in urban growing, community projects, and pop-up dining experiences.
Diego Alejandro Ricaurte (Palmito Restaurant) stressed the importance of chefs working closely with growers, adapting menus to seasonal produce and developing direct relationships with suppliers. He encouraged chefs to visit farms first-hand.
We then had the opportunity to serve our own dishes, showcasing our commitment to sustainability and the collaboration between our chefs and growers:
Our Mindful Kitchen initiative brings together food, nutrition and sustainability, creating wellness-focused dishes sourced from environmentally conscious suppliers. We partnered with Leghorn Chicken and Hodmedods to showcase local and seasonal produce.
By embracing agroecology, we not only support soil health and biodiversity but also enhance the nutritional quality of our food. Research suggests that regeneratively farmed produce is richer in essential nutrients, which can play a key role in gut health.
This ties into our work with The Gut Stuff where we are dedicated to educating consumers on the importance of gut health and how to support it through informed food choices.
A huge thank you to the University of West London for hosting such an insightful and inspiring event. We look forward to continuing the conversation and driving positive change in the food industry.
To learn more about the potential transition to agroecological farming in the UK and Europe, please see the Ten Years for Agroecology project. This project models how the UK and the rest of Europe can transition to a food and farming model to reduce climate impacts, support wildlife to bounce back and feed a growing population a healthy diet.
Read more about the project here: https://www.soilassociation.org/causes-campaigns/a-ten-year-transition-to-agroecology/iddri-report-ten-years-for-agroecology-in-europe/
