Chefs and food industry experts convened at a TIME100 Talks event in New York City to explore pathways toward creating food systems that are healthier, more accessible, and more enjoyable for everyone. The discussion highlighted the challenges and opportunities in balancing nutrition, taste, and sustainability.
Cécile Beliot-Zind, CEO of Bel Group, which sponsored the event, stated that her company believes a model for healthier and sustainable food for all is achievable. However, she identified a key industry challenge: a tendency to pit opposing ideas against each other rather than seeking combinations. "We believe that the right way to define healthier food is to combine what usually people tend to see as trade-offs," Beliot-Zind explained. She emphasized the need to integrate taste with health, nutrition with accessibility, and fair farmer revenues with fair community values.
Beliot-Zind cited Babybel, a cheese snack produced by Bel Group, as an example of balancing desirability and health. She noted its convenience, protein content, and the joy associated with its wax packaging as reasons for its appeal, particularly to children. "Healthy food will have an impact on the world if we are capable to make it nutritious enough to matter, accessible enough to be everywhere for everyone, and desirable enough to be chosen," she said. Beliot-Zind also critiqued large food manufacturers for promoting products with empty calories, contributing to global consumption of low-cost, high-fat, and high-sugar items that negatively impact both planetary and human health.
Vikas Khanna, a chef, author, and filmmaker, shared his approach to creating healthy and sustainable food at his New York City restaurant, Bungalow. He addressed the stigma that ethnic cuisines are inherently unhealthy, arguing that this is often inaccurate. Khanna pointed to Indian cuisine's roots in Ayurveda and sustainability, asserting that healthy eating does not require sacrificing authenticity. At Bungalow, for instance, the restaurant has reduced its use of cream in dishes, aiming for a more home-style preparation.
Chef and author Marcus Samuelsson echoed the sentiment that healthy food can and should be delicious. "Healthy and delicious can coexist. Healthy and delicious definitely can be celebrated together," Samuelsson stated, stressing that it is not an either/or proposition. He encouraged attendees to learn cooking skills, suggesting it would foster curiosity and well-being.
Ertharin Cousin, CEO and managing director of Food Systems for the Future, acknowledged the value of home cooking but highlighted the significant barriers faced by individuals in low-income communities. These challenges include limited access to refrigeration, electricity, or gas for cooking. "When we think about making that nutritious plate more available, we also need to think about how to support the households without access to the cooking and storage that we take for granted," Cousin said. She noted that while enough calories are produced globally, there is a deficit in the production of diverse, nutritious foods necessary for optimal health, leading to unaffordability and malnutrition. Conversely, less nutrient-dense foods have become more accessible and affordable, contributing to overconsumption.
Cousin concluded that systemic changes are required from advertisers, food processors, retailers, policymakers, and consumers to create healthier food environments. The panel collectively emphasized that food should be a source of joy and health, not mutually exclusive concepts. Cousin added that while indulgent foods have their place, they should not be central to one's diet. She underscored the emotional and cultural significance of food, particularly for mothers preparing meals for their families, and stressed the importance of ensuring access to diverse diets for children's well-being.