The Danish Model – How MAD dreams come true

Can a restaurant or a company cafeteria be a research lab for social good? Could the people who work in hospitality be crusaders for a better future? For the global nonprofit MAD, the answer is an emphatic yes—and the Copenhagen-based organization has a mission to transform food systems through the people working in hospitality around the world.

Almost 20 years after the New Nordic Manifesto came into being, Denmark is arguably the world capital of gastronomy, its reputation synonymous with excellence, sustainability, and innovation. But true to the boundary-pushing spirit of the original manifesto, the framework has evolved even further. Melina Shannon-DiPietro, MAD’s Executive Director, will share insights and inspiration from her organization’s work to invest in the social and human capital of the restaurant industry so that individual workers can advance sustainable change. Drawing on cases from MAD and examples from Denmark’s food scene, this panel will explore what aspects of “the Danish model” of gastronomy can be successfully adapted around the world.

Event date: November 6th, 10-10.45