For over two decades, I ran three social impact restaurants exploring exactly that - building business models that balanced accessibility and affordability with sustainability and financial viability. It is possible.
But the current food system, while unsustainable, is deeply entrenched.
So what if we started with what already works and built from there? What if we co-created alternatives that are not only viable, but joyful, inclusive, and easy to adopt - models that meet today’s needs while restoring connection, wellbeing, and a sense of shared purpose?
I'm now part of the Canteen Culture Coalition, a movement to normalise shared, affordable, nutritious meals in public spaces - making it easy and enjoyable for people to eat together outside the home.
We’re working to reintroduce social dining as vital public health infrastructure, drawing inspiration from the WWII-era British Restaurants, which served over 600,000 people a day across class lines. We believe this model, modernised for today, can strengthen wellbeing, reduce loneliness, and rebuild economic and social resilience.
Our approach follows four key stages:
Storytelling – to build public momentum
Piloting – to test and refine the model
Operationalising – to prove viability
Scaling – to embed canteen culture into national infrastructure
This is deep systems change work - slow, local, and long overdue.
A scaled Canteen Culture needs:
- Localised food systems and short supply chains
- Demonstrable social and economic return
- Brave public health leaders, civic entrepreneurs, visionary funders, and mission-aligned operators
