He knows what he’s talking about! Originally from La Réunion, Dominique Wing-Ka has had a long career in school catering in New Caledonia, having cooked for a number of Michelin-starred restaurants in mainland France. After working for the Vice-Rectorat from 2019 to 2022, he is now in charge of the departmental management of the school catering division of the Catholic Education New Caledonia, responsible for 11,000 meals a day. A committed member of the Pacific Food Lab, the chef promotes food well-being and sustainable development. ” I lead canteen chefs towards a new way of looking at local produce. Even on the islands, they tend not to use the products that are at home.” Aware that food education often begins in the canteen, Dominique Wing-Ka transforms New Caledonian produce into innovative dishes and provides training to reinvent school cooking, combining health, ecology and the local economy. ” Canteen managers and their teams often feel that they are being singled out; they need support and solutions to help them find fulfillment in their work(…) They need to reclaim their canteen, for their well-being and that of the children! ”
Organization
Pacific Food Lab
Pacific Food Lab “is setting up an economic model that tests what our food system can be, based on the importance and pleasure of healthy, appealing-tasting food, while securing local production”. A key player in sustainable food in New Caledonia, the organization brings together canteens, restaurants, farms and other players to integrate more local products into collective catering. Its initiatives include the “Le Bonheur dans ma Cantine” charter, aimed at improving the quality of school meals, and programs such as “Mange bien, jette moins” to reduce food waste. Pacific Food Lab is a key partner in New Caledonia’s food transition, combining health, local economy and sustainability.
