“I don’t think I would enjoy dish creation or managing a kitchen if I didn’t also try to create meaning with my advocacy for animal welfare and environmental causes.”
Originally from Hong Kong, Peggy Chan has lived in Canada and worked for prestigious establishments such as Le Cordon Bleu Ottawa, L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon Hong Kong, and Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts.
An iconic figure of sustainable gastronomy in Asia, Chef Peggy Chan opened Grassroots Pantry in 2012 in Hong Kong, a pioneering plant-based restaurant in Asia that highlights local and often forgotten ingredients.
A TedX speaker, recipient of the HK Environmental Excellence Award in the services sector, and entrepreneur leading Grassroots Initiatives Consultancy—her consulting firm that helps businesses implement responsible practices—Peggy Chan is a hyperactive chef. But above all, she is the committed activist behind the Zero Foodprint Asia movement. Founded in 2021, this NGO mobilizes the food sector around agricultural climate solutions, particularly regenerative agriculture, gradually changing consumption and production habits across an entire industry. A mission that Peggy Chan sums up very well: “I believe it’s time that the success of a restaurant isn’t purely based on revenue or how many awards It wins, but on whether sustainability targets are actually met.”