/ About
/ The Initiative
The International Circular Food Systems & Gastronomy Initiative (ICFG) is a city-led initiative focused on preventing food waste where it is created — in professional kitchens — and on recovering the organic resources that cannot be prevented.
ICFG works through Cities of Gastronomy, bringing together local governments, restaurants, hotels, institutional kitchens, businesses, knowledge institutions, civil society and other stakeholders across the food system.
The initiative connects local action with global climate and sustainability goals by developing practical, measurable and scalable approaches to food waste prevention and organic resource recovery.
Food service — professional kitchens in restaurants, hotels and institutions — accounts for around 290 million tonnes, more than a quarter of all food wasted at consumer-facing stages each year [1]. Cities of Gastronomy combine dense food-service ecosystems with strong culinary identities and cultural influence over how food is valued. This makes them natural places to demonstrate that respect for food and climate action belong together.
Several global initiatives address food loss and waste across governments, institutions and supply chains. ICFG is deliberately narrow: it works only with Cities of Gastronomy, only on food service, and only on implementation — measurement, pilot actions and documented methods that other cities can adapt.
/ Our global commitment
SDG 12.3
SDG Target 12.3 calls for halving per capita food waste at the retail and consumer levels by 2030 [3]. ICFG contributes to this goal where food is prepared and served: in professional kitchens across restaurants, hotels and institutional food service.
