Celebrating The Food Revolution At Google

Celebrating The Food Revolution At Google

Mon 11 Jun 2012

Story by Vicky Ho and Katrina Kurnit
 

At Google, we seek to create a workplace that supports collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and open conversation. This environment does more than just inspire Googlers to develop innovative products for the web -- it fosters a healthy, thriving community that enriches our employees’ lives. Our food program is core to this mission, as what Googlers put in their bodies every day fuels their performance and happiness. That’s why we look for ways to provide everyone at Google with healthy, delicious meals and a vibrant food dialogue that thinks global and acts local.

It was a natural fit for Google’s Cafes to support and partner with Food Revolution Day. In over 100 Cafes located everywhere from Northern California to Switzerland to India, we created special menus and events inspired by Jamie, Food Revolution Day, and our passion for forging communities through food. In our London cafe, aptly named Pudding Lane, we featured some of Jamie’s top recipes, like caponata, pasta peperonata, and barbecued thai chicken. In Milan’s Duomo Cafe, a locally inspired Italian menu featured fresh tomatoes in a variety of preparations, showcasing the ingredient’s natural versatility and flavor.

Providing Hands-On Food Education



But Food Revolution Day at Google was about more than just great lunches. While we always focus on fresh, local ingredients, we seized the opportunity to provide hands-on education. At our headquarters in Mountain View, California, our Cafes provided information on the nearby farmers and artisan producers we purchase from, in order to underscore that a great meal starts well before the ingredients arrive in our kitchens. In Moscow, Googlers worked with their Chef to prepare healthy pizzas from scratch, while in Austin Googlers were treated to a live cooking demo and Q&A with their Chefs. In addition to serving a seasonally-inspired lunch, our Chefs in Paris taught Googlers how to prepare and cook a variety of vegetables, providing both entertainment and education on the quality and source of their ingredients.

We want to equip all of our employees with the skills and knowledge they need to create healthy meals for their families and friends. We’ve started the conversation in our Cafes, and hope that Googlers around the world will continue the dialogue in their markets, kitchens, and around the dinner table.

About the authors: Victoria Ho and Katrina Kurnit work in the Real Estate and Workplaces Services Group at Google in Mountain View, CA. They love great food, innovative technology, and exploring the intersection of the two to build strong communities around the world.