Hong Kong's trailblazing chef and activist Peggy Chan transforms plant-based dining and fights climate change from the soil up, earning the inaugural Champions of Change Award from Asia's 50 Best Restaurants 2026.

Peggy Chan is one of Asia's most influential voices in sustainable gastronomy. Born in Hong Kong and raised partly in Montreal, Canada, she discovered her passion for food early on, influenced by her mother's home cooking and a deep connection to nature and animals. Initially pursuing general arts at the University of Ottawa with dreams of fashion design, Chan pivoted to the culinary world after realizing her true calling.

She trained rigorously at Le Cordon Bleu Ottawa, earning a diploma in cuisine and pastry, and later pursued advanced hospitality management studies in Switzerland, including a Bachelor in Business Administration with concentrations in hotel, resort, and restaurant management at institutions like Swiss Hotel Management School and Hotel Institute Montreux. This blend of technical culinary skills and business acumen set the foundation for her innovative career. Chan's professional journey began in high-end establishments. She worked at renowned spots such as L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon in Hong Kong, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, The Peninsula Tokyo, and Brunoise in Montreal. These experiences in Michelin-starred and luxury kitchens exposed her to precision and excellence but also highlighted a glaring gap: traditional culinary education rarely addressed sustainability, ethical sourcing, or nutrition.

Frustrated by this oversight and driven by her long-standing vegetarianism (she adopted the diet over two decades ago), Chan returned to Hong Kong and founded Grassroots Pantry in 2012. This pioneering plant-based restaurant in Sai Ying Pun (later relocated to Sheung Wan) championed whole-food, meat-free cuisine using local, forgotten, and sustainable ingredients. It quickly gained acclaim for innovative dishes that proved plant-based eating could be flavorful, nutritious, and environmentally responsible.

Under Chan's leadership, Grassroots Pantry became a beacon of green practices. It achieved milestones like conducting a life cycle assessment to become Asia's first carbon-neutral restaurant and publishing a 2019 sustainability report recognized by the United Nations ESCAP as a best-practice case study for sustainable sourcing and management. She also launched sister concepts like Prune Organic Deli & Workshop and evolved the brand into higher-end dining with Nectar (which closed in 2020 amid the pandemic). Through these ventures, Chan educated diners, supported local farmers, and hosted collaborative events like The Collective’s Table to promote meatless, eco-conscious menus among chefs.

Chan's vision extended beyond her restaurants. Recognizing that individual efforts were insufficient against the climate crisis, she shifted toward systemic change. In 2018, she connected with the California-based Zero Foodprint model, which funds regenerative agriculture via hospitality pledges. Inspired, she launched Zero Foodprint Asia (ZFPA) in 2021 as a Hong Kong-based non-profit, serving as its executive director.

ZFPA mobilizes restaurants, hotels, and food businesses to pledge 1% of sales toward grants for farmers adopting regenerative practices—such as composting, crop rotation, reduced tillage, and biodiversity enhancement. These methods restore soil health, sequester carbon, improve produce nutrition, extend growing seasons, lower costs, and build climate resilience. To date, ZFPA has disbursed over HKD $8 million (about US $1 million) to more than 16 projects across Asia, including Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, Nepal, Indonesia, Singapore, the Philippines, the Greater Bay Area, and Bali.

A TEDx speaker, recipient of awards like the HK Environmental Excellence Award in the service sector, and featured in Forbes, Tatler Asia (Gen.T Leaders of Tomorrow), and more, Chan has consistently advocated for "food literacy" and meaningful hospitality. Her work earned her the inaugural Champions of Change Award from Asia's 50 Best Restaurants 2026, honoring transformative positive impact in hospitality. The award, announced in late January 2026, will be presented at the ceremony on March 25, 2026, in Hong Kong—the city's first time hosting the event.

Chan views the recognition as a full-circle moment in her hometown career. “Over the years, I’ve learnt that change in food systems doesn’t happen overnight or alone – it is built patiently, through collective, sustained commitment... I’m deeply honoured by this recognition, which feels profoundly affirming and belongs as much to the many communities of farmers and partners I’ve worked with as it does to me,” she said.

She plans to use the award's grant to amplify awareness about soil restoration and inspire more industry players to join ZFPA's efforts. In an era of growing environmental urgency, Peggy Chan's journey—from chef to activist—demonstrates how hospitality can drive real, scalable climate solutions, starting from the ground up.