Japan Sustainable Restaurant Association Launches New Podcast FOOD MADE GOOD Radio

The Japan Sustainable Restaurant Association announced that it will launch a new podcast program, FOOD MADE GOOD Radio, on Thursday, May 14, 2026. The program is designed for cooks, chefs, and foodservice industry professionals, explaining food and sustainability from the practical perspective of restaurant operations. The podcast will be distributed on Spotify, with new episodes scheduled for release every Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. Covering topics such as food loss, fair trade, sourcing, working environments, and connections with local communities, the program will also introduce advanced overseas examples and movements among leading chefs around the world. It aims to serve as an audio program through which restaurants can learn about the themes they will increasingly need to address. FOOD MADE GOOD Radio is a podcast that explores food and sustainability in accessible language rooted in the restaurant and foodservice field. Many chefs and restaurant owners are occupied with daily service, preparation, and travel, making it difficult to secure dedicated time for learning. The program therefore presents basic knowledge and the latest trends in sustainability in a practical format that can be listened to casually during commuting or prep work. Centered on the FOOD MADE GOOD Standard, the program will cover themes including food loss reduction, sustainable sourcing, fair trade, coexistence with local communities, worker well-being, regenerative approaches to food, and examples of advanced initiatives. It will also explain overseas sustainable restaurant cases. Technical terms that can often seem difficult will be translated into language useful on the ground, offering hints that can be applied to purchasing, menu development, and staff training. Planned episode themes include: Episode 1, learning content for chefs and cooks, released on May 14; Episode 2, fair trade, released on May 14; Episodes 3 and 4, trends for 2026; Episode 5, a case study of a sustainable restaurant in Thailand; Episodes 6 to 10, explanations of the EAT-Lancet report; Episode 11, a case study of a sustainable restaurant in Colombia; and Episode 12, how to write an impact report for restaurants. According to the association, restaurants around the world are expanding their role from places that serve food to places that create positive impact for society and the environment. In Japan’s foodservice sector, however, many operators are interested in sustainability but say they are too busy to study, do not know where to start, or feel that the topic seems difficult. FOOD MADE GOOD Radio will present sustainability not as a special activity, but as daily choices for creating better food, better restaurants, and a better future, sharing information that foodservice professionals can put into practice without undue burden. The program is titled FOOD MADE GOOD Radio. The main personality is Takeshi Shimotaya, representative director of the Japan Sustainable Restaurant Association, joined by partner Tetsushi Yamamoto, membership manager of the association. The program launches on May 14, 2026, and will be updated every Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. on Spotify. The Japan Sustainable Restaurant Association works to promote sustainability in the foodservice industry. Its activities include spreading the FOOD MADE GOOD Standard, an international evaluation framework for sustainable restaurants, and creating initiatives that connect restaurants, chefs, producers, companies, and consumers.