Excitement Is Building For Taiwan's 2025 Green Dining Awards

We’re delighted to share that our partners in Taiwan, the Green Dining Guide (GDG), will host their fourth annual awards ceremony on 3^rd December 2025 at Songshan Cultural and Creative Park, Taipei, celebrating the important work hospitality operators across the country are doing to reduce their impact and drive positive change. The event is organised by Taipei Cultural Exploration Association in collaboration with Green Dining Guide and sponsored by Dandelion Eco-friendly Toilet Paper and Leezen Co., Ltd.

This year marks a milestone for Taiwan’s green dining movement: the first official introduction of the Food Made Good Standard, in partnership with The Sustainable Restaurant Association. For the first time, Taiwan’s foodservice sector will present its sustainability achievements through a transparent and systematic international Framework — an extraordinary moment for the industry. The event will include Taiwan’s inaugural Food Made Good certification ceremony, celebrating industry pioneers who are proving that doing good is good for business.

Driving the shift toward green dining is a table-to-table revolution that crosses industries and borders. The actions we take today will shape the shared values of tomorrow. Sustainability is rewriting the future of foodservice, and green dining is no longer a slogan — it is becoming a defining global competitive advantage.

You're invited to join this pivotal annual gathering on December 3ed, at Songshan Cultural and Creative Park (Taipei, Taiwan). More than a ceremony, it is where leaders from food, agriculture, oceans and sustainability come together for meaningful dialogue. Interspersed throughout the day, three panel discussions will focus on practical solutions for real-world challenges, moving beyond theory to provide a blueprint for action across the industry.

If you would like to attend the awards, please register here:

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What to expect from the 2025 Green Dining Awards

The agenda for the day is as follows:

• 10:00-10:30 Speeches and Awards Ceremony (Part 1)
• 10:30-11:30 2026 Global Sustainable Food Trends & Food Made Good Sustainability Star Certification – Karen Finnerty, Growth & Development Director (APAC), The Sustainable Restaurant Association
• 11:30-12:10 Panel discussion: The Hidden Power of Carbon Reduction in Foodservice
• 12:10-13:20 Lunch & networking
• 13:20-14:00 VIP Remarks and Awards Ceremony (Part 2)
• 14:00-14:40 Panel discussion: Demystifying Sustainable Fisheries: Which Practices Are Truly Sustainable?
• 14:40-15:00 Tea Break
• 14:50-15:30 Panel discussion: The Survival Battle of Eastern Taiwan’s Farmers — Seen From the Restaurant Perspective
• 15:30-17:00 Green Food Awards Ceremony

This year’s awards fully align with the three pillars of the Food Made Good Framework — Sourcing, Society, and Environment — and correspond to the SDGs, offering a holistic evaluation of a restaurant’s sustainability performance. There are also four special awards, as follows: 

• 2025 Rising Star: This award aims to discover the most exciting and forward-thinking new forces on the green dining scene. From connecting with producers and managing resource circularity to culinary execution, they demonstrate a mature vision and steadfast commitment in every aspect, often exceeding expectations for their experience level. 
• Business of the Year: The recipient of this award demonstrates what sustainability truly looks like when deeply embedded in corporate culture. They don't merely pursue excellence in isolated initiatives, but rather have established a comprehensive and clear sustainability policy, internalising their commitment to ESG principles as core decision-making criteria and a blueprint for development. They have successfully transformed sustainable ideals into actionable standard operating procedures and measurable performance indicators, powerfully proving that business success and planetary health can, and do, go hand in hand.
• Chef of the Year: The Chef of the Year embodies the spirit of sustainability through unwavering, day-to-day commitment — from personally visiting production sites and building partnerships with farmers and fishers to maximising the use of every ingredient in the kitchen. This chef is not only a team leader but an inspiration within the industry, influencing more new-generation chefs through selfless sharing and an open-minded approach.
• GDG Champion Award: This year's highest honour aims to recognise the ultimate paradigm — an organisation that not only pursues excellence in its own field, but whose philosophy and practices also chart a clear direction for the future of the entire industry.

PANEL DISCUSSIONS

The event will include three panel discussions, providing insights and context into some of the sustainability issues particular to Taiwan.

1. The Hidden Power of Carbon Reduction in FoodService

From food waste to resource recovery, this panel explores how restaurants can help build a circular, low-carbon urban ecosystem — through waste reduction at the source, efficient sorting systems, and pathways for reuse and upcycling.

2. Demystifying Sustainable Fisheries: Which Practices Are Truly Sustainable?

Seafood has long been a staple on menus across Taiwan. How, then, can the industry balance “eating sustainably” with the ocean’s ecological limits?

This session brings together insights on fishing methods, sourcing choices, and the perspectives of agricultural and fisheries reporters to clarify common misconceptions about seafood sustainability.

3. The Survival Battle of Eastern Taiwan’s Farmers — Seen From the Restaurant Perspective

Facing extreme weather, supply chain disruptions, and the vulnerability of small farms, how can restaurants become a stabilising force for farmers in Hualien and Taitung? This conversation will set the foundation for next year’s region-focused collaboration initiatives.

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About our partnership with GDG

Since 2018, GDG has worked with restaurants across Taiwan to connect them with local farmers, promote organic and local food, reduce waste and encourage vegetarian and lower-impact choices. In 2023, Taiwan joined our network of key global partners — alongside organisations in Japan, Italy, Hong Kong, the UAE, Singapore and Australia — joining forces with The SRA to extend the reach of the Standard worldwide.

Through this partnership, the Food Made Good Standard was made available in Traditional Chinese in 2024, making it easier than ever for hospitality businesses in Taiwan to assess their sustainability and take the next steps on their journeys.

Embracing Food Made Good in Taiwan

Following ongoing conversations and collaboration with hospitality operators across the country, the first cohort of Taiwanese businesses completed the Food Made Good Standard in 2025— a milestone that shows how Taiwan’s hospitality sector is beginning to measure, assess and improve its impact in transparent ways. This group joins Wistron NeWeb Corporation (the first in Taiwan to complete the Standard, first certified in 2024).

The 13 newly certified businesses are:

from heart to table 山中小廚房 · Half Sky Bistro 小半天風味餐坊 · hilltea_life 丘山茶 · Hyatt Taiwan, 台北君悅酒店 - 茶苑 · Liao Studio 仕合廖家小吃店 · Mal-u Kitchen 慢午野食有限公司 · OGAWA 小川埔里環保酵素園區 · Puli Tiger 虎嘯山嵐 · SMOK 斯莫克思文創有限公司 (SMOK製甜所) · Sun Moon Inn 山慕民宿 · Sky Lounge 雲品國際酒店股份有限公司日月潭分公司 · Taipei Medical University Hospital 台北醫學大學附設醫院營養室, 吟詩企業.

By offering support and guidance to local businesses as they complete the Standard, GDG is helping Taiwan’s restaurant industry align with international sustainability benchmarks while building a stronger, more resilient local food system.

We are excited to see the winners announced at this awards ceremony and wish all participants the very best of luck.

Learn more about our global partnerships here. To stay up to date on the latest news, industry insights and sustainability advice, follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn and sign up to our newsletter! Interested in how your own sustainability work measures up? Take our free Food For Thought quiz to find out.