What does it mean to lead through food? That’s the question I explored in one of my favourite past podcast episodes with Paul Newnham – and as we take a short break from new releases, it felt like the perfect time to share this powerful conversation again.
Paul is the Executive Director of the SDG2 Advocacy Hub, a global collective that works to end hunger and malnutrition through collaborative action. He also leads the Beans is How campaign — a food systems movement with a bold goal: to double global bean consumption by 2028. And no, that’s not just because beans are delicious. It’s because beans are nutrition-packed, drought-resistant, low-emission crops that play a powerful role in sustainable agriculture and planetary health.
More than 700 million people go to bed hungry each night — yet more than enough food is produced to feed the planet. This is the uncomfortable paradox at the heart of Paul’s work. The problem is not a lack of food, it’s inequality. It's broken systems, supply chain dysfunction, unsustainable farming practices, and widespread food waste. And perhaps most powerfully — it’s perception.
Paul talks about the psychology of food and how deeply personal it is. For many people, food equals culture, memory, belonging, and identity. For others, especially in wealthier nations, food can become overly commercialised, fetishised, and wasteful. That’s why perception change is so central to the solution.
It’s also why chefs, according to Paul, are some of the most influential change-makers in the world. They sit at the intersection of sustainability, culture, nutrition, and storytelling. Paul has worked with chefs from every continent who are using their platforms to normalise new ingredients, revitalise traditional ones, and push the food industry toward a better future.
We also spoke about the hidden food crisis — the kind that doesn’t always make headlines. It’s the long-term malnutrition, the overreliance on ultra-processed foods, and the rise of non-communicable diseases tied to diet. These are systemic issues that demand leadership.
Leadership through food means thinking systemically, acting locally, and collaborating globally. It means shifting power to farmers and communities. It means rethinking school lunch programs, urban agriculture, food labelling, and how we incentivise food production. And it means seeing food as a unifying force — not a political tool.
As Paul reminds us, the future of food is not just about what’s on our plates. It’s about the future of health, climate, community, and equity. It’s a leadership challenge — and an opportunity.
If you haven’t listened to the episode yet, please enjoy this one. It’s filled with insight, humility, and a powerful call to action.
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