As climate change continues to reshape our environment, food science and technology are playing an increasingly vital role in helping us adapt across the entire food supply chain. On the front line however, are our farmers who have been implementing innovative methods to help build more climate resilience and safeguard Australia’s future food security for some time already.
In Queensland, especially where floods, heatwaves, and unpredictable weather have become more frequent, many growers have already embraced regenerative agriculture techniques to help protect their crops, soil, and livelihoods. Activity such as reshaping land contours to improve water retention, reduce erosion create more biologically active water and healthier soil, has long been used. They are now also using data-driven monitoring to enhance productivity and minimise their environmental impact.
This National Science Week, My Local Foodie is shining a spotlight on the science driving these positive changes not only on the farms of Queensland but also in the kitchens of hospitality venues across the state. Because behind every great meal is a whole network of people, systems and science, working together.
In a major boost for local agriculture, the Queensland Government recently announced a $2.8 million expansion of the Hort360 Best Management Practice (BMP) Incentive Program. This program will support at least 60 new growers over the next four years with grants of up to $30,000 per farm to implement sustainable practices that reduce chemical use, improve water quality, control erosion, and boost productivity.
For Queensland hospitality venues, this means more local growers will be using science-led solutions to produce cleaner, more resilient, and more sustainable ingredients. It will also help improve supply chains, protect the environment, and build long-term resilience into the food system. These kinds of investments directly benefit chefs and venue operators who rely on Queensland-grown produce to craft menus that meet customer expectations for quality, freshness and consistency.
But food science doesn’t stop at the farm gate. In the commercial kitchens of clubs, hotels and bistros, chefs are using science every day. They pickle foods, master the perfect sauce, understand how salt draws moisture from a steak and more. There is an incredible amount of chemistry at play behind the scenes. However beyond the plate, there is yet another layer that feeds into the hospitality landscape – the science of operational performance. Although passion and creativity will always be at the heart of what chefs do, it’s the systems, data, and strategy that keep everything running smoothly behind the scenes, because how venues manage supply disruptions, their COGS and food waste, is pivotal to remaining profitable.
At My Local Foodie, we work with some of Australia’s most forward-thinking venues to help bring real-time data and operational intelligence into the heart of their operations and here’s just a few ways the science of technology shows up in their kitchens:
- Real-time ingredient price tracking our Costimator platform pulls in live supplier pricing, so that ingredient costs are always current and the venue can pivot quickly in response to any price adjustments.
- Live recipe costing menu and recipe costs automatically update as prices change, keeping COGS accurate and margins intact. No manual updates and no second-guessing whether dishes are still profitable.
- Inventory analysis to reduce waste by linking inventory to ordering and sales, venues can minimise over-ordering and spoilage, and save unnecessary costs.
- Integrated reporting sales, purchasing, and menu data all flow into one dashboard, giving chefs and owners more accurate visibility across the business and the ability to make smarter, faster decisions.
The right data, delivered at the right time, gives chefs the power to tweak a menu, switch a supplier, or rethink a process before problems escalate. This is not just good management, it’s science and technology in action. So this week let’s celebrate the producers who sustain our food supply, the chefs who bring science to the plate, and the operators who balance performance, pricing and profitability.
