Food, Humanity, and Hope: Leon Aarts’ Mission to End Hunger

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What if sharing a meal could change the world? 

Leon Aarts believes it can. From his earliest memories of family gatherings around the table to feeding millions through large-scale humanitarian efforts, Leon’s journey is a testament to the power of food to connect, nourish, and transform lives.

Starting as a chef and entrepreneur, he built a thriving food business, only to walk away in search of deeper meaning. That search led him to refugee camps, where he began cooking thousands of meals a day for those in desperate need.

When the pandemic struck, Leon launched a London-based kitchen that fed millions, proving that where there is surplus, there is a solution. Now, through Ample, he is tackling food waste at its root, turning excess into opportunity.

In this conversation, Leon shared his insights on food insecurity, the strength of human spirit, and why radical compassion is the most powerful ingredient for change.

Here are some insights from the interview you won’t want to miss:

1. The Power of Shared Meals: Leon stressed the importance of sharing meals as a way to foster understanding, connection, and empathy between people. He believes these shared experiences can transcend cultural and language barriers, helping to create a more tolerant and understanding world.
   
2. The Importance of Trust and Teamwork: Drawing from his experience in high-pressure kitchens, Leon spoke about the significance of trusting and relying on team members. This is crucial not only in the culinary world but in any collaborative endeavour.
   
3. Dynamic Adaptability: Leon demonstrated incredible adaptability when he shifted from a successful culinary business to humanitarian work. His journey highlights the idea that skills and experiences can be transferable and valuable across different fields.
   
4. Act on Intuition and Ideas: Leon received an intuition or idea to help feed London during the pandemic, illustrating the importance of acting on such insights. These ideas can lead to significant positive impacts when pursued.
   
5. Addressing Food Waste: With his new initiative, Ample, Leon aims to address the issue of food waste by providing a platform for farmers to sell surplus produce. This not only supports farmers but also helps in getting the food to those who need it, tackling hunger and waste simultaneously.

When you sit down for a meal with someone who’s totally different, and you spend that time together, you actually create more understanding, and more connection than you would do in other ways.” – Leon Aarts

 No one should go to bed hungry—because there is always enough to share.

You can listen to this Business Elevation Show interview with Leon Aarts & Chris Cooper here. Alternatively on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Tunein, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio (latter US only).

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More about Leon Aarts:

Leon Aarts’ earliest memories revolve around food—gathered around the table, sharing meals, and ensuring no one went hungry.

Born in Maastricht, Netherlands, he trained in hotel management, unexpectedly falling in love with cooking. By 26, he owned a fine dining restaurant, earning praise from world-class chefs.

After years as an executive chef, he moved to England, building a multimillion-pound food sourcing business. However, unfulfilled by evolving business ethics, he pivoted to philanthropy, launching a charity in 2009 to provide meals to children in need. I

n 2015, seeing refugees in crisis, he co-founded a mass-feeding initiative in Calais. When COVID-19 hit, he replicated the model in London, leading large-scale food relief efforts.

Now, with Ample, he tackles farm surplus, transforming it into nutritious food. Leon believes in the power of sharing meals to foster connection and change, embodying his mission that no one should go to bed hungry.

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