I am excited to share that Food Tank is putting together six full days of food and agriculture programming in New York City during Climate Week NYC, September 21–26, all hosted at WNYC–NPR’s The Greene Space.
As a food and agriculture movement, we need to show the world that our food and agriculture systems are both a key solution to the climate crisis and that we need urgent, immediate action.
We’ve already announced 16 Summits and more than 240 speakers, performers, and moderators, with so much unexpected programming—including the immersive full-length play reading of Catalyst Coffee about food worker union organizing, written by our co-founder Bernie Pollack; a night of musical, dance and spoken word performance with the McKnight Foundation; a “digital futures” food system influencer night in collaboration with TikTok, Journey Foods, and Better Food Future; immersive talks and tastings with folks like Dan Barber, JJ Johnson, Sean Sherman, and Marcela Valladolid; a closing Summit featuring farmer storytelling in the spirit of The Moth; and so, so much more!
The full schedule is pasted below and accessible HERE.
For those not in New York City for Climate Week, you’re still more than welcome to join us—nearly every event will be livestreamed. Just visit the individual events you’re interested in and register for a virtual ticket.
For those in New York or attending Climate Week, you can apply to attend the Summit of your choice (please avoid programs already marked as sold out) by emailing Bernard at [email protected]. Due to overwhelming demand, in-person attendance is limited to one Summit per person.
Sunday, Sept 21st
Evening Arts Session: “Hope on a Plate: An Interactive Celebration of Regenerative Agriculture and Shared Possibility.” 6:30PM Doors. 7:00PM-9:00PM. Program. 9:00PM Reception.
A multisensory event featuring a chef-driven meal, immersive storytelling, and live performances, all highlighting regenerative farming as a scalable climate solution. Confirmed speakers include Dan Barber, Chef and Co-owner, Blue Hill and Blue Hill at Stone Barns; Founder, Row 7 Seed Company; J.J. Johnson, American chef and author best known for celebrating the food of the African diaspora; Jason Buechel, Chief Executive Officer at Whole Foods Market and Vice President of Amazon Worldwide Grocery Stores; Chef Marcela Valladolid, beloved Food Network personality known for Mexican Made Easy and The Kitchen; Jeroen Gerlag, Director of Europe and Food System Lead, Climate Week; Oliver English, Co-Founder & CEO, filmmaker, chef, and food advocate; Simon English, Co-Founder & Creative Director, film director and cinematographer; Paul Lightfoot, General Manager, Patagonia Provisions; Suzanne Sengelmann, Chief Growth Officer, Lundberg Family Farms; Bryce Lundberg, Vice President of Agriculture, Lundberg Family Farms; Brita Lundberg, Fourth-Generation Farmer and Chief Storyteller, Lundberg Family Farms; Camilla Marcus, chef and restaurateur known for her sustainability-focused cooking; and many more! A special musical performance will feature Brian Russell Carey, currently appearing in the acclaimed revival of Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club and previously in Red Roses, Green Gold, the Grateful Dead musical. He’ll be joined by Cabaret’s Musical Director, Jacob Yates, a Lexington-born musician who conducts and performs in the show’s live onstage ensemble. Register for this event HERE.
Monday, Sept 22nd
Morning Session: “Climate Action: A Food Waste Breakthrough.” In partnership with the UN Environment Program, Apeel Sciences, the American Frozen Food Institute, Flashfood, and ReFED.
Confirmed speakers and moderators include Massimo Bottura, world-renowned chef, UNEP Goodwill Ambassador, and UN SDG Advocate, whose groundbreaking work is redefining how we value surplus food; Somini Sengupta, international climate reporter at The New York Times; Michael Grunwald, food and climate columnist at Canary Media and contributing writer for The New York Times Opinion; Ligia Noronha, Assistant Secretary-General and Head of the New York Office at UNEP; Dana Gunders, President of ReFED; Jean Garris Hand, Vice President, Global Head of Sustainability, Hilton; Alison Bodor, President and CEO of the American Frozen Food Institute; Stacy Blondin, Behavioral Research Associate, World Resources Institute; Jordan Schenck, CEO of Flashfood; Roni Neff, Professor at Johns Hopkins University; Maria Siqueira, Co-Founder and Director of Public Policies and Projects at Pacto Contra a Fome in Brazil; Jilly Stephens, Chief Executive Officer, City Harvest; Caleb McClennan, President, RARE; Elliott Wolf, VP and Chief Data Scientist, Lineage Logistics; Luiz Beling, CEO, Apeel Sciences; and Prahlada Rastogi, age 10, winner of the 2025 Stop Food Waste Day Youth Poetry Competition—with many more to be announced soon! Special performance from Antoine L. Smith, Broadway actor and singer whose credits include MJ the Musical, Carousel, Miss Saigon, The Color Purple, and Cinderella. He has performed at the Tony Awards and received a Grammy nomination for The Color Purple cast album. He will be accompanied by Deah Love Harriott, a Broadway music director and conductor best known for leading the 2022 revival of for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf at the Booth Theatre. Register for this event HERE.
Afternoon Session: “A Roadmap to a Delicious, Nutritious, and Regenerative Food Future for All.” In partnership with Unilever.
Confirmed speakers include Rasmus Munk, Chef & Founder of Alchemist, the acclaimed two-Michelin-star restaurant in Copenhagen known for its immersive, 50-course “holistic cuisine” experience; Mark Bittman, New York Times bestselling author, former New York Times food writer, chef, and Founder of Community Kitchen; Kim Severson, Food Correspondent, The New York Times; Drew Mitchell, Senior Vice President, Brand Purpose, US Lead, Edelman Gen Z Lab; Dorothy Shaver, Global Food Sustainability Lead, Unilever; Rachel Krupa, Founder, The Goods Mart; Chitra Agrawal, Founder, Brooklyn Delhi and author of Vibrant India; Eve Turow-Paul, author, and Founder and Executive Director of Food for Climate League; Herrish Patel, President of Unilever USA and CEO of its Personal Care business in North America; Christa Barfield, Owner & Founder of FarmerJawn, a regenerative organic farm based in Philadelphia—and many more to be announced soon! Special musical performance from Daniel J. Maldonado, a New York–based Broadway performer currently appearing in the Tony-nominated musical & Juliet, where he understudies the role of Romeo. He will be accompanied by Noah Turner, a New York–based music director and Broadway accompanist known for his work on Jersey Boys, The Sound of Music, and Joy the Musical. Register for this event HERE.
Evening Arts Session: “The Performing Arts Lights the Way: A Climate Week Celebration.” In partnership with the McKnight Foundation.
Confirmed speakers, moderators, and performers include: Sean Sherman, Chef and Founder, The Sioux Chef and NATIFS; Kim Severson, Food Correspondent, The New York Times; Amber Rubarth, an acclaimed singer-songwriter and former chainsaw sculptor whose latest album Cover Crop reimagines classic songs as a meditation on our interconnection with nature; Tamika Lawrence, two-time Grammy winner (Dear Evan Hansen, The Greatest Showman) and Broadway veteran (If/Then, Beautiful, Matilda,
Tuesday, Sept 23rd
Morning Session: “Keeping Farmers on the Land.” In partnership with American Farmland Trust.
Confirmed speakers include Chellie Pingree, U.S. Representative for Maine’s 1st Congressional District; Alice Waters, Chef, Author, and Food Activist; Founder and Owner, Chez Panisse; Founder, Edible Schoolyard Project; Adriano Espaillat, U.S. Representative for New York’s 13th Congressional District; John Piotti, CEO, American Farmland Trust; Caitlin Leibert, Vice President, Sustainability, Whole Foods Market; Sam Smidt, National Director of Land Use and Protection Research, American Farmland Trust; Bianca Moebius-Clune, Climate and Soil Health Director, American Farmland Trust; Jay Goldmark, Farm Manager, Stone House Farm; Tim Fink, Vice President of Policy, the American Farmland Trust; Lucy Bullock-Sieger, Vice President of Strategy, Lightstar Renewables; Anna Toenjes, Associate Vice President, Impact & Business Development, Sol System; Ethan Winter, National Smart Solar Director, American Farmland Trust; and many more to be announced. Special musical performance by Janayé McAlpine is a professional dancer and singer, best known for her roles in MJ: The Musical and Moulin Rouge! The Musical, with performances across Broadway, national tours, and cruise line productions. Register for this event HERE.
Afternoon Session: “Humanitarian Innovation in a World of Climate Extremes.” In partnership with World Food Program USA.
Confirmed speakers—and many more to be announced soon—include Andrew Zimmern, renowned American chef, restaurateur, TV and radio personality, food writer, director, producer, and businessman; Maddy DeVita, celebrated private chef and recipe developer, serves on the Zero Hunger Activist Council for World Food Program USA; Barron Segar, President and CEO, World Food Program USA; Nicole Clifton, President, Social Impact and The UPS Foundation; Vilas Dhar, President and CEO, Patrick J. McGovern Foundation; Chase Sova, Senior Director of Public Policy and Research, World Food Program USA; Kenneth Lee, Co-Founder, Lotus Foods; Cynthia Yue, Advocacy & Engagement Manager, World Food Program USA; and Emily Coppel, Food Communications and Policy Lead at the Rockefeller Foundation. Special musical performance featuring Bella Coppola, a Broadway actor and singer who originated Chloe in Smash and played Jane Seymour in SIX, accompanied by her longtime pianist and collaborator Adam Cole Klepper, Associate Music Director and pianist for Broadway’s Gypsy and Spamalot. Register for this event HERE.
Evening Session: “Catalyst Coffee” a new play written and presented by Food Tank.
Named by The Arts Fuse as “one of the best new shows of 2024,” Catalyst Coffee pulls you behind the counter and into the high-stakes world of a barista union campaign. This immersive theatrical workshop reading—directed by Lakisha May—blends sharp drama with bold questions about power, solidarity, and survival. Come for the show. Stay for the food, the drinks, and an evening of conflict and inspiration you’ll never forget. Special musical performance featuring Clair Rachel Howell, a Broadway and touring artist currently performing in Wicked on both Broadway and the National Tour, accompanied by Noah Turner, a New York–based music director and Broadway accompanist known for his work on Jersey Boys, The Sound of Music, and Joy the Musical. Register for this event HERE.
Wednesday, Sept 24th
Morning Session: “The Sustainability Leadership Summit: Strategies for Founders, CSOs, and Changemakers.” In partnership with Nature’s Fynd, Applegate, King Arthur Baking, Certified Origins, and ButcherBox.
Confirmed speakers include Marion Nestle, Professor Emerita at New York University; Nina Teicholz, Founder of the Nutrition Coalition; Sonya Gafsi Oblisk, Chief Merchandising & Marketing Officer at Whole Foods Market; and Thomas Jonas, Co-founder and CEO of Nature’s Fynd; Helena Bottemiller Evich, Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Food Fix; Amy Keister, Global Director of Sustainability, Compass Group; Stephanie Grotta, VP, Responsible Sourcing & Sustainable Capabilities, Target; Carolyn Gahn, Senior Director, Mission & Advocacy, Applegate; —with many more to be announced soon! Special performance from Sydni Moon, a Broadway actor and singer who made her debut in the 2024 revival of Elf the Musicaland is currently appearing in JOY: A New True Musical Off-Broadway. She will be accompanied byCullen Curth, a New York–based pianist and music director whose credits include the pre-Broadway production of The Karate Kid: The Musical and An Evening with Ben Platt at the Perelman Performing Arts Center. Register for this event HERE.
Afternoon Session: “2nd Annual Sustainable Foods Showcase.” In partnership with J.P. Morgan.
Talks and immersive tastings will feature Ron Ben-Israel, celebrity cake maker and television judge; Sarela Herrada, Co-Founder of SIMPLi; Anna Hammond, Founder & CEO of Matriark Food; Viraj Puri, Co-Founder and CEO of Gotham Greens; Mark Kaplan, Founder of Wholechain; Cecilia Chang, Chief Business Officer of Mission Barns; Michael Fox, Founder & CEO of Fable Food; Eben Bayer, Co-Founder of MyForest Foods; Brendan Summerville, Co-Founder and COO of Oishii; Julia Collins, Founder of Planet FWD; and Jay McEntire, CEO of Arva. Special musical performance from Afra Hines, currently appearing as one of the Stanley Daughters in Pirates! The Penzance Musical at Roundabout’s Todd Haimes Theatre, is a celebrated Broadway performer whose credits include Hadestown, In the Heights, Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, and Shuffle Along, with a national tour of Hamilton and a seven-year run as a Radio City Rockette. Register for this event HERE.
Thursday, Sept 25th
Morning Session: “Nourishing People, Planet, and our Future.” In partnership with The Rockefeller Foundation.
Confirmed speakers—and many more to be announced soon—include Adam Met, multi-platinum, Grammy-nominated musician with AJR and Founder of Planet Reimagined; Gunhild A. Stordalen, Founder and Executive Chair, EAT; Elizabeth Yee, Executive Vice President of Programs, The Rockefeller Foundation; Sara Farley, Vice President, Global Food Portfolio, The Rockefeller Foundation; Aulo Gelli, Senior Research Fellow, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI); Carmen Burbano de Lara, Director, School-Based Programmes, World Food Programme; Appolinaire Djikeng, Director General, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI); Jennifer Burney, Professor of Environmental Social Sciences & Earth System Science, Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability; Isabelle Kamariza, Founder & President, Solid’Africa, Rwanda; Gerardo Martinez, Founder and Owner, Wild Kid Acres in Edgewater, Maryland; Kate Mackenzie, Executive Director, Mayor’s Office of Food Policy, New York City; and Sweta Chakraborty, behavioral scientist and U.S. President of We Don’t Have Time. Special musical performance by Cajai Kennedy, a Broadway dancer and actress currently appearing in Wicked, who began her professional career at age 10 in The Lion King national tour and previously performed in Frozen on Broadway. Cajai will be accompanied by Elijah Caldwell, OBIE Award–winning pianist, vocalist, and multifaceted artist based in New York City, featured in the Pulitzer Prize– and Drama Desk Award–winning musical A Strange Loop. Register this event HERE.
Afternoon Session: “Food is Medicine and Eating for Health.” In partnership with the Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation.
Confirmed speakers—and many more to be announced soon—include Grace Young, James Beard Award-Winning Cookbook Author, Food Historian, and Chinatown Advocate; Marcel Van Ooyen, President and CEO, GrowNYC; Nancy Easton, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Wellness in the Schools; Jilly Stephens, Chief Executive Officer, City Harvest; Leslie Gordon, President & CEO, Food Bank For New York City; Robert Graham, Co-Founder, FRESH Med; Kathleen Finlay, President, Glynwood Center for Regional Food and Farming; Christine Going, Senior Advisor, Food Security Program Office within the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Lyndsey Waugh, Executive Director, Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation; Tony Hillery, Founder and Executive Director, Harlem Grown; A-dae Romero-Briones, Director of Programs, Native Agriculture & Food Systems, First Nations Development Institute; Dr. Geeta Maker-Clark, Director of Integrative Nutrition and Advocacy, NorthShore University HealthSystem; Stacey Vanek Smith, Senior Story Editor and Co-Host “Everybody’s Business” Podcast, Bloomberg; Dana Cowin, an award-winning journalist, former Editor-in-Chief of Food & Wine and founder of Progressive Hedonist; and Leah Douglas, Agriculture and Energy Reporter, Reuters. Special musical performance from Racquel Williams, currently appearing on Broadway in The Book of Mormon, accompanied by Maria Caputo, a versatile pianist, composer, and music director who has worked Off-Broadway, at Feinstein’s/54 Below, and on Norwegian Cruise Lines. Register for this event HERE.
Evening Session. “Digital Futures: A Better Food Future Celebration at Climate Week NYC.” 7:00PM Reception. 7:30-9:00PM. Program. 9:00-10:00PM Reception. In partnership with Wholechain, Better Food Future, TikTok, and Journey Foods in support of the UN Global Compact Ocean Stewardship Coalition.
Confirmed speakers and performers—and many more to be announced soon—include Jidenna, Nigerian-American rapper, singer, and songwriter best known for his Grammy-nominated hit Classic Man and as a contributor to Doja Cat’s Planet Her (Deluxe), nominated for Album of the Year; @xosuigeneris (
Friday, Sept 26th
Morning Session: “Chefs Change the World.” In partnership with The James Beard Foundation and Organic Valley.
Confirmed speakers and performers—and many more to be announced soon—include Ruth Reichl, food writer and editor; former restaurant critic (Los Angeles Times and The New York Times), Editor-in-Chief at Gourmet magazine, and six-time James Beard Award winner; Florence Fabricant, food and wine writer, The New York Times; Eric Adjepong, chef, television personality, and author best known for his standout appearances on Top Chef and as the host of shows on Food Network and HGTV; Clare Reichenbach, CEO, James Beard Foundation; Sheryll Durrant, urban farmer, educator, and food-justice leader; Board President, Just Food and NYC New Roots; Melissa Clark, food writer, cookbook author, and New York Times columnist; Ashleigh Shanti, acclaimed chef and sommelier known for celebrating African-American culinary traditions and Appalachian cuisine; Joshua McFadden, James Beard Award–winning chef and restaurateur known for seasonal cooking and sustainable food practices; Priyanka Naik, Food Network champion and sustainability advocate known for her globally inspired cooking; Anne McBride, Vice President of Programs, James Beard Foundation; Geoffrey Kie, Indigenous chef and founder of Kie’s Pies from the Pueblo of Laguna; Rick Simington, Organic Valley; and Ingrid Hoffmann, chef and host of Top Chef Estrellas (Telemundo/NBC), Sim
Afternoon Session: “Regenerative Food Systems: Scaling Impact from Soil to Shelf.” In partnership with Arva and Kiss the Ground.
Confirmed speakers with more to be announced include: Sam Kass, Founder, TROVE and Former Senior Policy Advisor for President Barack Obama’s Nutrition Policy, and Executive Director for First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! Campaign; Evan Harrison, CEO of Kiss the Ground; Jay McEntire, CEO of Arva; Chloe Sorvino, food and agriculture journalist and author of Raw Deal: Hidden Corruption, Corporate Greed, and the Fight for the Future of Meat, Matthew Dillon, Co-Chief Executive Officer, Organic Trade Association; Patrick Brown, fourth-generation farmer from Warren County, North Carolina, and Director of Farmer Inclusion at Nature for Justice, championing regenerative equity and climate-resilient practices among farmers of color; Kimberley Sundy, Senior Director of Global Sustainability at Kellanova; Michael Benedetti, Senior Director of Sustainability, Regulatory, and Quality at Clover Sonoma; Vaughn Duitsman, Director of Sustainability at Bartlett; Steven Jennings, Stakeholder Relations & Brand Lead, Ahold Delhaize USA; Jamie Ager, a fourth-generation farmer and managing partner at Hickory Nut Gap, a regenerative farm in Fairview, North Carolina; and Alexia Akbay, CEO and Founder of Symbrosia, a marine biotech company pioneering red seaweed–based livestock feed that reduces methane emissions by more than 90 percent. Special musical performance by Emily Kristen Morris, a celebrated NYC-based actor, singer and popular online content creator (2+ million followers on Insta/TikTok), most known for her work as the Elphaba standby on the Broadway National Tour of WICKED and playing Bea on the Broadway National Tour of Something Rotten. Register for this event HERE.
Evening Experience: “A Night Honoring Our Farmers – Food and Agriculture Storytelling.”
Confirmed farmers include Ron Mardesen, a third-generation hog farmer from Elliott, Iowa, who has raised pigs for Niman Ranch for over 20 years using humane and sustainable practices; Karen Washington, a farmer, activist, and co-founder of Black Urban Growers, working to uplift food justice and community farming in the Bronx and beyond; Sabrina Servais, a passionate young dairy farmer and Assistant Herd Manager at her family’s Organic Valley member farm in Wisconsin; Sea Matias, a regenerative farmer and community organizer growing culturally relevant crops and advancing food sovereignty through mutual aid; Brian Mattingly, Director of Star Hill Farm Operations for Maker’s Mark, manages 1,100 acres of regenerative farmland in Kentucky, integrating crops and livestock for resilient agriculture; Bob Quinn, organic farmer and plant geneticist from Montana, revived ancient grains and promotes sustainable agriculture; Olivia Fuller, a fourth-generation farmer at Fuller Acres in upstate New York, raising pastured livestock and maple products on protected land to build a resilient and diversified future; Caroline Radice, co-owner of Black Dog Farm & Catering in Northern California and co-founder of the Good Farm Fund, supporting small farmers with microgrants and EBT access; and many more to be announced soon! Special musical performance by Joey Contreras, award-winning songwriter of the viral musical In Pieces, will perform a set of originals and covers. He’ll be joined by guitarist, Nick Potocki (Dead Outlaw) and Hannah Verdi, who is featured on the In Pieces: Highlights Deluxe album released by Broadway Records. Many more names to be announced! Register for this event HERE.
There’s something for everyone at Food Tank’s Climate Week NYC series, so I look forward to seeing each of you either in person or virtually (or both!) next month!
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Photo courtesy of Luca Bravo, Unsplash.
