Okay, so we all know that working at Google comes with some serious perks. Aside from the amazing cred of being able to say they work for one of the largest and most iconic Internet and tech companies, Googlers get access to free food … 24/7. And we’re not just talking about your everyday office cafeteria, Google has food trucks, serves onsite breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and has a number of micro-kitchen concepts around their offices. But really, you’re probably wondering about the food – the offerings are quite literally every type of cuisine you could imagine, available in a formal, sit-down setting or easy grab-and-go. In total, Google serves well over 175,000 meals per day to over 117,000 individuals.

As you might imagine, feeding that many people daily is not a simple feat, but when you tack on Google’s commitment to sustainability and sourcing the best ingredients possible, that job gets even more difficult. In a recent episode of the #EatForThePlanet podcast, Scott Giambastiani, Google’s Global Program Chef, explained how this cutting-edge company manages such a task.

Reducing the amount of beef served in their dining areas is one of the first things that Google did to lower their environmental footprint, but their primary focus is making “plant-forward” cuisine the focus of their menus. Basically, this means packing as much fruit, vegetables, and whole foods into meals as possible.

As Scott explains, this can be done in a number of ways from blending burgers with mushroom to lower the amount of meat used to designing food stations and menus that put plant-based options first, automatically reducing the space for meat on the place. Chefs at Google are encouraged to make innovative recipes that place vegetables at the center of the plate and they even optimize the names of certain foods to make them more appetizing.

Scott feeds some of the most brilliant people in the world and it’s his job to do it in a way that is best for their health, as well as that of the environment. Google has revolutionized the Internet as we know it and you will find that they are well on their way to changing how we think about food too. If you work in food service or run a restaurant or are looking to understand what drives people to make better food choices without even realizing they are doing that, you’ll have to listen to the full interview!

You can listen to the full episode below or on the following platforms: iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher.

If you like this episode, be sure to subscribe to the #EatForThePlanet with Nil Zacharias podcast for new episodes with food industry leaders, health, and sustainability experts, as well as entrepreneurs and creative minds who are redefining the future of food.

Image source: MaraZe/Shutterstock