Le Nouveau Chef has, since this summer, officially become a B Corp-certified company. This high-end workwear label is the first in the chefwear industry to earn the B Corp certification. With this certification, the family business is honouring its mission: "We want to be a driving force for sustainable change in the industry."
Same Story - New Chapter is the slogan Le Nouveau Chef is using to celebrate and mark the start of a new chapter in their story. Where Robert ten Hoope started the company four decades ago with the best quality table linens, it has grown into a high-end workwear label.
Le Nouveau Chef's designs are born from the feedback of the most ambitious chefs. "We work closely with chefs to understand what they need and to ensure that our clothing not only meets but exceeds their expectations," says Marijn Blaauw, COO/CSO of Le Nouveau Chef. "This is in the DNA of our company." As a premium supplier in the hospitality industry, Le Nouveau Chef has also won the trust of top chefs such as Jonnie Boer, Xavier Pellicer, Andrea Caminada, Henrique Sa Pessoa, and Soenil Bahadoer in recent years.
Above-average score for B Corp certification
Sustainability has been a central theme at Le Nouveau Chef for forty years. The B Corp certification therefore feels like a logical step. To obtain the certification, they have fully mapped out their business processes so that they can better align their own sustainable ambitions with the needs of chefs.
To achieve B Corp certification, a company must score at least 80 points. Le Nouveau Chef was awarded a whopping 111 points. They scored above average in all five impact areas - governance, employees, community, environment, and customers - both nationally and sector-wide.
Marijn: "We have always been true to the values with which we started. This certificate confirms that we have been on the right track from day one. Now we are taking this to an even higher level, without compromising on quality or ethics. It is a great honour to receive this recognition and to share the stage with leading brands such as Patagonia and Tony Chocolonely."
Sustainable ambitions and quality
Le Nouveau Chef was born from the same values that drive an ambitious chef: 'Good is not good enough'. Both are loyal to their ingredients, their craftsmanship, and their people. Every material, every design choice, and every production partner is the result of careful consideration and dedication, with Le Nouveau Chef making no compromises on quality, durability, and ethical conduct. In their pursuit of sustainability, Le Nouveau Chef is keeping pace with the frontrunners in gastronomy: they strive not only for what is best for the chefs, but also for what is fair and just for all people in the links of their production chain.
This is reflected in their European production locations, where Le Nouveau Chef has insight into the well-being of their people. You see it in the use of the most sustainable materials possible, and in the lifespan of every piece of clothing from Le Nouveau Chef: made to surpass trends, time, and seasons.
With Same Story, New Chapter, Le Nouveau Chef shows that the principles of B Corp have always been part of their identity. Marijn Blaauw: "We are proud to be able to celebrate this now with the B Corp certificate. It feels like recognition for everything we have achieved so far - and as motivation to continue building and inspiring." With this, the family business invites the industry to set a new standard: "Because you make an impact together."
