Douglas spearheaded a movement that has now become an international phenomenon when he opened the UK’s first zero-waste restaurant. He advocates for ‘upcycling’ – reusing materials to create a product of higher quality than the original – over recycling.

Douglas is one of ten nationalities involved in the finals for The Basque Culinary Prize. He won the Craft Guild of Chefs Innovation Award in 2018.

The finalists include: Selassie Atadika (Ghana), Mario Castrellón (Panama), Siew-Chinn Chin (Malaysia- USA), Giovanni Cuocci (Italy), Xanty Elías (Spain), Virgilio Martínez (Peru), Cristina Martínez (Mexico– USA), Douglas McMaster (United Kingdom), AnthonyMyint (USA) and Lars Williams (USA – Denmark).

Pia Sörensen, director of the science and cooking program of Harvard University, said: “The list of finalists highlights the important and innovative work being done by chefs from diverse regions and in a range of highly current fields connected to gastronomy, not only as a source of inspiration but as a tangible and concrete expression of how this collective is taking action”.

Earlier this year gastronomic professionals and institutions nominated chefs from around the globe who had demonstrated how gastronomy could become a transformational force in areas such education, environment, health and food production.

In this fourth edition of the prize 230 nominations were received from 42 countries (a total of 150 chefs nominated), making it the widest participation to date.   

The winner will be chosen by an international jury comprised of the most acclaimed chefs and interdisciplinary experts from a variety of fields related to gastronomy.

The winner will be awarded €100,000 to devote to a cause that expresses the ethos of the prize: to transform society through gastronomy.