Airbnb Food Program.
Over the course of 6 years we designed just shy of 40 food spaces spanning San Francisco, Portland, Montreal, São Paulo, Paris, London, Dublin, Singapore, Gurgaon, Tokyo, and Beijing. At their smallest, these spaces served 15 employees with a self-service kitchen model where groceries were provided weekly and employees served themselves with incredible creativity. The largest spaces, in San Francisco, were built to serve 6,000 employees three times each day. Space design, flow, guest experience, and seat planning were crucial in getting them right.
During our tenure as the Global Food Program Managers we designed and scaled Airbnb’s corporate food program from 500 to 6500 employees. The Airbnb Food Program was an industry leader both in the Bay Area and globally for the sustainable design that was a trademark of each of our food spaces.
At the time, there were no single serving packages anywhere in our buildings. Snacks were provided in bulk, often homemade by the chefs, and drinks were made in house and served on tap. The chefs were creative when it came to the goal of a zero waste kitchen.
Some quick examples: after making almond milk, the leftover almond meal was repurposed into cookies or other baked goods. A soup and salad bar captured many of the leftovers as the chefs reimagined those ingredients. Stocks and bone broths were always available and made from various kitchen scraps from the day before. Beverages were made in house, kegged on site and served on tap. There were even homemade dog treats (made from leftover bacon fat)!
A direct reflection of the company value belong anywhere, the food program brought the employees together three times a day to enjoy a meal together
What employees had to say about it.
“We're so fortunate to have fresh, delicious meals provided by the company. Food is a huge part of our culture and the Food Program fosters a sense of family in the office and connections between coworkers.”
“Just want to give the Food Team a huge thank you. We are very fortunate to have a diverse Food Program that caters multiple diets. I'm super grateful and appreciate you all!”
“You guys do amazing, amazing work. The Food Program here plays a huge role in my retention, and it feels like it just keeps getting better and better. Keep it up!”
