Beans: Volume 17

Ali Honour is a chef and food systems agitator who believes that how we eat can help fix our broken food system. Her journey with beans started as a chef looking for ways to feed people well without wrecking the planet. The more she worked with beans, the more they revealed themselves as reliable, sustainable and full of possibility. They became more than an ingredient – they became the backbone of a better way to eat. BEANS isn’t just a collection of recipes – it’s also a rallying cry, a love letter, a legume-laden manifesto. It’s Ali’s way of saying look what food can be: humble and hearty, sustainable and sexy. Whether you’re a seasoned legume lover or just bean curious, this book will show you that beans aren’t just good for you, they’re good full stop. These are beans with big ambitions.

Author Biography

Ali Honour is a creative force driving a better future through what we eat. She is a chef, food systems disruptor and outspoken advocate for sustainable eating, known for turning humble beans and vegetables into culinary and climate heroes. With three decades of experience across professional kitchens, food education and advocacy, Ali blends culinary creativity with deep-rooted purpose to prove that good food can – and must – be good for people and planet. Trained as a chef and shaped by years working at the intersection of hospitality, food waste and sustainability, Ali is a natural entrepreneur who has run several successful businesses over the years. Ali now leads pioneering zero-waste catering for major events, reimagining menus through a climate-conscious lens, and supports farmers and producers championing regenerative crops. Ali’s work spans grassroots initiatives and global platforms alike, including key role collaborations with the Chefs’ Manifesto and the Beans Is How campaign, the Blue Earth Summit, Dairygold and GIY Ireland. A natural communicator and creative problem-solver, Ali brings warmth, wit and rigour to every plate and every project. From public demos to behind-the-scenes strategy, she inspires real change through practical, delicious solutions, leading a bold movement to inspire change. Ali invites us all to rethink what’s on our plate and to embrace a future where food is fairer, cleaner, tastier and pulse-powered too.