Standing at an impressive 5’11” – or a full six feet with heels – Carla Martinesi’s height can’t help but draw the eye. “I used to be a model, but that wasn’t paying the bills,” she jokes as she prepares for our photoshoot, reflecting the playful yet indefatigable spirit of someone who has navigated the world of food and beverage to carve her name as the founder and CEO of food-saving app CHOMP.

While exuding a perky charm as she candidly discusses the awkwardness of her modelling days, it’s evident that Martinesi’s real passion lies in making the world a better place. “Don’t get me started because I can really talk a lot,” she laughs. “We can go on and on and on.” Though she teases about the endless flow of inspiration that fuels her award-winning food-waste initiative, her steely determination to take the venture further is also apparent.

Checking her makeup in the DIY mirror she’s fashioned out of her phone, she swiftly proceeds to model the garments selected from local brands. “Wow, this is really pretty; I could never afford this!” she exclaims, admiring one piece. Her infectious energy, inventiveness and down-to-earth demeanour blend beautifully into the mission she has embraced ¬– a perfect fit for an April Earth Month issue.

Roots and Revelations

Between the bustling streets of Hong Kong and the serene Swiss Alps, Martinesi’s upbringing intricately shaped her worldview. “I was born in Hong Kong and moved around quite often due to my father’s job,” she recalls. Her childhood was punctuated with stints in Italy, the Middle East, Israel and France, but it was in Switzerland that she found her love for nature.

“Snow sports were part of our schooling, and every winter, I spent time skiing and snowboarding in the mountains,” she says, eyes gleaming with nostalgia. “Sitting at the top and taking in the panoramic views was when I knew I wanted future generations to experience that, too.”

Yet, it wasn’t just the breathtaking landscapes that instilled a love for the environment. Martinesi reflects on how her unique Swiss-Chinese household fostered a heartfelt commitment to sustainability. “My mother was resourceful in the kitchen, always finding ways to repurpose ingredients and leftovers,” she shares. “When herbs wilted, she’d make compound butter. We never ate the same food twice.”

Through the lens of the familial tradition of minimising waste, the seeds for CHOMP were sown.

Serving Up Solutions

The idea for the app sprouted in 2015 while the hospitality management student worked in a prestigious hotel restaurant and witnessed a shocking amount of food waste tipped into bins. “I felt compelled to do something,” she says. Having returned to her Hong Kong roots in 2019, she landed a creative job in marketing, but the pandemic struck and her career path stalled. “I realised many friends in the F&B industry were facing challenges, too,” she relates. “Conversations about food waste bubbled to the surface, and I decided to take action.”

Thus, the birth of CHOMP in 2020, a platform that connects F&B businesses with customers at home wishing to enjoy discounted meal boxes filled with unsold food. Martinesi quickly made waves in the industry, saving more than 20,000 kilogrammes of edible food from landfills in the app’s first three years of operation and partnering with renowned names like Maxim’s and the Shangri-La hotel group.

But for her, success goes beyond numbers. “It’s intertwined,” she asserts. “I’m proud when we save even a single croissant; it shows that we’re making a difference. Through our app and events like The Rescued Feast, we’re transforming an uncomfortable conversation about waste into one that generates intrigue and knowledge. People realise how engaging and impactful sustainability can be.”

Her sense of fulfilment is rooted in CHOMP’s community impact, whether it’s the young girl asking about starting her own animal welfare business or the conversations ignited at workshops and events. “You can gauge success through tiny moments,” she reflects. “When a stranger walks up to me and shares they’ve used our app, or a restaurant says we’ve helped alleviate their waste problem, that’s when I know we’re on the right track.”

Vision for Change

Martinesi’s ambitious vision for the future includes reaching a target of 100,000 kilogrammes of food saved and engaging 500 F&B partners by the end of this year as part of CHOMP’s expansion plan. “We want a larger-scale reduction of waste,” she emphasises, focusing on education initiatives that introduce sustainable practices to the next generation. “Workshops and social media campaigns like #TuesdayTips impart practical advice for minimising household food waste. I want to see community engagement become a cornerstone of our mission.”

She admits: “Food waste isn’t a pretty subject. How do you make garbage a compelling conversation starter?” Yet, through inventive initiatives like The Rescued Feast – a series of dinners where top chefs create dishes from surplus food – and educational outreach to schools, she has successfully made this conversation accessible and engaging to the community.

Despite her accolades, including being named on the Forbes ‘30 Under 30’ list, the young Millennial boss remains humble, always looking ahead. “Recognition helps open doors, especially as a woman in a male-dominated field, but we’re still grappling with challenging issues like food waste and climate change,” she shares.

“Our app is just one piece of the puzzle; social media helps raise awareness and educates the community. In the global conversations about sustainability, I see CHOMP’s role as a door-opener – showing that impactful initiatives are possible.”

Breath of Fresh Air

Martinesi’s passion is palpable, almost overwhelming. “I need water. Whew!” she laughs, during our conversation, her excitement evident. “I can’t help but be invested in what CHOMP does. It’s a mission I take to heart.”

To the outside eye, she has already achieved so much, making a difference at such a youthful age, but she sees it otherwise. With a hint of pride that those who are even younger will take on the environmental mantle and do even better, she stresses: “I cannot do this alone. I rely on the younger generations to continue this work. It’s really a team effort.”

Wise beyond her years, Martinesi concludes by reiterating her desire to leave a legacy for a brighter, more sustainable future. “We may not end food waste on our watch, but we aim to ignite a flame of awareness and action for those who follow. The next generation holds the answers; I’m here to pave the way.”

Photographer: Jack Law   Videographer: Jack Fontanilla   Venue: 1880 Hong Kong – The Double    Brands: Fenxiang & Emma Wallace