They were working to feed 35 ravenous young innovators on board the Millennial Trains Project, a series of crowd-funded transcontinental journeys on which young innovators explore our generation’s urgent challenges. My own project focused on the future of food systems so I paid close attention to our chefs. Managing waste, conserving water, and sourcing local foods, Ortiz and Carvalho demonstrated that it’s possible to create delicious, even decadent, food while also supporting a resilient food system.

Ortiz and Carvalho, who have Michelin-starred New York restaurants on their resumes, now run C.C.O. Consulting Group. They found their job on the train as any millennial working the gig economy might: in a Craigslist ad. The pair took it on as