Mark Your Calendars for International Chefs Day 2026!

Mark Your Calendars: International Chefs Day is October 20th!

Each year on October 20, chefs around the world come together to celebrate International Chefs Day. Founded in 2004 by the late Chef Dr. Bill Gallagher, this global tradition honors the culinary profession and its role in inspiring, educating, and supporting the next generation through food.

For International Chefs Day 2026, Worldchefs and Nestlé Professional are bringing back the Food Explorers campaign and taking it a step further. Building on the enthusiasm and success of last year’s activities, the campaign returns with a strong focus on ingredients, encouraging people of all ages to explore what goes into their food, where it comes from, how it is grown or harvested, and why it matters.

And that’s where you come in. Every chef, in every corner of the world, has something to teach. By sharing your knowledge, skills, and passion for food, you can help future chefs become curious, confident Food Explorers.

Get involved

To help you get started, visit worldchefs.org/internationalchefsday and download the 2026 Food Explorers Toolkit. The toolkit includes step-by-step workshop guides, user-friendly recipes using Nestlé Professional’s Hero Ingredients, posters, certificates, and more.

Use these resources to create an activity that works for your community, whether it is a short classroom moment, a hands-on cooking session, a garden visit, a sustainability activity, or a full-day celebration.

October 20 is the official day, but the whole month of October is yours to make it happen. Together, we can continue shaping a healthier, more sustainable future, one young chef at a time.

Share Your Food Explorers Moments

Don’t forget to share your photos and videos with us at internationalchefsday@worldchefs.org and use the campaign hashtags:

#ICDFoodExplorers #InternationalChefsDay #ThisIsWorldchefs #NestleProfessional

The International Chefs Day Committee is here to support you with ideas, resources, and inspiration. Thank you for helping children discover the world through food, health, sustainability, and the joy of cooking.

Let’s make 2026 another inspiring International Chefs Day for future chefs around the globe!