Building a strong food safety culture takes more than standards alone. It requires practical education, skilled professionals, and collaboration at every level.
This shared commitment took centre stage in Pakistan during the recent visit of Richard Sprenger, Chairman of Highfield Group UK, hosted by COTHM Pakistan and the Chefs’ Association of Pakistan (CAP), a Worldchefs member association. Through professional training, institutional exchanges, and the inauguration of a new Centre for Food Safety and Hygiene, the initiative brought together key stakeholders to strengthen skills, standards, and long-term collaboration across the country.
Raising Professional Standards
Richard Sprenger, Chairman of Highfield Group UK and a globally renowned food safety expert, trained over 150 professionals and engaged with regulatory bodies, academia, and industry leaders during his landmark visit to COTHM Pakistan, strengthening the country’s food safety ecosystem and its alignment with international standards.
Invited by COTHM Pakistan and the Chefs’ Association of Pakistan (CAP), the visit quickly evolved beyond formal meetings into a national dialogue on food safety transformation, bringing together regulatory authorities, academia, and industry stakeholders under a shared global vision.
Over 150 professionals were trained during the visit, while multiple institutions across provinces were actively engaged, reinforcing a central message: food safety is not compliance alone, but a culture that must be practised consistently at every level.
During his engagements in Lahore, the Punjab Agriculture, Food and Drug Authority (PAFDA) hosted Richard Sprenger for a high-level technical exchange with senior leadership, including Director General Dr Talat Naseer Pasha and Member Food Dr Muhammad Nasir.
He also addressed around 100 scientists and food technologists, delivering an in-depth session on modern food safety governance, international best practices, and the shift towards risk-based inspection models and competency-driven enforcement systems.
The session further emphasized Pakistan’s growing scientific capacity and the importance of continuous professional development in meeting evolving global challenges in food safety.stry.
A Milestone for Food Safety Education
During the visit, Nestlé Professional served as the main collaborator, playing a central role in enabling the Gold Standard Training sessions and supporting the technical delivery of professional development activities.
Pearl Continental Hotel Lahore was the official Hospitality Partner, Rose Petal Professional acted as the Hygiene Partner, and McDonald’s Pakistan joined as the Food Partner.
Richard Sprenger also toured COTHM and the Chocolate Academy, interacted with students, and inaugurated key learning facilities, appreciating the institutions’ applied learning philosophy.
A major milestone of the visit was the inauguration of the Centre for Food Safety and Hygiene, marking a significant advancement in competency-based food safety education in Pakistan.
Connecting Research, Regulation, and Industry
Richard Sprenger also visited the head office of the Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR), where detailed discussions were held on laboratory systems, research alignment, and the development of a structured collaboration framework between COTHM, the Chefs’ Association of Pakistan, Highfield Group UK, and PCSIR for training and certification.
The engagements continued at Rescue 1122 Headquarters, where an in-depth knowledge exchange session was conducted with senior officials on emergency preparedness, disaster response systems, and food safety risk management during crises.
Later, he visited McDonald’s Pakistan, where food safety systems, quality assurance, and global operational compliance were observed in a live working environment. The visit concluded with strong mutual interest in establishing a formal collaboration with Highfield Group UK for training and certification development.
The series of engagements concluded with a high-level panel discussion at the Ali Institute of Education, in collaboration with Rose Petal Professional and McDonald’s Pakistan, where academia, industry leaders, and regulatory experts addressed systemic gaps and the urgent need for harmonized, competency-based national food safety standards aligned with global frameworks.
Building Momentum for Lasting Change
Across all engagements, from regulatory authorities and laboratories to hotels, production facilities, emergency services, and academic institutions, Richard Sprenger’s visit consistently reinforced a unified message: food safety is not merely compliance, but a culture of discipline, practice, and continuous improvement.
“Food safety is not just a system; it is a culture that must be practised consistently at every level,” said Richard Sprenger.
Ahmad Shafiq, Founder, President and CEO of COTHM Pakistan and COTHM Global UK, expressed his gratitude to Richard Sprenger for visiting Pakistan and contributing significantly to the upskilling of Pakistani professionals.
He acknowledged that Richard Sprenger’s engagements with institutions, regulatory authorities, academia, and industry stakeholders have opened new avenues for international collaboration, competency-based training, and globally aligned food safety practices in Pakistan.
Ahmad Shafiq further stated that such international collaborations are essential for strengthening Pakistan’s hospitality, food production, and regulatory sectors while preparing professionals to meet evolving global standards.
The visit of Richard Sprenger emerged as a catalyst for long-term transformation in Pakistan’s food safety landscape. It strengthened institutional collaboration, expanded professional capacity, and accelerated alignment with international standards, leaving behind sustained momentum towards a more structured, competent, and globally aligned food safety system.
Through initiatives like this, the Chefs’ Association of Pakistan and COTHM Pakistan are helping to raise professional standards while contributing valuable knowledge and experience to the wider Worldchefs community. Their work reflects the important role culinary organisations can play in building a stronger food safety culture, both locally and across the global industry.
