Celebrating the graduates of the Like A Chef program in St. Lucia

Celebrating the graduates of the Like A Chef program in St. Lucia

• The Like A Chef program, a Feed the Planet initiative driven by Worldchefs, Electrolux Food Foundation, and AIESEC, hosted the first graduation for 2024 in St. Lucia.
• Graduates received comprehensive culinary education, encompassing cooking techniques and strategies for reducing food waste, to help them identify suitable employment
• The unique Like a Chef initiative was launched in 2017 with a goal to educate and train 3,000 people worldwide by 2030. Learn more about Feed the Planet programs including Like A Chef at feedtheplanet.worldchefs.org.

This May, the fourth cohort of students graduated from Worldchefs’ Like a Chef program in St. Lucia! Over twelve weeks, the fourteen students learned essential skills in the kitchen to prepare them for a future career in the culinary industry.

The Like a Chef program in St. Lucia launched on February 14th, 2023 by founder Jordann Norbert. Since then, a total of 54 students have graduated from the program over four cohorts.

Graduates from our Like a Chef program never fail to inspire us and this group of graduates is no different. Take it from founder Jordann Norbert herself:

We have had some really inspiring stories come out of this cohort. One being a return student who started out with us last year in our second cohort and got caught up with the law which affected him not being able to complete the program. However during his first appearance before the judge she learned of the program he was completing and was very impressed. She ordered that he had to return to complete the program in it’s entirety as a stipulation during his probational period. He did exactly that, participating in this cohort and successfully completing the program. He will be starting his internship next week at one of our most highly decorated restaurants here on island. We are super proud of him.

Training chefs in sustainability practices is crucial for St. Lucia’s food industry, given the island’s heavy reliance on tourism and its vibrant culinary scene. Realizing the importance of sustainable practices in the kitchen, Jordann Norbert decided to incorporate Worldchefs’ Sustainability Education for Culinary Professionals course into the Like a Chef program. By equipping chefs with the knowledge and skills to source local ingredients, minimize food waste, and adopt eco-friendly cooking methods, the graduates of this program can help St. Lucia reduce its dependence on imported foods and support local agriculture. Sustainable practices in the kitchen not only enhance the island’s food security but also ensure a resilient food system that can withstand the impacts of climate change.

The students and graduates of Like a Chef in St. Lucia are motivated by their desire to create a better future for themselves and the planet. Their stories never cease to amaze us.

Another remarkable story is that of a single mother who, despite facing numerous challenges, excelled in the program. Her hard work and perseverance paid off when she was recently hired as a senior chef at Jade Mountain, one of the world’s top hotels. Her journey from unemployment to securing such a prestigious position is truly inspirational.

Jordann Norbert, Like a Chef St. Lucia founder

As Like a Chef in St. Lucia prepares to launch the second cohort in June, we look forward to following the success stories of more inspiring graduates as they shape the future of the culinary industry.

Impacting Communities

Like a Chef was launched in late 2017 with a goal to educate and train 3000 people worldwide by 2030. Founded and driven by Worldchefs together with Electrolux Food Foundation, the Like a Chef program is an employment training initiative that provides professional culinary skills to underprivileged individuals. The program emphasizes sustainable cooking methods with a zero-waste approach.

Adapted to each community it serves, the program empowers various groups in need, including refugees, single parents, cancer survivors, and orphaned teenagers, to provide for themselves and their families. With over 1000 graduates, there have been eight training centers around the world in Brazil, Poland, Egypt, Sweden, St. Lucia, Russia, and Ukraine.

“This project is really tailored to the needs of local communities. Together with our partner Worldchefs, Electrolux Food Foundation really wanted to give back to local communities and that’s the purpose and the secret of the success of this initiative,” said Cosimo Scarano, Head of Electrolux Food Foundation. “We are very honored to see the recognition coming for this program and are every day more and more convinced of its potential in changing people’s lives. Thanks to my team and to everyone who contributes daily to Like a Chef implementation and success.”

Take Action

The Like a Chef program is made possible with the support of Feed the Planet partners and the tireless contributions of Worldchefs’ members around the globe. Worldchefs extends the utmost gratitude to all program participants, local partners, sponsors, and volunteer chefs who contribute to the life-changing success of Like a Chef and all Feed the Planet initiatives. It is the dedication of Worldchefs’ global community that fosters resilience and solidarity in the industry and beyond.

“It’s an incredible honor to have been able to help change the lives of over 1000 people through the Like a Chef program, and the only way this is possible is through the diverse partnership of Worldchefs, Electrolux Food Foundation, and AIESEC, which together forms the backbone of Feed the Planet,” says Feed the Planet Chairman, Chris Koetke. “We look forward to expanding our program and reaching more lives in the years to come.”

To learn more about Feed the Planet and the Like a Chef program, visit feedtheplanet.worldchefs.org.