Teaching Sustainability: Your Path Starts Here

Terry Jenkinson

Silver Spoon Hospitality Academy, Namibia

Principle Lead of Sustainability Education

Terry Jenkinson is currently Head of Culinary Arts at Silver Spoon Hospitality Academy, Windhoek, Namibia. With thirty-five years of experience within the Hospitality Sector and having represented South Africa as part of the 3-man pastry team during the 1995 Pastry World Cup and presenting a South African Food Festival in Sri Lanka on behalf of the South African Government, He has also mentored the Under 25 Namibian chefs Team who took part in the 2016 Abu Dhabi Alan Thong Coffee Pot Challenge. Terry has mentored 6 student chefs who have participated in Young Chef Olympiads between 2018 and 2024. Terry has recently been appointed the Principal Lead of the Sustainability Curriculum under the Feed the Planet Program of World Chefs.

Rodrigo Duarte

Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador Sede Manabí

Rodrigo is a chef and Chemistry teacher, with master’s degrees in Food Science and Applied Chemistry. He currently teaches gastronomy and does research in gastronomy and natural products at Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, sede Manabí. Together with chef Marlene Rojas Le-Fort, they have been teaching sustainability to culinary professionals in Ecuador since 2018 as a husband and wife team, both in open events and in university and technical school settings.

Chef John Carlo Palacol, MIHM, CSIP, CFPM,  CGSP

Lyceum of the Philippines University-Laguna

Chef John Carlo holds a professional objective to excel in a culinary environment, is certified as a World Chefs Sustainability Educator, and has numerous licenses in ServSafe. Notably, he spearheads culinary sustainability integration in culinary education, holds various ServSafe certifications, and contributes to TESDA training regulations alignment with ASEAN standards. Academically, he pursues a Doctorate in Hospitality Management and holds degrees from Lyceum of the Philippines University and Philippine Women’s University. He has diverse international and national training. Actively involved in culinary associations, he highly decorated Culinary Instructor with numerous national and international awards. His industry experience spans various sectors, including family-owned establishments like UGU Bigyan Restaurant and Café U, both recognized nationally and internationally. Presently, he is a program chair at LPU-Culinary Institute Laguna and the College of International Tourism and Hospitality Management at the same university and has played a key role in the university’s impressive culinary competition achievements and championships.

Viktorija Baltutyte

HRC Culinary Academy, Bulgaria

Viktorija Baltutyte-Bacheva, hailing from Lithuania, brings over a decade of culinary expertise to her role as a Chef/Research and Development instructor at HRC Culinary Academy in Bulgaria. Throughout her career Viktorija has worked in Europe and United states, starting with intern positions, going through stations, and taking over managing positions in various restaurants.

Drawing from her Baltic roots and global experiences, Viktorija is a passionate advocate for culinary innovation, sustainability, and bold experimentation in the kitchen. She empowers future generations of chefs to embrace these values, encouraging them to think critically about food, explore sustainable alternatives, and fearlessly push boundaries to create art in plates.

In her journey from Lithuania to Bulgaria, Viktorija remains dedicated to nurturing culinary talent and fostering a culture of excellence in the kitchen. Her commitment to instilling a reverence for ingredients, promoting sustainable practices, and inspiring culinary creativity transcends borders, leaving an indelible impact on the aspiring chefs she guides.

Suhair Kilani

La Pantera, Jordan

Suhair Kilani is the owner and GM of La Pantera company in Jordan. Her Bachelor’s degree was in Biological Sciences & Medical Analysis, and she is currently pursuing two master’s degrees in two specializations: Quality Management and Health Care Management. Her company specializes in the food sector, holding training courses in partnership with local universities for workers in the food sector. These courses focus on Quality, Food Safety, Costing, Waste Management, and cooking, all aimed at enhancing knowledge, experience, effectiveness, and efficiency of local chefs and workers in the field. Suhair proudly joined the World Chef organization as a trainer for Sustainability Education, which is one of the most important topics in the culinary world recently. She sees it as a professional and ethical obligation to preserve and save the earth’s resources for a more responsible and resilient future. Over the past two years, she has conducted the course, covering around 65 local chefs. The course has helped them prioritize their use of ingredients, techniques, and practices to save resources, decrease costs and waste, and minimize environmental impact.