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PARIS, 2017: Worldchefs is honoured to announce a proud milestone; Feed the Planet’s empowering people through culinary education project in Curitiba, Brazil graduated its first class on November 13, 2017!
The program graduated 21 students, mainly unemployed single mothers. The curriculum was designed by Worldchefs to teach culinary skills, in order to help students find work in professional kitchens and provide for themselves and their families. The curriculum also aims to raise awareness about sustainable culinary practices such as zero food waste.
This first-of-it’s-kind Feed the Planet project is run in partnership between Worldchefs, Electrolux and AIESEC. Curitiba was the pilot project; the next wave of culinary education for empowerment courses will begin in early 2018. The goal is then to replicate this project in other regions in years to come.
Each training course lasts 10 weeks and includes 40 days of lessons. The curriculum is delivered by chefs who generously donated their time to train the students. When selecting participants, priority is given to single mothers struggling to get a job. Some places were reserved for unemployed relatives of Electrolux employees.
Worldchefs President, Thomas Gugler said, “As a global chef’s organization, we are committed to sharing our knowledge, resources and network to make this project a success. We know it will make a huge difference.”
Malin Ekefalk, Electrolux Director Social Responsibility said: “This project is showcasing how the sum is bigger than the parts in the Feed the Planet partnership – together we can make great things happen! Now we want to build on this and replicate in other places.”
A partnership in action
This project, which began development in early 2017, is a true collaborative effort.
Worldchefs has developed the curriculum and chefs are donating their time to train the students, Electrolux supplied a specifically designed educational kitchen in Curitiba, and AIESEC provided support. Sodexo offered cleaning services and food, and FAS, a local non-profit, selected the participants and helped with the training.
Cosimo Scarano, Electrolux Project Coordinator and AIESEC intern, said, “The skills we teach the students will last them their entire lives. The goal is to help them have a better quality of life and find employment.”
About Feed the Planet
Feed the Planet is an initiative to inspire sustainable food consumption among communities and culinary professionals, and to support people in need through emergency relief, food poverty alleviation, and education. Founded by WORLDCHEFS, it is run in partnership with Electrolux and AIESEC.
About Worldchefs
The World Association of Chefs' Societies, or Worldchefs, is a global network of chefs associations first founded in October 1928 at the Sorbonne in Paris. At that first congress there were 65 delegates from 17 countries, representing 36 national and international associations, and the venerable August Escoffier was named the first Honorary President of Worldchefs.
Today, this global body has 100 official chefs associations as members that represent professional chefs worldwide. The biennial congress is a hallmark tradition of Worldchefs and has been organised in over 20 cities across the world throughout its illustrious 82-year history.
“Worldchefs, the global authority on food”
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