Tag: Food Heroes

Celebrating global leadership in sustainable gastronomy, Worldchefs’ Feed the Planet program has been awarded second place in the prestigious LIFE Climate Smart Chefs Award 2023-24 for Best Non-Profit Initiative. This recognition highlights Feed the Planet’s innovative efforts to educate chefs and inspire sustainable food practices worldwide.

• Feed the Planet was celebrated for its transformative initiatives, including chef education on sustainability, zero-waste practices, and community empowerment programs.
• The award was presented at the LIFE Climate Smart Chefs Final Conference in Milan in December 2024, where stakeholders reflected on the project’s impact and advanced dialogue on sustainable gastronomy.
• Learn more about how Feed the Planet is shaping a more sustainable future by exploring its initiatives at feedtheplanet.worldchefs.org.

Paris, 19 December 2024 – Worldchefs’ Feed the Planet program is proud to announce its second-place recognition in the prestigious LIFE Climate Smart Chefs (CSC) Award 2023-24 for Best Non-Profit Initiative. Presented at the LIFE Climate Smart Chefs Final Conference in Milan, this award highlights the program’s dedication to promoting sustainable gastronomy and environmental stewardship through culinary education.

The LIFE Climate Smart Chefs project, a three-year initiative focused on educating chefs across Europe, emphasizes the vital connection between food, health, and the environment. By equipping culinary professionals with the knowledge and tools to make sustainable choices, the project supports healthier food systems and raises awareness of gastronomy’s role in achieving global sustainability goals.

At the Final Conference, stakeholders from across the European food community gathered to reflect on the accomplishments of the Climate Smart Chefs project. The event showcased innovative solutions, encouraged dialogue on sustainable gastronomy, and celebrated organizations and chefs driving meaningful change.

Worldchefs’ Feed the Planet program was recognized for its pioneering initiatives, including:

• Sustainability Education for Culinary Professionals: A free, open-source curriculum designed to equip chefs with practical tools to implement sustainable practices in their kitchens and communities.
• Like a Chef: An employment training program offering underprivileged individuals a pathway into the culinary industry with an emphasis on zero-waste and sustainability.
• Food Heroes Challenge: A global educational project inspiring children to adopt sustainable food habits and become active participants in creating a better future.

“This award celebrates the incredible efforts of our global network of chefs who have made sustainability a cornerstone of their craft,” said Ragnar Fridriksson, Managing Director of Worldchefs, who accepted the award in Milan. “Feed the Planet is proud to be part of this vibrant movement advancing sustainable gastronomy, and we appreciate this recognition from the LIFE Climate Smart Chefs program.”

The LIFE Climate Smart Chefs Award reflects Worldchefs’ focus on addressing the critical challenges of food sustainability and environmental impact. As a leader in culinary innovation, Feed the Planet continues to engage chefs, educators, and communities worldwide to contribute to a sustainable food future, inspiring better cooking and eating habits through awareness and advocacy.

Feed the Planet was founded by Worldchefs in 2012 as a way to empower and mobilize our global chefs’ network passionate about building a better future. In 2016, Worldchefs joined forces with Electrolux Food Foundation and AIESEC, the world’s largest youth-led organization. Since that time, Feed the Planet has grown into a dynamic collaborative effort for inspiring social change. Through diverse and crosscutting programs, Feed the Planet creates impact through awareness, education and advocacy, supporting the training of key communities to help them put better food on the table, upskilling culinary professionals to help minimize environmental impact in professional kitchens, and encouraging sustainable food consumption through resources, webcasts, recipes, and more.

The success of Feed the Planet would not be possible without the support of its key partner, the Electrolux Food Foundation. Together, these initiatives aim to inspire positive change by leveraging the power of culinary professionals to drive sustainability and support communities in need.

The Climate Smart Chefs project is part of the European Union’s LIFE program, which supports environmental, nature conservation, and climate action initiatives across Europe.

For more information about the LIFE program and awards, visit the LIFE Climate Smart Chefs Award website or find the full list of winners here.

Learn more about Worldchefs’ Feed the Planet programs at www.feedtheplanet.worldchefs.org.

Take action

Start your journey towards a more conscious kitchen with Worldchefs’ FREE online Sustainability Education for Culinary Professionals course on Worldchefs Academy! Learn about key topics in food systems at your own pace, and give your career a boost with a valuable digital badge to show you’ve completed the training program.

Feed the Planet is powered by our friends at Electrolux Food Foundation. Visit the Electrolux Food Foundation website here and explore Replate at replate.com.

Read more in the latest issue of Worldchefs Magazine

Head to page 46 in Issue 30 to read more about how Feed the Planet programs are making an impact around the globe.

About Worldchefs

The World Association of Chefs’ Societies, known as Worldchefs, is a federation made up of 110 national chef associations. A leading voice in the hospitality industry, Worldchefs carries years of history since its founding in 1928 at the Sorbonne by the venerable Auguste Escoffier.

Representing a mobilized international membership of culinary professionals, Worldchefs is committed to advancing the profession and leveraging the influence of the chef jacket for the betterment of the industry and humanity at large.

Worldchefs is dedicated to raising culinary standards and social awareness through these core focus areas:

• Education – Worldchefs offers support for education and professional development through the landmark Worldchefs Academy online training program, a diverse network of Worldchefs Education Partners and curriculum, and the world’s first Global Culinary Certification recognizing on-the-job skillsin hospitality;
• Networking – Worldchefs connects culinary professionals around the world through their online community platform and provides a gateway for industry networking opportunities through endorsed events and the biennial Worldchefs Congress & Expo;
• Competition – Worldchefs sets global standards for competition rules, provides Competition Seminars and assurance of Worldchefs Certified Judges, and operates the prestigious Global Chefs Challenge;
• Humanitarianism & Sustainability – Worldchefs Feed the Planet and World Chefs Without Borders programs relieve food poverty, deliver crisis support, and promote sustainability across the globe.

Media contact: 

Olivia Ruszczyk [email protected]

Food Heroes Wins NORNS Awards Sustainability Education Program 2023

• Food Heroes, a Feed the Planet initiative driven by Worldchefs, Electrolux Food Foundation, and AIESEC, has won the NORNS Awards Marketing & Creative – Sustainability Education Program 2023.
• The NORNS Awards celebrate excellence and innovation worldwide by spotlighting professionals and organizations who, through hard work, collaboration, knowledge, and creativity, achieve results worthy of recognition.
• Food Heroes was developed as part of UNICEF’s World’s Largest Lesson. The interactive workshop has inspired more than 130,000 children all over the world to develop healthier eating habits. Learn more about Feed the Planet programs including Food Heroes at feedtheplanet.worldchefs.org.

Paris, 13 July 2023 – The World Association of Chefs’ Societies (Worldchefs), together with Feed the Planet partners Electrolux Food Foundation, accepted the NORNS Awards Marketing & Creative – Sustainability Education Program 2023 for the Food Heroes program’s remarkable contributions to “transforming the landscape of food sustainability and accessibility”.

“It is with great pleasure and a deep sense of admiration that we present this well-deserved recognition,” said NORNS Awards co-founder, Elisa Mattos. “We want to recognize all these professionals who have demonstrated exceptional dedication, creativity, and passion in their respective fields, contributing significantly to building a more equitable and nourishing world, and remind of our collective responsibility to create a more sustainable and equitable food system. Let their achievements serve as a call to action, inspiring each one of us to become agents of change in our own communities.”

Developed as part of UNICEF’s World’s Largest Lesson, Food Heroes has inspired more than 130,000 children all over the world to develop healthier eating habits toward the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Delivered in more than 30 countries by Worldchefs’ members and Feed the Planet partners Electrolux Food Foundation and AIESEC, the interactive workshop gives kids the superpowers they need to make better everyday food choices to contribute toward a healthier planet.

The open-source Food Heroes toolkit, available in English, Swedish, Romanian, Portuguese, Polish, Hungarian, Spanish, Italian, Ukrainian, and Traditional Chinese, can be used by anyone—from parents and teachers to professional chefs—to raise awareness of the relationship between food and planetary health.

“We are so proud to receive the NORNS Sustainable Education award and for the chance to celebrate all our Food Heroes around the globe,” says Worldchefs President, Thomas A. Gugler. “Feed the Planet initiatives are making a global impact thanks to the dedication and hard work of the Worldchefs’ community, inspiring action in and out of the kitchen. It is so important that we continue our efforts to help youth and families navigate key issues of our time, and we believe in the ‘The Power of the White Jacket’ for chefs to help build a better future.”

“We did it, together,” said Cosimo Scarano, Head of Electrolux Food Foundation. “To know that the judges recognized Food Heroes in the fight against food insecurity, while promoting sustainable food practices and empowering communities fills me with a sense of purpose and heartfelt gratitude to our colleagues, partners, local communities, and educators, as we work together to build a more equitable and nourishing world. Mostly, it reminds me that even small actions make a big difference and that together, we can do so much.”

Become a Food Hero

Food Heroes provides toolkits, quizzes, and resources, along with fun visual assets developed by EY Doberman, to facilitate workshops that bring a sense of joy to discovering new ways of looking at food with engaging exercises, lots of laughter, and knowledge that lasts a lifetime.

Get all tools to run a Food Heroes workshop, available in English, Swedish, Romanian, Portuguese, Polish, Hungarian, Spanish, Italian, Ukrainian, and Traditional Chinese. Click the button below to download the latest version of the Food Heroes PowerPoint slide deck and the toolkit.

Take action

Food Heroes 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, and sponsors who contribute to all Feed the Planet initiatives.

“Our amazing Food Heroes partnership has reached over 100,000 kids, with so many professional chefs active in countries around the globe,” says Ragnar Fridriksson, Worldchefs Managing Director. “Together we are working to empower and educate the next generation about healthy, nutritious food, which is so important to us.”

To learn more about Feed the Planet, visit feedtheplanet.worldchefs.org.

Read more in the latest issue of Worldchefs Magazine

Head to page 45 in Issue 29 to read more about how Feed the Planet programs are making an impact around the globe.

From mastering the art of sustainable cooking to embracing the latest technological advancements in the kitchen, Worldchefs Magazine is your guide to staying at the forefront of the culinary profession. 

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