Right now, you are building the pantry you’ll pass on. Your contribution to culinary heritage is taking shape with each recipe you test, each ingredient choice you make.
Would it make a menu you’d be proud of?
Food is the ultimate connector, bridging time and space, and bringing people together in ways not much else can. Our plates can be a celebration of identity, connection, and ecology. Food culture is something we inherit, transform, and share. Rooted in the past and growing into the future, it is a living legacy and an invitation to be a part of the process.
Written in time-honored techniques and place-making ingredients, on jars and in cookbooks, the culinary traditions in our kitchens are alive, simultaneously preserving and making collective memory.
Chefs are active stewards of food culture’s living legacy. In this article, we reflect on simple ways that chefs can make the most of their role as food culture custodians and future ancestors.
Food Makes Future
The future is what we make it, through everyday actions. Here are four areas of action that every chef can incorporate into their culinary practice and the pantry they’ll pass on.
Nurture intergenerational relationships
Intergenerational knowledge is power. We’ve written plenty about the importance of mentorship, but it doesn’t even need to fit into that box. Family, friends, colleagues – seek out and foster relationships with elders and up-and-comings in a spirit of openness and curiosity.
We inherit what we see and learn, and we pass on what we learn and do. There are more opportunities than you realize to engage with and influence others of all ages, in your home or professional kitchen.
SEE THIS IN ACTION
The World Food Forum (WFF)’s Young Chefs Programme equips chefs (aged 18-35) with skills, knowledge, and networks to take a leading role in transforming agrifood systems through culinary practices. From advancing better nutrition to promoting food security and biodiversity, its ultimate goal is to create leaders that can inspire and guide other chefs to advocate for more sustainable and healthier consumption habits. Each participant is paired with a mentor from Worldchefs’ community.
Put underutilised ingredients back on the menu
Cook more beans. Source the greens your grandmother used to talk about. Recipe test like the future depends on it, because it does!
We have a world of biodiverse pantry items to pull from, but yet nearly half our calories come from just three crops: rice, wheat, and maize. Rediscover and promote heritage ingredients native to where you live. Learn and tell their stories. Talk to your local farmers and food producers for inspiration and start collaborating.
SEE THIS IN ACTION
Three Michelin-Starred Chef Ana Roš views local sourcing as a commitment to the legacy and the future. Hear from here why memory-making matters.
“I want people to remember what they had, not just, ‘Oh, do you remember that dish? Maybe yes, maybe not.’ No, you have to remember it. It’s important.”
Some of our best and most innovative technology is as old as dirt.
Take a moment to reflect on how much observation, experimentation and skill sits behind processes like fermentation. Or the brilliance of nixtamalization. Think about the creativity and cunning required to process and use every part of an ingredient.
These are some of our oldest food technologies. Perfected through practice and intergenerational learning, all across the globe we find diverse examples of the scientific process from farm to table. From regenerative agriculture to salt curing, research and explore an ancient innovation and see how it can inspire your next menu.
SEE THIS IN ACTION
Zimbabwean cuisine is rich in heritage, flavor, and sustainability, yet many traditional foods and techniques remain underutilized. In this webcast, Fezile Ncube in Masvingo, Zimbabwe and Martin Christensson in Rome, Italy, introduce the unique ingredients and techniques of Zimbabwean cuisine, the challenges in food knowledge, preservation and sustainability, and the role of chefs in shaping sustainable food systems through the ‘Whatz Cooking’ project.
Explore heritage recipes and make them your own
Every recipe is a living document. They are testaments of someone’s day, markers of a growing season’s climate, stories of migration and movement and of staying put. Become a part of your heritage cuisine’s story by working with and adapting its recipes.
SEE THIS IN ACTION
Chefs, as storytellers, create delicious ways for people to reconnect with food culture, putting agricultural origins, cultural traditions, and shared values on a plate. Through their craft, chefs can inspire others to try new things and learn more about what they may have previously ignored.
In this article you can find chefs sharing their take on heritage recipes and the stories behind them.
These are just four simple suggestions, courses of action with huge potential. Your next menu is an opportunity. We know that chefs have an incredible, unique capacity to inspire change as trusted messengers. Bringing these four areas of action to your community through food can have more of an impact than you might realize, and the stories of these ideas in action show us just that.
Worldchefs’ recent UNESCO participation also shared this lesson. UNESCO guidelines remind us that safeguarding heritage means ensuring its vitality, not freezing it in time. Culinary heritage is alive, and we are its heartbeat. How will knowing that change the pantry you protect?
Resources
The word innovationgets thrown around a lot these days, as if it’s something out of reach. Just like the word future. But neither really are – they’re right with us, on our plates. Below are three resources to get more involved in the future of food.
Sign up for The Mindful Kitchen #3: Facing the Guest
Learn how you can drive impact and inspire smarter food choices and sustainable kitchen leadership. On July 28th, we have the last installment of a three-part series on The Mindful Kitchen, part of the FoodChoices4LIFE initiative.
The Mindful Kitchen #3: Facing the Guest, presented by Chef Shonah Chalmers, dives into menu psychology, sustainable menu engineering, and subtle guest communication techniques that help drive climate-smart choices in food service environments.
Read more about chefs as trusted messengers in our June article:
A chef’s recommendation is more than a selling point. It’s an opportunity to rebuild trust and drive change.
From chefs’ specials to viral recipes, what a chef recommends means more now than ever. Whether it’s a new ingredient or an issue they advocate for, people care what’s cooking. Why?
Worldchefs just launched a new Young Chefs Mentorship Program Toolkit, a practical resource created to help National Chef Associations build structured mentorship opportunities for young chefs in their communities. The toolkit offers associations a clear starting point to connect young chefs with experienced culinary professionals, turning mentorship into a more accessible and consistent pathway for learning, confidence-building, and career development. Learn more about it here.
Find Worldchefs at the World Food Forum this October
Find Worldchefs at the World Food Forum (WFF) from 8 to 16 October 2026 at the FAO headquarters in Rome!
Learn more about the WFF Young Chef Programme here.
A chef’s recommendation is more than a selling point. It’s an opportunity to rebuild trust and drive change.
From chefs’ specials to viral recipes, what a chef recommends means more now than ever. Whether it’s a new ingredient or an issue they advocate for, people care what’s cooking.
Why? Every restaurant visit is a small exercise in trust. If a chef suggests a dish, a customer orders it not because they’ve studied its origins, ingredients, or technique. They try it because they trust the chef.
That trust is powerful. It can help to shape what and how people eat. It is fundamental in systems change and development, a binding agent — an essential ingredient of growth, societal well-being, and governance. Trust is also sorely lacking in so many institutions today, and much more difficult to add than a bit of salt.
The food service sector occupies a unique position between producers, policymakers, and consumers, making it a powerful driver for healthier and more sustainable food choices. Restaurants are increasingly serving as educational spaces and cultural conduits. In the halls of the United Nations, school canteens, community kitchens and boardrooms, chefs are showing up to deliver important recommendations.
Chefs have been recognized as agents of change for decades. But today they have a bigger platform than ever to drive change, as trusted messengers in their communities and in the global movement towards good food for all. In this article, we explore how building trust, insights from behavioral science, and global initiatives are providing chefs everywhere with opportunities to make an impact.
Trusted Messengers: Chefs deliver more than food & flavor
WHAT IS A TRUSTED MESSENGER?
We’re borrowing the termfrom public health. Trusted messengers are who people turn to for reliable, unbiased information. They can take many forms, from individuals to organizations. Be it a local health clinic, hairdresser, preacher or chef, who communities consider to be trusted messengers varies based on shared experience, identity, values, and built relationships. They earn this confidence by participating in and understanding culture. Their position and perceived credibility means they can deliver messages that make sense to their community, messages that are more likely to have influence.
Beyond being respected sources of information, trusted messengers are also conduits, helping to deliver information across their network. They are essential in communicating the needs and concerns of their community to others. They help to center values by sharing them in an authentic way, and by doing so, ensure that our food systems are grounded in lived experience and wellbeing, not just technical solutions.
Who delivers a message matters. They are the bridge between information and action. Whether or not the messenger is trusted makes all the difference.
CHEFS & THE STATE OF TRUST
We don’t really need references to write that trust, broadly, is at a low point. The research might still stun. The 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer finds that 70% of the global survey’s 33,938 respondents across 28 nations are hesitant or unwilling to trust someone who has different values, information sources, approaches to societal problems, or backgrounds than them. Optimism is at a low, too, with just 32% of people globally believing the next generation will be better off.
While trust in institutions, media, and others wanes, greater transparency is also being demanded, especially when it comes to food. Despite the pessimism, people care about and are actively seeking information on what they eat. The question is: who do people trust enough to listen to?
In the face of a global food crisis, the news isn’t always easy to swallow. But who would shoot the messenger when they’re bringing you a delicious meal? Perhaps this is one of the many reasons behind why chefs make strong trusted messengers, and why recent research shows that food service professionals are increasingly viewed as trusted voices.
The new Consumer Observatory Trust Report from EIT Food – The State of Trust in Europe’s Food System tracks how trust has evolved between 2021 and 2025 across five key Food System actors: farmers, retailers, restaurants and caterers, manufacturers, and public authorities. Key findings from the report include:
Farmers continue to lead on trust: 68% of Europeans trust them in 2025.
Retailers are regaining trust, now at 54%.
Restaurants and caterers see the biggest gain, rising from 48% to 53%.
Authorities and manufacturers are improving, yet remain among the least trusted actors.
Transparency, competence, and care are the key drivers of trust recovery.
The Edelman Trust Barometer survey has also shown gains in food influencers as trusted voices, especially when it comes to leveraging relationships to boost institutional trust. A key finding in Trust’s 2026 report illustrated that trusted voices in food can open doors. People who trust influencers say they would trust or consider trusting a company they currently distrust if it were vouched for by someone they already trust, such as a food or lifestyle influencer (62%, among the 48% who trust an influencer). In a time when consumer confidence is desperately lacking, who or what a chef gets behind can also help to broker trust.
The data show that chefs yield power. As connectors and food culture custodians, they serve as a direct link between diverse food systems actors through their daily interactions with food producers and diners alike. Their expertise and credibility give them a unique platform to educate on topics ranging from nutrition and biodiversity to local sourcing and agroecology. Their reach helps shape food choices across the food web.
Food is deeply connected to emotion, memory, and personal histories. As storytellers, chefs make tangible what usually gets lost in technical jargon or policy dialogue. Through the universal language of food, they translate complex issues into relatable, actionable messages that resonate with decision makers, from heads of household to heads of state.
Rising trust in restaurants, caterers, and food influencers demonstrates the growing influence of chefs as trusted messengers. It also offers an opportunity to inform how we can rebuild trust, centering identity, values, and community engagement. Trust is a prerequisite for meaningful behavior change. By understanding where and why trust is making gains, communities, advocates, and policymakers can better support the movement towards healthier and more sustainable diets.
Today, everyone has to take action to make our planet a better place. Working on sustainability can be done with little action: more plants in your food, less waste, using blue water to cook, grey water to clean, etc. Every small action makes a difference. Let’s do this together.
TRUST & CHANGING WHAT WE EAT: LEVERAGING BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE
We know that cost, convenience, and taste are top considerations when it comes to consumer choices. Yet even in a cost-of-living crisis, 88% of consumers consider trust to be just as important as price and quality. Chefs, as trusted messengers, can inform these choices. People listen to chefs; they act on their recommendations. This is a bigger deal than most might realize.
What we choose to eat has far-reaching impacts on both markets and climate. Consumers’ purchasing decisions account for about 60% of the world’s GDP and constitute nearly half of food-related greenhouse gas emissions. The food environment impacts how people make these choices, and while it can be forced using strategies like taxes and bans, these measures only go so far. To get to the root, we need to change behavior.
When it comes to shifting consumer food decisions, research shows that positive and engaging experiences do more than fear-based messaging. The emerging field of culinary psychology explores how memory, culture, emotion, and environment shape what and how we eat. Chefs influence behavior through many different methods, including menu architecture, plating, portion perception, and sensory cues, to create satisfying, health-conscious experiences while maintaining people’s sense of autonomy. Essentially, they make change fun rather than fearful.
Stelios Kiosses, psychotherapist, Course Director at the University of Oxford, and author of Culinary Psychology: Food Choices and the Mind-Body Connection, is a pioneering voice in the emerging field of culinary psychology. With over three decades of clinical experience, Stelios explores how food is inseparably connected to how we think, feel, and live. In this podcast, he discusses the ways chefs and culinary experiences can influence wellbeing, behavior, and satisfaction.
Everyday success stories and the latest research show that co-creating behavioral change interventions with restaurants works. Simple strategies, like using more appealing language to describe a plant-rich dish, are helping to accelerate better consumer choices. For example, Panera Bread swapped the menu item name “Low Fat Vegetarian Black Bean Soup” to “Cuban Black Bean Soup” in trial markets and saw a 13% sales boost. Simple. Ditching “-isms” and making plant-rich dishes the default in schools, hospitals, businesses, and workplaces is yielding remarkable results, too. With the help of behavior science, simple changes like these are having a big impact.
WRI’s Better Buying Lab outlines the top 23 ‘behavior change’ strategies drawing on cutting edge academic research into how people choose food, as well as insights from experts in the food service industry about what works and what doesn’t.
Behavioral change interventions in the food service sector have great potential in the puzzle toward healthier and more sustainable food choices, shifting consumer choices in a positive and engaging way. Chefs, as key voices working at the systems level, have a huge part to play.
From changing menus to participating in global initiatives, chefs are putting behavior change playbooks into action, leveraging behavioral science and using their expertise to cultivate trust and connection through transparency, competency, and care.
Transparency, Competency, Care: Feeding community trust
The recently released EIT report outlined transparency, competence, and care as the key drivers of trust recovery. When you think about it, those three elements are essential to the way professional kitchens operate.
To be successful, chefs need to bring transparency, competence, and care into every part of their work, from procurement and menu development to food safety and plating. Opportunities to lean into these priorities and to build trust show up in their daily decisions and interactions with suppliers, colleagues, and diners.
With a larger platform than ever to effect change, chefs around the globe are channeling their expertise, credibility, and platforms to empower communities and help to redesign a better food system. International initiatives like FoodChoices4Life and the World Food Forum’s Young Chefs Programme are working in collaboration with Worldchefs to grow the movement through education, mentorship, and practical guidance for culinary professionals everywhere. Emergency food relief efforts between World Central Kitchen and World Chefs Without Borders are showing the public that when systems fail, we can trust that chefs will be on the frontlines to feed their communities. And so many local programs are making social impact a key part of their culinary practice.
Through global initiatives and the actions of an increasing number of culinary associations, schools, and industry leaders, the food service sector continues to build skills to feed greater community trust, within the industry and beyond.
“This initiative is an incredible opportunity to work with young chefs from across the globe as they champion sustainable food systems in their communities, tackling issues such as food waste, nutrition, biodiversity, food heritage, and women’s empowerment,” says Jordann Norbert, Chief Executive Officer at EcoFood Training and Certification Agency and mentor for the FAO World Food Forum Young Chefs Programme (YCC). Learn more about the YCC here.
Takeaways
Chefs are more than food influencers. They are trusted messengers, policy advocates, and system shapers. Their expertise and storytelling capacity are powerful resources in achieving good food for all. By leveraging their influence, chefs can foster shared experience and community trust, impact behavior change and consumer habits, and reach policy and decision makers. From immigration reform and school meals to supporting small-scale producers and protecting biodiversity, chefs are actively engaged in issues that matter most.
As business owners, market drivers, and community builders, empowering their potential as trusted messengers is essential in recovering trust across the food web and working together towards a healthy, fair, and delicious food future.
Education is fundamental in this process. Open source resources to educate chefs on sustainable practices and behavioral science are bringing more culinary professionals into the fold. Mentorship and training programs like the Young Chefs Programme are equipping the next generation of industry leaders with the networks and know-how needed to tackle the world’s biggest challenges. All of this work is recovering trust — and recovering hope.
Systems change requires that we work together, and that requires trust. Chefs are connectors at every point in the food system and invite diverse voices to the table. Their invitation to action helps to drive meaningful engagement across communities, sectors, and demographics, and fights back against insularity.
Where can we build trust and connect to find common ground? The chef’s table is a great place for both.
Resources
Education is essential to continue to grow the movement and to strengthen every chef’s capacity as a trusted messenger and changemaker.
Worldchefs’ is offering three upcoming webinars as part of the FoodChoices4LIFE initiative:
The Mindful Kitchen. Designed for future-forward culinary professionals, the series explores how chefs can lead the transition toward more sustainable food systems through climate-smart kitchen practices, menu design, and guest engagement.
Across three connected episodes, top global experts will show how to bridge the gap between global food systems, daily kitchen operations, and consumer menu psychology, giving chefs practical tools to cut costs, eliminate waste, and inspire climate-smart dining.
The series begins on July 2, 2026, with The Mindful Kitchen #1: Understanding the Food Systems, featuring Dr. Enrico Porfido from the Universitat de Barcelona. This foundational webinar explores the global farm-to-fork network, the role of food policies, and how chefs can use menus and guest experiences to encourage climate-smart dining.
On July 21, 2026, Chef Shaun Leonard of BHMS Swiss Culinary Academy leads The Mindful Kitchen #2: Reducing Impact Through Operations. Focused on zero-waste kitchen strategies, the session will cover full-product utilization, food waste tracking, upcycling techniques, and building a sustainability-driven kitchen culture.
The series concludes on July 28, 2026, with The Mindful Kitchen #3: Facing the Guest, presented by Chef Shonah Chalmers. This session dives into menu psychology, sustainable menu engineering, and subtle guest communication techniques that help drive climate-smart choices in food service environments.
Please note: Signing up for the first webinar will automatically register you for all three.
Learn more about FoodChoices4Life in the latest edition of Worldchefs Magazine: Issue 32.
About FoodChoices4LIFE
FoodChoices4LIFE is a European initiative empowering citizens and food professionals to accelerate climate action and behavioral change in food systems. Building on the legacy of previous EU LIFE projects, this initiative promotes healthier, more sustainable diets through education, awareness campaigns, and practical tools.
AbouttheFoodChoices4LIFE Partners
Worldchefs: Worldchefs is a non-political professional organisation, dedicated to maintaining and improving the culinary standards of global cuisines. We accomplish these goals through education, training, and professional development of our membership. As an authority and opinion leader on food, Worldchefs represents a global voice on all issues related to the culinary profession.
EUFIC (Coordinator): The European Food Information Council (EUFIC) is a consumer-oriented non-profit organisation, founded to make the science behind food and health more accessible and easier to understand among the public. Our mission is to produce science-based content to empower and facilitate healthier and more sustainable diets and lifestyles among European citizens.
University of Tuscia: University of Tuscia, founded in Viterbo in 1979, rapidly developed into a well-established cultural reference. With over 10,000 students and 200 faculty members, it is recognized for research in forestry, climate change, and innovation in food systems, including food loss and waste reduction. The Department for Innovation in Biological, Agri-food and Forest Systems is now engaged in the FoodChoices4Life project.
Interested in advocacy?
We asked Worldchefs’ national associations, Education Partners, and Executive Committee to share words that reflect the priorities of their members at this moment. Here’s what matters most to chefs. It’s one reason to stay optimistic.
If you are interested in getting involved in global advocacy, or if you have a local project to share, we want to hear from you.
Contact the Worldchefs team to talk more about the many ways you can get involved in advocacy related to a wide range of topics.
Every choice we make at the table carries power: on 18 June, Sustainable Gastronomy Day reminds us that by choosing wisely, we can help shape healthier diets, protect our planet, and build a more food-secure future for all.
Gastronomy is far more than what we eat; it is a living expression of identity, memory, and nature. Sustainable gastronomy keeps this richness alive by protecting the resources, traditions, and biodiversity that allow future generations to inherit vibrant and resilient food cultures.
The theme of FAO and World Food Forum Sustainable Gastronomy Week 2026 is “Celebrating Food Heritage”, emphasising the importance of culinary traditions, local ingredients, and cultural knowledge in building sustainable agrifood systems.
With the theme of the Sustainable Gastronomy Week 2026 being “Celebrating Food Heritage,” FAO and the World Food Forum shine a light on the soul of our food traditions, those precious ingredients, skills, and stories passed from one generation to the next that can inspire a more sustainable future.
When communities safeguard their food heritage, they do more than preserve the past; they strengthen biodiversity, energize local economies, and build the resilience needed for agrifood systems to thrive in a changing world.
To celebrate this year’s occasion, the FAO Liaison Office in Brussels proudly spotlights its inspiring partnership with Worldchefs, the global voice of culinary professionals and opinion leader in food, that empowers chefs to become champions of sustainability. Through dedicated initiatives and the leadership of figures such as Chef Frank Fol in Belgium, this collaboration shows how culinary passion can help transform food systems, reduce waste, and nurture a more conscious food culture.
“Today, everyone has to take action to make our planet a better place. Working on sustainability can be done with little action: more plants in your food, less waste, using blue water to cook, grey water to clean, etc. Every small action makes a difference. Let’s do this together.”
Sustainable gastronomy is also rooted in traditional agrifood systems. Across Europe, many of these systems illustrate how heritage and sustainability go hand in hand. One such example is the carp pond farming system in the Waldviertel region of Lower Austria, recognized by FAO as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS). With a history spanning over 900 years, this system relies on low-impact practices to maintain biodiverse ecosystems while producing high-quality food, conserving water resources, sustaining local livelihoods, and preserving cultural knowledge and traditions.
Sustainable gastronomy draws its strength from ancestral agrifood systems that prove tradition and sustainability can flourish side by side. The carp pond farming system of Austria’s Waldviertel region, treasured for more than 900 years and recognized by FAO as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS), stands as a powerful example of how heritage can protect ecosystems, sustain communities, conserve water, and keep cultural wisdom alive.
By embracing seasonal produce, supporting local food traditions, and wasting less, each of us can help shape agrifood systems that are more inclusive, sustainable, and full of life, so that the richness of our food heritage continues to nourish both humanity and the planet for generations ahead.
Sustainable gastronomy is a heartfelt tribute to the roots of our food, celebrating the land that sustains us, the hands that cultivate and prepare it, and the remarkable journey that connects nature, culture, and every shared meal.
Chapters: Meet the Michelin Green Star Restaurant Behind the Cover of Issue 32
An Interview with Chapters’ Charmaine McHugo
In the heart of the Welsh town Hay-on-Wye, you’ll find Chapters, the Michelin Green Star restaurant from Charmaine and Mark McHugo.
Highlighting the best the area has to offer with menus that showcase seasonal, locally-sourced, and often home grown produce, their food was a natural fit for a theme of “Pasture, Passion, Plate”.
We spoke with Charmaine about their work at Chapters. Read on to discover the story behind the cover of Worldchefs Magazine Issue 32.
How would you describe your food philosophy at Chapters, and how has it evolved over time?
Our philosophy has always been about using ingredients that are in season, so they are at their peak in flavor and wherever possible to support local producers. Over time our relationships with other businesses has grown and we work together closely to create the end result.
Charmaine and Mark at their restaurant, Chapters in Hay-on-Wye, Wales.
Creating a sustainable restaurant is not easy but it is very rewarding. Our view is that we shouldn’t negatively impact anything, whether this is people, planet, or our community.
Charmaine McHugo
As a Michelin Green Star restaurant — one of only four restaurants in Wales to be awarded this accolade —how do you interpret the responsibility that comes with that recognition, and what does “sustainability” mean to you beyond the criteria itself?
We take the responsibility really seriously. There are guests who visit us becausewe have the accolade, and we fully respect the trust and belief that they have in us and the work that we do.
Creating a sustainable restaurant is not easy but it is very rewarding. Our view is that we shouldn’t negatively impact anything, whether this is people, planet, or our community.
Your restaurant is deeply rooted in place. We love to see your supplier shout outs, too. Can you share some stories of how you work with local producers to inform your seasonally-led menu development?
We have our core list of suppliers that we use year round. Many of our hyper-local drinks suppliers are based right in Hay-on-Wye. We have gotten to know them and their families really well over the years. For example, the person that supplies us with beer is also the person that looks after our cats when we go on holiday.
Having a restaurant in Hay means getting involved in the community, getting to know the people that also live and work there.
What is one dish that expresses your approach to cooking? Can you share the story behind it from ingredient to plate?
A garden herb crème fraîche.
This is simple dish, full of flavor. We make a herb purée with numerous soft herbs and plants from the garden — chive, verbena, burnet, kale, and purple sprouting leaf. This is then whipped with crème fraîche from five miles down the road and set in metal rings. The herb crème fraîche is then topped with the same soft herbs dressed in a chive vinaigrette, pickled onions, linseed crackers, and cured egg yolk.
You have an incredible regenerative restaurant garden just 8 miles from the kitchen. Can you share some of the planning behind planting local and biodiverse ingredients?
Yes, there is a nice mix of planting things that Mark has previously worked with — items that are safe and we know we will have a use for, such as beetroot and kale, and then adding in some new curve balls for him to play around with.
We grow a variety of produce and always encourage ingredients that have dual purpose, so flowers that will increase the pollinators (bugs, bees, and flies) to the garden but also look pretty and are edible, such as Calendula and Borage — in particular white borage which is just fantastic on salads and also self seeds, so we don’t have to grow it year on year, as it does it for us.
How does this process impact your day-to-day choices in the kitchen?
It adds variety and flavor, but also it means that the kitchen team are always learning and have new products to play around with.
Do you have any favorite ingredients to grow and/or source at the moment? We’d love to hear about one that you’ve worked with for a while, and perhaps another that you’ve discovered more recently.
We focus our growing on vegetables that give you a high yield for the space, so beans, peas, and kale rather than cauliflower and large cabbages. Although, I will say my personal favorite is purple sprouting broccoli, as it is the first veggie in the spring that we harvest and is such a refreshing change to the winter vegetables.
Something new for us was chicory — a root very similar looking to a parsnip, but when roasted and ground taste like coffee. We have used this in our tiramisu dessert, much to the delight of our guests.
You use organic heritage seeds from Welsh suppliers, and have mentioned growing perennials. Why is this important to you, and what would you say chefs should know about the flavor potential of perennials?
Using perennials is less for the chefs and more for the soil. No dig gardening is all about soil health — the less we can disturb the soil the better, and as you leave perennials in the ground to do their thing year on year, this is ideal. We love our herb patch, the roses, the fruit bushes, and our perennial kale. We also class Jerusalem artichokes as a perennial, but they do require a bit of digging.
What is one piece of advice you would give chefs looking to learn more about sustainable gastronomy?
Keep reading and talking to other chefs and people in the industry that are doing the same things. You have to keep learning as techniques and theories change and develop. It’s easy to get stuck in a rut or think you know how to do it, but there is always something new going on and we can only improve…. Good luck!
About Charmaine and Chapters in Hay-on-Wye
Charmaine is the co-owner of Chapters in Hay-on-Wye, which she runs with her husband Mark.
Stories have power. Chefs, as storytellers, create delicious ways for people to reconnect with food culture, putting agricultural origins, cultural traditions, and shared values on a plate.
Everyday, culinary professionals and Worldchefs members are doing incredible work around the globe to help build more conscious kitchens. For Earth Day on April 22nd, we are spotlighting the power of storytelling through food, and how chefs are contributing to positive change. The 2026 Earth Day theme is Our Power, Our Planet, calling people everywhere to stand shoulder to shoulder in defense of the only home we share. Our collective wellbeing depends on planetary wellbeing, too.
Our planet is one thing we universally share alongside food and love. In celebration of Earth Day and this reminder of what connects us, we take a world tour of heritage recipes that show the intersection of sustainable gastronomy, storytelling, and love for the craft of cooking.
Recipes with Soul
Recipes with soul help us to understand each other and the world around us. Chefs, through their craft, can inspire others to try new things and learn more about what they may have previously ignored. Below, you can find chefs sharing sustainable recipes and the stories behind them.
Click the dropdown below to meet some of our committee members through their recipes.
Azerbaijan
Chef Orxan Muxtarov
Kükü is a traditional Azerbaijani herb omelette that reflects the deep connection between local cuisine and seasonal agriculture.
Chef Orxan’s dish is prepared with a large amount of fresh herbs such as dill, coriander, spinach, sorrel and green onions, combined with eggs and lightly cooked to preserve natural flavors.
Chef Erich’s stew highlights beans, lentils, and barley, climate powerhouses that deliver big nutrition with a small footprint. Packed with fiber, plant protein, and slow-release energy, these humble ingredients create a rich, hearty and low-impact meal.
Plant-forward and easily made meat free, for the meat-eaters it can include Kranjska klobasa, a traditional sausage made using natural processing methods.
This is Chef Nimish’s ode to the nutritious and hearty fresh ingredients of the great Himalayan cuisine, finished with a touch of international influence.
This recipe is a zero-waste celebration of raw banana where the fruit is roasted whole in its skin to intensify flavor. The pulp becomes a delicately spiced kebab, while the skin transforms into a crisp floral tuile infused with bell pepper essence. Finished with bright curls of pickled yellow baby beetroot for acidity and color contrast.
Chef Gianluca adapted a typical recipe from mountain villages in Italy. It is prepared with care using every ingredient with the utmost respect for nature.
Mushrooms are a symbol of symbiosis and connection, and this recipe reminds us of the simple techniques toward sustainable cooking, like vegetable broth from scraps and stale bread for croutons.
Breadfruit, tuna, and coconut are ingredients that are naturally abundant in the Maldives and have been part of island cooking for generations. This dish from Chef Mariyam brings a warm and comforting feeling, especially during the rainy season when families stay home and the sea is too rough for sailing.
In the past, recipes like this were a way for families to gather around the table and share food made from what the island provides. Breadfruit gives a hearty base, tuna adds rich flavor and protein, and fresh coconut brings a creamy taste that ties everything together.
The origins of sarma can be traced back to the Ottoman Empire, where the technique of wrapping various fillings in leaves—such as vine leaves or cabbage—was widely practiced. Over time, different regions adapted the dish to their local ingredients and preferences, leading to the version commonly enjoyed in Serbia today, made with sour cabbage.
Sarma is more than just food; it is a symbol of hospitality, family gatherings, and celebrations.
This traditional Korean soup is made with sun-dried radish greens (siraegi) simmered in soybean paste broth.
It reflects Korea’s long tradition of root-to-leaf cooking and seasonal food preservation, where the entire vegetable is utilized to minimize food waste.
This recipe turns what is often discarded into something delicious. Fresh peelings from seasonal root vegetables become a zero-waste snack that makes the most of local produce, reducing the footprint while boosting natural flavor and nutrition.
These thin strips are rich in fiber and color, then lightly seasoned and air-fried, for a crisp, and sustainable, crunch.
Have you seen our My Sustainable Recipe series? Explore these award-winning recipes from the 2024 LIFE Climate Smart Chefs Award Best Sustainable Recipe category.
Italy
Chef Matteo Farsoni
Chef Matteo Farsoni is an Italian gluten-free vegan pastry chef. Before becoming a pastry chef, Matteo studied foreign languages. You can see how he uses food to communicate. Like language, he uses his recipes to help connect people and ideas, like in this zero-waste dish.
Universality is important to him–he wants everyone to be able to experience the joy of food. That’s why he focuses on gluten-free, sugar-free and vegan desserts. The creative challenge to find new alternatives and techniques to make desserts more inclusive keeps him curious and inspired to find new solutions.
“My aim was to create a sustainable recipe by re-using food that would have been wasted otherwise,” he says. “It is a vegetarian recipe that has a low carbon and water footprint, so it has a low environmental impact, but at the same time it is healthy for our consumption.” This recipe, A Blossoming Future, won the 2024 LIFE Climate Smart Chefs Award Best Sustainable Recipe.
I usually take inspiration from nature, animals, landscapes. Everything that surrounds us can be a potential source of inspiration. And I also take inspiration from other pastry chefs, of course, because in our world we influence each other.
Chef Nazario Contardi is an Alma-trained chef from Ancona. Through this recipe, he celebrates fellow food artisans safeguarding indigenous ingredients, sharing the work of the farmers at Agricoltura Rasoterra, millers at Rocca Madre, pastoralists at Le Capre di Capradosso, and stewards of ancient olive varieties and harvesting methods.
For Chef Nazario, sustainability relies on community, and this recipe demonstrates that beautifully and deliciously. Nazario earned 3rd place at the 2024 LIFE Climate Smart Chefs Award Best Sustainable Recipe category.
For me, sustainability is tradition—the sacred and timeless act of cooking to bring well-being to others. Within this act lies the true key: the feeling of being well. When we respect raw ingredients, we honor those who cultivate them, those who transform them through the alchemy of cooking, and those who are nourished by them. This is where sustainability reveals its deepest meaning: an act of love that connects past, present and future.
Chef Evi Chioti is a chef, educator, and sustainable gastronomy advocate. For this ingenious and unexpected dessert, she uses ingredients indigenous to Cyprus. This recipe earned her 2nd place in the LIFE Climate Smart Chefs Award Best Sustainable Recipe.
I used a vegetable that we have in Cyprus. It’s a simple vegetable, not expensive and very nutritious. It was cooked a bit differently than the traditional way, presented differently. I used the juices from cooking for the sauces. I used cherries and other ingredients that were seasonal at the time to create the sauce and decorations for the plate.
With Worldchefs’ members in over 100 countries, there are so many cuisines and fantastic sustainable recipes that deserve the spotlight. To continue the tour, check out more from chefs around the globe.
South Africa: Capsicum Culinary Studio Heritage Day recipes
El Salvador: Asociación de Chefs de El Salvador (ACESA) Sabores de la Memoria: Cocina indígena y Afrodescendiente launch event with the United Nations (FAO)
Worldchefs Members in Asia: Food of Asia, Soul of Asia free recipe book
More Than the Sum of Its Parts
These recipes show us the power of the plate. They show us that a dish is much more than the sum of its parts. They bring to the table more of what we have in common, showing that sustainable principles are found universally, and deeply representative of heritage cuisines around the world.
Sourcing local and seasonal ingredients, plant-forward cuisine, and using the whole ingredient to reduce food waste–these techniques and so many more are commonalities we share.
Food is a universal language that chefs are fluent in. But unlike language, it doesn’t need to be spoken to be understood. Like Chef Nazario Contardi shared, “Community is sustainability.”
Community is also power. By coming together through food, we have the opportunity to influence eachother, to teach eachother, and to inspire eachother to take action. Through recipes like these, we can better understand the connection between planetary health and wellbeing and our own, and take real steps toward a more conscious kitchen.
Resources
Looking for more on the sustainable gastronomy movement? Find more ways to get involved:
We invite chefs across our global network to take part in FoodChoices4LIFE, a new EU co-funded initiative led by Worldchefs that promotes climate-smart food choices across Europe.
Join the +17,500 chefs around the world who have gained skills to empower their role as changemakers. Sustainability Education for Culinary Professionals is a free course built to teach chefs to think and act sustainably.
At Worldchefs Congress this May in Wales, join the session Feed the Planet: Driving Global Impact to learn more about our programs and how you can get involved.
One year ago, at the Global Chefs Challenge Finals during the Worldchefs Congress & Expo 2024 in Singapore, Nestlé Professional and Worldchefs introduced a new recognition for chefs leading the way in sustainability: the Nestlé Professional Green Spatula Award.
This distinguished honor celebrates the fusion of culinary excellence with a deep commitment to sustainability, recognizing chefs who excel in creating world-class dishes and adopting environmentally responsible practices in their kitchens. At the Global Chefs Challenge Finals 2024, the award was inaugurated in three of the four competition categories—the Global Chefs, Global Young Chefs and Global Vegan Chefs challenges—with Tom Lamers (Netherlands), Andreas Enger Fjellheim (Norway), and Dinars Zvidrinš (Latvia) named the winners.
Now a year later, we checked in with the three inaugural winners to see how their sustainability journeys have evolved and ask how the Green Spatula spirit lives on in their kitchens across the globe.
Minimizing Impact, Maximizing Innovation
Since its launch, the Nestlé Professional Green Spatula Award has served as a call to action for chefs to rethink how they source foods, cook, and manage their kitchens. As Cornel Krummenacher, Global Head of Food at Nestlé Professional Strategic Business Unit, said, “Our newly created award is an additional recognition for chefs and culinary professionals, which will not only honor and celebrate their greatest culinary experience creations, but also illustrate their additional efforts to apply sustainable practices in their work.”
The first recipients serve as proof of the lasting impact the award has had in driving a more sustainable future:
Andreas Enger Fjellheim – Head Chef at Arakataka (Norway)
For Andreas Enger Fjellheim, winner of both the Global Young Chefs Challenge and the Nestlé Professional Green Spatula Award in this category, sustainability has become infused in his daily work.
“Since winning, sustainability has become even more deeply integrated into every part of my work,” says Andreas. “We’ve strengthened our collaboration with local farmers and producers to ensure our ingredients travel as little as possible. We focus on seasonal produce, reduce food waste by using whole ingredients, and work continuously to optimize energy and water consumption in the kitchen. I also use what I learned from the award experience to inspire my team—encouraging everyone to question routines and constantly look for small but meaningful improvements.”
The award has also had a meaningful impact on his team’s mindset.
“The award brought visibility and validation that our efforts are being noticed, which reinforces our belief that sustainability is not a trend, but rather the direction our industry must move in,” says Andreas. “For the team, it has been a strong motivator and a shared value that we take pride in. It’s encouraged a more open mindset toward experimentation as we try new methods, ingredients, and techniques that might have seemed “risky” before. Overall, it’s created a stronger sense of purpose and unity in the kitchen.”
Moving forward, Andreas has several initiatives in mind to take his sustainable practices even further. He shared the following:
Building partnerships with small local producers who focus on regenerative agriculture and animal welfare to ensure our ingredients are not only local but responsibly produced.
Exploring technology and sensors that can monitor and reduce energy use, temperature control, and water consumption in real time.
Developing our zero waste concept further by finding innovative ways to use offcuts, innards, shells, and other overlooked ingredients, as well as running internal workshops to inspire creative utilization.
Strengthening communication with our guests. Helping them understand the sustainability stories behind each dish, our sourcing philosophy, and how menu choices can lower environmental impact (for example, with more plant-based options).
Collaborating more with researchers and sustainability projects, including experimental fermentation or plant-based projects that open up new flavor possibilities with low resource use.
Dinars Zvidrinš – Chef at Entresol(Latvia)
For Dinars Zvidrinš, competitor in the Global Vegan Chefs Challenge Finals 2024, sustainability is a continuous process of improvement and innovation.
“Since receiving the award, I have continued to focus on reducing food waste, planning menus around seasonal products, and prioritizing local suppliers,” says Dinars. “We also implement reusable solutions in the kitchen and optimize energy use whenever possible.”
The recognition, he says, has been both motivating and affirming.
“The award has been a great honor and inspiration. It strengthened our confidence that we are on the right path. Within the team, it has encouraged even more curiosity and initiative to find new ways of making our work environmentally friendly.”
Dinars is looking forward to continue innovating to explore further ways to bring sustainability in his kitchen.
“Looking ahead, it is important to explore further ways to reduce waste, improve composting methods, and ensure that it can be passed on to farmers for use in agriculture to grow new products,” he shares.
Tom Lamers – Chef and Co-Owner of Restaurant T Raedthuys (Netherlands)
For Tom Lamers, competitor in the Global Chefs Challenge category, the Green Spatula Award strengthened his commitment to sustainable practices.
“Since winning the Green Spatula Award, I’ve become even more focused on sustainability in the kitchen,” says Tom. “We’re using more local and seasonal products and continue working on reducing food waste.”
Beyond his own approach, Tom highlights the importance of shared responsibility.
“The award has motivated the team to really commit to these goals together,” he explains.
Looking to the future, Tom and his team are exploring ways to monitor waste and build stronger relationships with producers.
Shaping a More Sustainable Future
The Green Spatula Award was created to recognize chefs who lead by example, both in competition and their daily work. One year in, its influence continues to expand. The award was brought to the Global Chefs Challenge 2025 Regional Semi-Finals in Asia, the Americas and Africa & the Middle East, among other competitions. The award is inspiring culinary professionals worldwide to reimagine what responsible cooking looks like.
“It’s an honor to be part of an initiative that not only celebrates excellence but also drives a more responsible and forward-thinking future in foodservice,” says Ana Aragón, Global Head of Sustainability and Nutrition at Nestlé Professional.
At the Global Chefs Challenge Finals 2026 in Wales, competitors are showcase their best sustainable efforts. The Green Spatula Award will once again be awarded to chefs who embody responsible innovation.
“The Green Spatula Award represents the values that define today’s culinary world of creativity, leadership, and respect for our planet,” says Andy Cuthbert, Worldchefs President. “Through this collaboration with Nestlé Professional, we are excited to encourage chefs to be agents of change.”
Hear more from the inaugural winners of the Nestlé Professional Green Spatula Award:
Witness the Green Spatula Award return at the Global Chefs Challenge Finals 2026 in Wales! Secure your spot today.
Sustainability Education for Culinary Professionals, created by Worldchefs’ Feed the Planet initiative, is now available in Spanish on Worldchefs Academy. This course offers a free 8-course curriculum for learners to deepen their knowledge of sustainable culinary methods and key topics in food systems.
With Spanish marking the third language available for this course, the program becomes even more accessible. It is now able to reach countless Spanish-speaking chefs, educators, and culinary students worldwide.
Paris, 9 December 2025 – Worldchefs Academy is proud to announce the launch of Sustainability Education for Culinary Professionals course in Spanish, marking a major step forward in making high-quality sustainability education more inclusive and accesible to chefs around the world.
This milestone significantly expands the reach of the program. It offers a valuable new resource to the global community of Spanish-speaking culinary professionals.
Empowering Chefs to Build a More Sustainable Future
To meet the growing appetite for sustainability education across Spanish-speaking regions, Worldchefs collaborated with three expert educators and long-time champions of the program:
Rodrigo Duarte Casar: Professor in the School of Food Engineering and the School of Gastronomy, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Portoviejo, Ecuador
Marlene Rojas Le-Fort: Professor in the School of Gastronomy, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Portoviejo, Ecuador
Carolina Pérez:Professor at the Gastronomy School, Universidad de Las Américas, Quito, Ecuador
Together, they brought their unique perspectives as culinary instructors, sustainability advocates, and leaders deeply engaged with gastronomy education in Ecuador and beyond. All three have been working with sustainability education for years, giving them firsthand insight into how learners apply these concepts in real kitchens and communities.
Rodrigo, Marlene, and Carolina collaborated to translate, refine, and contextualize the curriculum, ensuring it resonates across the diverse “Spanishes” spoken throughout Latin America and Spain.
Rodrigo Duarte Casar, a chef-educator with more than 30 years of experience, is a member of Worldchefs Feed the Planet Committee. He contributed to this collaboration with his deep expertise in chemistry, gastronomy, and food science, along with his experience as a researcher and professor at Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador. Working alongside Rodrigo in the same role, Marlene Rojas Le-Fort is a gastronomy engineer and serves as Vice President of the Ecuadorian Academic Network for Gastronomic Tourism. She brought her extensive expertise in connecting food, sustainability, and academic innovation. Carolina Pérez, an industrial psychologist and gastronomic communicator, added her experience as a university educator at Universidad de las Americas and author on heritage and sustainable gastronomy.
A special thank you goes out to these three trainers as well as Luis Jiménez B from Colombia, who contributed to the review of the Spanish curriculum.
“The power of education—we believe in it. This is our grain of sand in building a better future.” — Rodrigo Duarte Casar & Marlene Rojas Le-Fort
Building on an Already Impactful Initiative
Since the launch of Sustainability Education for Culinary Professionals in 2018, it has been widely adopted, now reaching nearly 16,000 total graduates worldwide. It is available in three languages online through Worldchefs Academy (Spanish, English and Arabic), as well as through in-person classes led by our 160+ Worldchefs-certified trainers. Whether taking it online or in-person, this curriculum shares fundamental lessons on culinary sustainability with culinary students and professionals across the globe.
Rodrigo Duarte Casar and Marlene Rojas Le-Fort
The Spanish edition of Sustainability Education for Culinary Professionals includes eight lessons. Each lesson offers practical tools that chefs can apply immediately in their daily work:
Lesson 1 – Big Picture
Lesson 2 – Seafood
Lesson 3 – Energy
Lesson 4 – Water
Lesson 5 – Waste Management
Lesson 6 – Nutrition
Lesson 7 – Agriculture
Lesson 8 – Animal Husbandry
This curriculum provides a comprehensive foundation for understanding global sustainability challenges. It allows chefs to directly implement solutions that foster impact in kitchens and communities.
Carolina Pérez
Navigating the Diversity of the Spanish Language
One of the biggest challenges during the translation process was the linguistic diversity of Spanish. Rodrigo and Marlene, Chilean educators living in Ecuador, worked through differences between English, machine-translated Spanish, and regional variations across the Spanish-speaking world.
Yet, as Carolina Pérez shared, this diversity also created a sense of unity:
“Food unites everyone. Even if a word belongs to another variety of Spanish, you understand it. Sustainability is a universal topic.” — Carolina Pérez
Their goal was to ensure the course would feel relevant, accurate, and practical for any Spanish-speaking learner, no matter where they are from.
A Project Fueled by Purpose
Each translator expressed deep fulfillment in contributing to this milestone.
Carolina, who has taught sustainability at the Universidad de las Américas in Ecuador for nearly five years, emphasized how closely the program aligns with the message she shares with her students:
“Being a chef means having the power and responsibility to help save the planet… When I saw that the program transmits that idea, it was really enjoyable for us…We were glad to see that we share the same objective.” — Carolina Pérez
Marlene and Rodrigo also highlighted how crucial real-world application is in their work. They focus on empowering students to take sustainable solutions directly into their communities, where positive change can happen quickly. Translating this course, they noted, will help extend this change even further across the Spanish-speaking world.
Why Spanish-Speaking Chefs Should Take the Course
Sustainability Education for Culinary Professionals provides essential knowledge for professional chefs as well as students, food enthusiasts, and community leaders seeking to make meaningful change.
For young chefs, as they are entering a world shaped by environmental crisis, while they are not responsible for the problem, they will play a central role in helping to solve it. Equipping them with the right tools is critical.
Once students realize the influence they have as chefs within the food system, they become deeply motivated to act. The curriculum supports that shift by giving trainers global examples which they can then adapt to their own local realities, making sustainability both actionable and relevant to all.
Watch the webinar “Sustainability Around the World #53: Access for All – Spanish Edition of Sustainability Education” to hear more from the three translators at the heart of this initiative:
“Education remains our most powerful tool for driving change in the food system. By making this program available in Spanish, we will give more chefs the resources they need to build a more sustainable future. On behalf of the entire Worldchefs Board of Directors, we’d like to thank everyone who contributed to this initiative,” said Worldchefs President, Andy Cuthbert.
Get started today by enrolling in Sustainability Education for Culinary Professionals, in Spanish, Arabic or English at https://worldchefsacademy.com/.
– END –
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:
Humanitarianism & Sustainability – Worldchefs Feed the Planet and World Chefs Without Borders programs relieve food poverty, deliver crisis support, and promote sustainability across the globe.
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 skills in 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.
Worldchefs lanza la edición en español de «Educación en sostenibilidad para profesionales culinarios»
La formación en sostenibilidad para profesionales culinarios, creada por la iniciativa Feed the Planet de Worldchefs, ya está disponible en español en Worldchefs Academy. Este curso ofrece un plan de estudios gratuito de ocho cursos para que los alumnos profundicen sus conocimientos sobre métodos culinarios sostenibles y temas clave en los sistemas alimentarios.
Con el español como tercera lengua disponible para este curso, el programa se vuelve aún más accesible y puede llegar a innumerables chefs, educadores y estudiantes de cocina de habla hispana en todo el mundo.
París, 9 de diciembre de 2025– Worldchefs Academy se enorgullece de anunciar el lanzamiento del curso Educación en sostenibilidad para profesionales culinarios en español, lo que supone un gran paso adelante para que la educación en sostenibilidad de alta calidad sea más inclusiva y accesible para los chefs de todo el mundo.
Este hito amplía significativamente el alcance del programa, ofreciendo un nuevo y valioso recurso a la comunidad global de profesionales culinarios de habla hispana.
Empoderar a los chefs para construir un futuro más sostenible
Para satisfacer el creciente interés por la educación en sostenibilidad en las regiones de habla hispana, Worldchefs colaboró con tres expertos educadores y defensores del programa desde hace mucho tiempo:
Rodrigo Duarte Casar: Profesor de la Escuela de Ingeniería Alimentaria y la Escuela de Gastronomía, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Portoviejo, Ecuador.
Marlene Rojas Le-Fort: Profesora de la Escuela de Gastronomía, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Portoviejo, Ecuador.
Carolina Pérez: Profesora de la Escuela de Gastronomía, Universidad de Las Américas, Quito, Ecuador.
Juntos, aportaron sus perspectivas únicas como instructores culinarios, defensores de la sostenibilidad y líderes profundamente comprometidos con la educación gastronómica en Ecuador y más allá. Los tres llevan años trabajando en la educación sobre sostenibilidad, lo que les ha proporcionado una visión de primera mano sobre cómo los alumnos aplican estos conceptos en cocinas y comunidades reales.
Rodrigo, Marlene y Carolina colaboraron para traducir, perfeccionar y contextualizar el plan de estudios, asegurándose de que resonara en los diversos «españoles» que se hablan en toda América Latina y España.
Rodrigo Duarte Casar, chef y educador con más de 30 años de experiencia, es miembro del Comité Feed the Planet de Worldchefs. Contribuyó a esta colaboración con sus profundos conocimientos en química, gastronomía y ciencia alimentaria, junto con su experiencia como investigador y profesor en la Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador. Junto a Rodrigo, en el mismo cargo, Marlene Rojas Le-Fort es ingeniera en gastronomía y vicepresidenta de la Red Académica Ecuatoriana de Turismo Gastronómico. Aportó su amplia experiencia en la conexión entre la alimentación, la sostenibilidad y la innovación académica. Carolina Pérez, psicóloga industrial y comunicadora gastronómica, aportó su experiencia como profesora universitaria en la Universidad de las Américas y autora de obras sobre patrimonio y gastronomía sostenible.
Queremos expresar nuestro especial agradecimiento a estos tres formadores, así como a Luis Jiménez B, de Colombia, que contribuyó a la revisión del plan de estudios en español.
«Creemos en el poder de la educación. Esta es nuestra pequeña contribución para construir un futuro mejor».
— Rodrigo Duarte Casar y Marlene Rojas Le-Fort
Aprovechando una iniciativa que ya ha tenido un gran impacto
Desde su lanzamiento en 2018, el programa «Educación en sostenibilidad para profesionales de la cocina» ha tenido una gran acogida y ya cuenta con casi 16 000 graduados en todo el mundo. Está disponible en tres idiomas a través de la Worldchefs Academy (español, inglés y árabe), así como en clases presenciales impartidas por más de 160 formadores certificados por Worldchefs. Ya sea en línea o presencial, este plan de estudios comparte lecciones fundamentales sobre sostenibilidad culinaria con estudiantes y profesionales de la cocina de todo el mundo.
Rodrigo Duarte Casar y Marlene Rojas Le-Fort
La edición en español de Educación en sostenibilidad para profesionales culinarios incluye ocho lecciones que ofrecen herramientas prácticas que los chefs pueden aplicar de inmediato en su trabajo diario:
Lección 1 – Panorama general
Lección 2 – Productos del mar en la industria de servicios alimentarios
Lección 3 – Energía en la industria alimentaria
Lección 4 – Agua
Lección 5 – Gestión de residuos
Lección 6 – Nutrición sostenible
Lección 7 – Agricultura
Lección 8 – Producción de proteína
Estas lecciones proporcionan una base completa para comprender los retos globales de la sostenibilidad y aplicar soluciones que fomenten el impacto en las cocinas y las comunidades.
Navegando por la diversidad del idioma español
Uno de los mayores retos durante el proceso de traducción fue la diversidad lingüística del español. Rodrigo y Marlene, dos educadores chilenos que viven en Ecuador, trabajaron con las diferencias entre el inglés, el español traducido automáticamente y las variaciones regionales del mundo hispanohablante.
Carolina Pérez
Sin embargo, como compartió Carolina Pérez, esta diversidad también creó un sentido de unidad:
«La comida une a todo el mundo. Aunque una palabra pertenezca a otra variedad del español, la entiendes. La sostenibilidad es un tema universal».
— Carolina Pérez
Su objetivo era garantizar que el curso resultara relevante, preciso y práctico para cualquier estudiante hispanohablante, independientemente de su procedencia.
Un proyecto impulsado por un propósito
Todos los traductores expresaron una profunda satisfacción por haber contribuido a este hito.
Carolina, que ha impartido clases de sostenibilidad en la Universidad de las Américas de Ecuador durante casi cinco años, destacó lo mucho que el programa se ajusta al mensaje que transmite a sus alumnos:
«Ser chef significa tener el poder y la responsabilidad de ayudar a salvar el planeta… Cuando vi que el programa transmite esa idea, nos alegramos mucho… Nos alegró ver que compartimos el mismo objetivo».
— Carolina Pérez
Marlene y Rodrigo también destacaron lo crucial que es la aplicación en el mundo real en su trabajo. Se centran en capacitar a los estudiantes para que lleven soluciones sostenibles directamente a sus comunidades, donde se pueden producir cambios positivos rápidamente. Traducir este curso, señalaron, ayudará a extender este cambio aún más en todo el mundo hispanohablante.
Por qué los chefs hispanohablantes deberían realizar el curso
La formación en sostenibilidad para profesionales culinarios proporciona conocimientos esenciales para chefs profesionales, así como para estudiantes, entusiastas de la gastronomía y líderes comunitarios que buscan lograr un cambio significativo.
Los jóvenes chefs, al entrar en un mundo marcado por la crisis medioambiental, aunque no son responsables del problema, desempeñarán un papel fundamental para ayudar a resolverlo. Es fundamental dotarles de las herramientas adecuadas.
Una vez que los estudiantes se dan cuenta de la influencia que tienen como chefs dentro del sistema alimentario, se sienten profundamente motivados para actuar. El plan de estudios apoya ese cambio proporcionando a los formadores ejemplos globales que pueden adaptar a sus propias realidades locales, haciendo que la sostenibilidad sea viable y relevante para todos.
Vea el seminario web «Sostenibilidad en todo el mundo n.º 53: Acceso para todos: edición española de Educación para la sostenibilidad» para conocer más detalles de la mano de los tres traductores que están al frente de esta iniciativa:
«La educación sigue siendo nuestra herramienta más poderosa para impulsar el cambio en el sistema alimentario. Al ofrecer este programa en español, proporcionaremos a más chefs los conocimientos y recursos que necesitan para construir un futuro más sostenible. En nombre de toda la junta directiva de Worldchefs, queremos dar las gracias a todos los que han contribuido a esta iniciativa», afirmó Andy Cuthbert, presidente de Worldchefs.
Empiece hoy mismo inscribiéndose en el programa de Educación en sostenibilidad para profesionales culinarios, en español, árabe o inglés, en https://worldchefsacademy.com/.
Worldchefs Launches EU Co-Funded FoodChoices4Life Project, Opening New Opportunities for Chefs Across Europe to Engage in Climate Action
The World Association of Chefs’ Societies (Worldchefs) launches the FoodChoices4Life project, advancing climate action by empowering chefs, associations, and citizens across the 27 EU Member States to fight climate change through sustainable food choices.
FoodChoices4LIFE, a European Commission co-funded project, unites the European Food Information Council (EUFIC), Worldchefs, and University of Tuscia (UNITUS) through a shared objective to speed up climate change solutions by helping people to take action through their food choices, building knowledge, skills, and awareness to make a real impact.
The initiative builds on the LIFE Climate Smart Chefs Network, now under the coordination of Worldchefs, the new LIFE Climate Smart Chefs secretariat.
EU-based chefs are invited to join upcoming trainings, Infoweeks, and other opportunities by signing up for project updates.
Paris, 28 November 2025 – The World Association of Chefs’ Societies (Worldchefs) has announced the official launch of FoodChoices4Life, a three-year European Commission co-funded project by the European Food Information Council (EUFIC), Worldchefs, and UNITUS that empowers chefs, associations, and citizens across the 27 EU Member States in exploring and sharing climate-smart food practices.
FoodChoices4Life builds on the success of the LIFE Climate Smart Chefs project, expanding its reach, scientific foundation, and chef engagement network. Following the conclusion of the previous project in December 2024, Worldchefs now serves as the LIFE Climate Smart Chefs secretariat, bringing the network forward and supporting a new phase of climate action.
Developed in collaboration with EUFIC and UNITUS, FoodChoices4Life brings culinary professionals together with scientific and communication partners to speed up climate change solutions by helping people take action through their food choices, building knowledge, skills, and awareness to make a real impact.
Chefs at the Center of Climate-Smart Food Education
As a core partner in FoodChoices4Life, Worldchefs will work with chefs across the 27 EU Member States, activating the largest international network of professional chef associations to support food education at the community level. Worldchefs aims to involve 500–1000 chefs and facilitate at least 100 in-person educational activations.
Throughout the project, chefs in the EU will have access to a range of opportunities to grow their skills, lead on climate-smart food with EU-wide recognition, and secure funding for national events and campaigns. “Infoweeks” scheduled for October 2026 and March 2028 will support local activations, inviting chefs to host activities that highlight climate-smart cooking and engage their communities.
Chefs will also be able to participate in online Capacity Building training sessions and a new FoodChoices4Life e-learning course developed through Worldchefs Academy, expanding on the curriculum created during the previous LIFE Climate Smart Chefs project.
Andy Cuthbert, Worldchefs President
A refreshed EU27 recipe collection will highlight culinary heritage and climate-smart approaches, offering chefs a way to contribute directly to a shared resource. Chefs interested in taking on a larger public role can receive support if they wish to apply to become EU Climate Pact Ambassadors, helping bring culinary perspectives into wider conversations on the future of food.
These efforts draw on Worldchefs’ long-standing commitment to advancing culinary education, sustainability, and social responsibility through its Feed the Planet programs and global chef network.
“Being part of this EU co-funded project is very exciting for Worldchefs,” said Worldchefs President Andy Cuthbert. “It strengthens our shared commitment to a more sustainable food future and reinforces our mission to empower culinary professionals to lead positive change.”
Working Together Toward a More Informed Food Future
The FoodChoices4Life project also brings together a wider community of citizens, journalists, local administrators, and scientific partners across Europe. By engaging this broader network, the initiative aims to strengthen public understanding of climate-smart food choices and encourage informed discussions around the role of food in environmental sustainability.
Educational materials, communication tools, and a shared Vision 2050 document developed with input from chefs and partners will support continued learning and public awareness.
“UNITUS has worked on many research projects addressing climate-smart actions and food consumption, but joining this FoodChoices4LIFE project is especially exciting because it allows us to turn research results into real practices that can shape the future of our food systems,” said Emanuele Blasi, professor in agrifood economics and policy at UNITUS. “It reinforces our commitment to bringing research outcomes into the real world, and we are pleased to collaborate with chefs and other actors of the food sector to make this happen.”
Emanuele Blasi, professor in agrifood economics and policy at UNITUS
EU Chefs: Get Involved
Worldchefs invites all chefs based in the 27 EU Member States to take part in FoodChoices4Life. By signing up for project updates, chefs can stay informed about upcoming surveys, recipe initiatives, training, Infoweeks, and leadership opportunities, and connect with dedicated peers across Europe who are a part of the project.
Interested chefs can also find more information by watching a recent introductory webinar.
Dr. Marta Antonelli, project coordinator FoodChoices4LIFE at EUFIC
The project will also be featured at the Worldchefs Congress & Expo 2026 in Newport, Wales, where Dr. Marta Antonelli will lead a dedicated session entitled “Driving More Sustainable Food Choices in the EU: the project FoodChoices4Life.”
“FoodChoices4LIFE showcases the powerful role chefs can play in driving healthier and more sustainable food choices. Food can be delicious while delivering better nutrition and reducing pressure on the environment — and chefs are key to bringing this new approach to life.”
Dr. Marta Antonelli
Sign up now to receive updates and information on how to participate.
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About The European Food Information Council (EUFIC)
The European Food Information Council (EUFIC) is a consumer-oriented non-profit organisation, founded to make the science behind food and health more accessible and easier to understand among the public. Our mission is to produce science-based content to inspire and empower healthier and more sustainable diets and lifestyles among Europeans.
University of Tuscia, founded in Viterbo in 1979, rapidly developed into a well-established cultural reference. With over 10,000 students and 200 faculty members, it is recognized for research in forestry, climate change, and innovation in food systems, including food loss and waste reduction. The Department for Innovation in Biological, Agri-food and Forest Systems is now engaged in the FoodChoices4Life project.
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 skills in 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.
Rome, Italy, October 2025 – At the World Food Forum (WFF) Flagship Event 2025, held last week at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) headquarters in Rome, Worldchefs showcased its commitment to youth empowerment and sustainable food systems.
Highlighting Worldchefs’ Global Impact
Connie Lau, Worldchefs Director of Operations and Projects, and Ajla Dunga, Project Event Coordinator, joined global leaders and partners to explore how chefs can inspire the next generation and drive a more sustainable future for food.
“We’re honoured to be invited to showcase how Worldchefs is contributing to youth development and sustainability,” said Connie Lau. “Chefs play a key role in shaping how the world thinks about food. Thank you to the FAO and World Food Forum teams for bringing such inspiring minds together.”
From left to right: Ajla Dunga and Connie Lau
Connie Lau speaking with Kazuki Kitaoka and Flora Igoe
Collaborating for a Sustainable Food System
Throughout the event, Worldchefs engaged in meaningful discussions with key partners, including Kazuki Kitaoka, Director, Office of Youth and Women and Flora Igoe, Head of the Youth Culture Programme, at FAO, as well as Paul Newnham and Clare Crowe Pettersson from the Chefs’ Manifesto.
Sessions were held throughout the course of the event, exploring topics such as plant-based diets and indigenous food traditions. There were also interesting discussions on the role of e-learning in making culinary education more accessible worldwide. These fruitful conversations sparked insights that will power the future of Worldchefs’ own Feed the Planet and Worldchefs Academy programs.
“Collaborating with Worldchefs on the upcoming Young Chefs Programme (YCP) has been an inspiring experience. Having Worldchefs exhibit at the Youth Booth in the FAO Atrium during the World Food Forum Flagship Event brought the energy and purpose of their youth-led initiatives directly to our visitors,” said Flora Igoe, Head of the Youth Culture Programme at FAO. “The exhibition effectively demonstrated how culinary skills can drive system-wide change in our agrifood systems. I encourage all young chefs to apply to the YCP and take part in this exciting journey to become leaders in transforming agrifood systems through culinary practices.”
“The World Food Forum Flagship event in Rome was buzzing with energy and purpose,” said Ajla Dunga, Worldchefs Project Event Coordinator. “We had the chance to talk with people from all over the world, meeting students, professionals and experts from different organizations who share the same drive to take responsibility for our future. You could truly feel the shared commitment to change.”
A Shared Mission for a Better Food Future
Worldchefs’ participation at the WFF Flagship Event reflects its ongoing partnership with FAO and its shared mission to create a better food future. The event provided an important opportunity to showcase Worldchefs’ initiatives and connect with organizations and individuals leading like-minded efforts in sustainability, education, and community empowerment.
“It’s through these collaborations that we can amplify our collective impact,” said Lau. “By leveraging our global network of chefs, we can help drive positive change at every level, in kitchens, classrooms, and communities worldwide.”
Worldchefs extends its gratitude to the FAO and World Food Forum teams for bringing together a passionate community dedicated to rethinking our global food systems and shaping a more sustainable tomorrow. Looking ahead, Worldchefs is excited to continue its collaboration with WFF through the recently launched World Food Forum Young Chefs Programme (YCP). This initiative empowers chefs aged 18 to 35 to lead the transformation of agrifood systems through structured trainings, mentorships, peer-to-peer exchange, and ongoing guidance supported by Worldchefs. To learn more about the programme and apply, click here.
Here at Worldchefs’ Paris headquarters, we’ve just celebrated the autumn equinox. In the northern hemisphere, it’s the start of fall. South of the equator, it marks the welcoming of spring. But no matter where you are, the change in seasons means new opportunities in the kitchen.
This is the time of year when we celebrate the shifts in seasons and get those exciting dishes that can only exist for a few weeks a year. It’s when we get the “last-ofs”, the “I’ve been waiting fors” and the “I look forward to all years”.
It’s also an especially important time to improve the adaptability of your kitchen, reduce waste and food loss, and build stronger relationships with local food producers. By celebrating what’s in season, we can end up with less in the bin, help farmers move what’s in abundance, and grow demand for speciality produce.
Here are a few things to think about to seize the opportunity, waste less, and celebrate seasonality in your kitchen, whether you’re moving into fall or spring.
Northern Hemisphere
FOOD PRESERVATION
Build your skills with food preservation and hone new techniques to extend the life of seasonal ingredients into the colder months. Flavors and textures can be transformed by pickling, canning, fermenting and drying. Beyond just giving you more to play with in the winter season, the craft of food preservation is another way to highlight the versatility of locally available ingredients.
ASK YOUR PRODUCER
Ask your producer: what do you have in abundance? Think wider than your kitchen to help ensure that local farmers don’t have food loss. Making the most of their surplus means less waste and usually lower cost, too. Plus, it’ll help you build stronger relationships with your suppliers. Over time, this can help you to gain an edge with early notice of seasonal availability and know that you’re part of the local food community.
CREATE A SEASONAL SPECIALITY
Create a seasonal special that keeps customers coming back each year. When your menu shifts with the seasons, you can offer consistency and comfort with some added anticipation. Think fungi, short-season fruits like quince and sea buckthorn, fresh nuts like chestnuts or green walnuts, and specialty greens like puntarelle. Need inspiration? Go to your local farmers’ market!
Southern Hemisphere
FORECAST FLAVORS
Familiarize yourself with the harvest schedule in your area. Start thinking about how your menu can feature seasonal ingredients throughout the upcoming months. Growing your awareness of what’s in season helps you to plan menus that are more cost-effective and allows you to work with your suppliers to secure quality ingredients, season after season. It also gives you more time to get creative with recipe ideas and ways to use every part of what you buy.
By appreciating seasonality and planning ahead, your menu can reconnect you, your staff, and your customers with where ingredients come from and how valuable they are.
THINK DIFFERENTLY ABOUT OFFCUTS
Think differently about offcuts. Everything that comes into your kitchen has value. From pestos to stocks to colored powders, think about how you can creatively utilize the whole ingredient.
Don’t forget your beverage program. Not only can coordinated efforts between back of house and the bar help to set your restaurant apart, but they can also extend the possibilities for ingredients. For springtime’s bounty of berries and stone fruits, often easy bruised, work with your beverage manager to create cocktail pairings. Try seasonal specials in collaboration with the kitchen, like infused simple syrups, shrubs, bramble purees, etc.
LEAN INTO SHORT SEASON SPOTLIGHTS
Lean into short-season spotlights. Ask your supplier ahead of time about specialty produce like asparagus, artichokes, and stone fruits. Or even early varieties of favorites you can get all year, like spring-only mangoes. You’ll secure unique flavors while also supporting local farmers to move precious volume quickly.
Tag us in your next dish or recipe @worldchefs #ThisIsWorldchefs
Cover photo: Martin Rodriguez sells his vegetables at the Corona Farmers Market in Queens, New York, one of the most dynamic and diverse farmers markets in the city. USDA Photo by Preston Keres
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