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Worldchefs and Food for Soul Partner on Sustainability Education
- Worldchefs is partnering with Food for Soul, the non profit organization founded by Chef Massimo Bottura and Lara Gilmore, to deliver sustainability gastronomy training to Food for Soul’s Chef Network and Refettorio projects around the globe.
- As part of the collaboration, a 4-week training program will be launched expanding on Worldchefs Sustainability Education for Culinary Professionals curriculum.
- The partnership will offer new opportunities for skill development in management and training, designed to empower the culinary community to promote resiliency and sustainability.
Paris, 26 of October 2021 – Food for Soul, the non profit organization founded by Chef Massimo Bottura and Lara Gilmore, is partnering with Worldchefs to deliver sustainability gastronomy training to Food for Soul’s Chef Network and Refettorio project partners around the world.. The collaboration will amplify the impact of each organization’s educational initiatives and empower chefs to learn and implement strategies towards resiliency and sustainability.
At the center of the collaboration is the launch of a 4-week training program expanding on Worldchefs’ Sustainability Education for Culinary Professionals curriculum. The course will provide participants with specialized knowledge and practical skills exploring the food system through an international lens, with a hybrid format of independent study modules, online community learning, and self-assessments.
The joint training program will be offered in three waves beginning in November 2021 to Refettorio chefs and apprentices and expand to Food for Soul Chef Network joined by Worldchefs’ international members. Each wave will begin and conclude with interactive webinars led by Feed the Planet Chairman Chef Chris Koetke. Participants will have the opportunity to incorporate their own expertise, and to engage and network with their fellow learners.
“We are facing a climate crisis, and chefs are starting to realize the role they have to play,” says Chris Koetke, Worldchefs Feed the Planet Chairman. “We are here to help prepare culinary educators and chefs to be active innovators in building a better world. At Worldchefs, we provide accessible resources to help chefs around the globe make these choices for the future. Teaching sustainable food systems is a crucial part of this transformation.”
Worldchefs developed the Sustainability Education for Culinary Professionals curriculum in 2018 to teach chefs how to think and act sustainably. The free course includes 8 lessons to help students engage with key themes to inspire positive change and improved profitability. Each lesson includes activities, quizzes, localization tips, and assessments. A global resource, the course is available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, German, and French. Over 3,500 hospitality professionals have been trained using Worldchefs sustainability curriculum as the network of Worldchefs Sustainability Education trainers around the world continues to grow.
Food for Soul is a cultural nonprofit organization advocating for socially responsible actions that improve the health of our planet and well-being of people. Since the opening of Refettorio Ambrosiano, Milan in 2015, Bottura and Gilmore have been mobilizing and empowering local communities to reduce food waste and support social inclusion. Launched in 2016, Food for Soul in collaboration with nonprofit operational partners aim to change behaviors in how we value, respect and nurture our food system. Working collaboratively to foster health, sustainability and equity outcomes across our global community, the organization has launched Refettorio projects worldwide in Milan, Modena, Naples, Bologna, London, Paris, Geneva, Rio de Janeiro, Mérida, Lima, Harlem, San Francisco, and Sydney. We believe the opportunity to provide culinary education through a global online platform fosters shared knowledge and creativity, bringing us one step closer to a future food system that is sustainable, a vision we share at Food for Soul. Food is not about the quality of ingredients, it’s the quality of the ideas behind them,” says chef Massimo Bottura. These ideas are a recipe for social change in how we care for one another and our planet.”
In addition to the Refettorio model, Food for Soul has also been strengthening its efforts to create a global movement of change-makers by developing opportunities to further education, share best practices and test strategies that can reduce vulnerabilities and strengthen community resilience. The organization’s Learning Network fosters open dialogue across Refettorio projects highlighting transformative examples of equitable and inclusive programs in the sustainability space. Investing in training and education is both part of their ongoing effort to support innovation in the sector and achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, such as SDG 12, target 12.3: halving food waste by 2030. Together with these initiatives, the partnership with Worldchefs will strengthen both organizations’ capacity to help build a healthy and just food ecosystem.
“Worldchefs is proud to join with Food for Soul in our shared mission to use the power of the white jacket for good,” says Worldchefs President Thomas Gugler. “We look forward to a working together to give more and more chefs the skills they need to change the world.”
As part of the efforts to equip culinary professionals with new skills and opportunities, the training program is also designed to prepare participants to bring more chefs to the table. Participants will gain insight into the application process to become a Worldchefs Sustainability Education Trainer, including key practices to deliver the lesson plan in a variety of professional settings. Participating chefs will also be invited to join Food for Soul’s forthcoming Chef Food for Soul Ambassador Program.
Hospitality professionals can learn more about Worldchefs’ Sustainability Education here.
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ABOUT FOOD FOR SOUL
Food for Soul is a cultural nonprofit organization advocating for socially responsible actions that improve the health of our planet and well-being of people. The mission of Food for Soul aims to change behaviors in how we value, respect and nurture our food system and work collaboratively to foster health, sustainability and equity outcomes across our global community. Through advocacy, sharing of knowledge and the development of Refettorio projects around the world, Food for Soul is proving the role of culture to strengthen resilience and enable social change. To learn more visit, www.foodforsoul.it and www.cookingisanactoflove.org
For press and media inquiries
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ABOUT FEED THE PLANET
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. We’re committed to using our voices to help ensure a more equitable and sustainable food system for all.
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.
Learn more and get involved at www.feedtheplanet.worldchefs.org.
ABOUT WORLDCHEFS
The World Association of Chefs’ Societies, known as Worldchefs, is a dynamic global network of 110 chef associations worldwide. A leading voice in the hospitality industry, Worldchefs carries 91 years of history since its founding 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 curriculums, and the world’s first Global Hospitality 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.
For more information about Worldchefs, visit us at www.worldchefs.org.
For press and media inquiries
[email protected]
