The project
The Life Climate Smart Chefs project aims to contribute to the development and implementation of the EU Climate Policy and the Farm to Fork (F2F) Strategy by actively involving European chefs as promoters of low emission, nutritious and affordable diets that reduce environmental impacts, improve public health and tackle food waste.
The project intends to provide chefs with the knowledge and tools to generate change in recipe design, menu planning and communication with customers, fostering awareness on climate and environmental issues.
In addition, the project promotes a mainstream debate on food as a key factor for climate change mitigation.
Key project activities include:
- the implementation of a high-level training course for chefs
- the development of a digital tool to design climate smart menus
- the creation of an Award dedicated to climate smart chefs and local initiatives promoting sustainable diets
- the creation of an EU Network of chef associations
- the implementation of the Life Climate Smart Chefs Vision 2030, a strategic paper aimed at providing policy recommendations and supporting EU Climate Policy.
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Objectives
The project aims to contribute to the shift towards a low carbon economy by developing a climate smart cooking and eating culture in the EU food system.
The main project objectives are:
- To increase the awareness on the relationship between food and climate change at the EU level.
- To engage chefs as active changemakers and promoters of low emission, nutritious and affordable diets in the EU.
The project in numbers
Chefs trained on sustainable and healthy diets
Chefs taking part to the first edition of the Award
Chefs using the digital tool to design climate smart menus
Stakeholders in the food sector informed
EU Citizens receiving information about the project
Actions
Action A1
The objective of this action is to map and select best practices on the promotion of sustainable diets and food sustainability through different restaurant activities. The foreseen output is a set of recommendations for chefs. Responsible beneficiary: JAMK University of Applied Science.
Action A1
The objective of this action is to map and select best practices on the promotion of sustainable diets and food sustainability through different restaurant activities. The foreseen output is a set of recommendations for chefs. Responsible beneficiary: JAMK University of Applied Science.
Action A2
Action C1
Responsible beneficiary: Nutritics Limited.
Action C2
The objective of this action is to develop a high-level course for EU chefs, aiming to enhance their professional profile with knowledge and skills to increase the sustainability of the restaurant industry.
Responsible beneficiary: ENAIP NET – Impresa Sociale Consortile Srl.
Action C3
The objective of this action is to develop the Life Climate Smart Chefs Replicability and Transferability Plan in other EU countries and in a different sector (food and hospitality vocational schools).
Responsible beneficiary: Barilla Foundation.
Action C4
The objective of this action is to promote the debate at the EU level aimed at understanding the role of Chefs as change makers to improve the health of people and the planet through sustainable diets and menus. A Life Climate Smart Chefs Vision 2030 aimed at decision-makers at EU level as an input to future policies on food and the climate challenge will be developed.
Responsible beneficiary: Barilla Foundation.
Action D1
The objective of this action is to monitor and quantify the impacts of the project in terms of awareness raising and behavioural change.
Responsible beneficiary: JAMK University of Applied Science.
Action D1
The objective of this action is to monitor and quantify the impacts of the project in terms of awareness raising and behavioural change.
Responsible beneficiary: JAMK University of Applied Science.
Action E1
Action E2
The objective of this action is to create a Life Climate Smart Chefs Award at EU level, awarding best chefs and local initiatives in the field of sustainable diets promotion.
Responsible beneficiary: Barilla Foundation.
Action E3
The objective of this action is to identify relevant EU project and initiatives with whom to share knowledge, lessons learnt, opportunities of joint activities.
Responsible beneficiary: Barilla Foundation.
Action F
The aim of this action is to guarantee the correct technical and financial management of the project, and to define the After Life plan of activities.
Responsible beneficiary: Barilla Foundation.
The LIFE Programme
The LIFE CLIMATE SMART CHEFS project has received funding from the European LIFE Programme. LIFE is the EU funding instrument supporting environmental and climate action projects throughout the EU.
Project partners
Coordinating beneficiary
Barilla Foundation | ITALY
The Barilla Foundation, founded in 2009, aims to provide people, institutions and media with activities and scientifically robust analysis related to food and its relationships with societies and environment.
Associated beneficiaries
ALMA Srl – The School of Italian Culinary Arts | ITALY
ALMA is recognized as the world’s leading educational and training centre for the Italian food and beverage and hospitality sectors at an international level. ALMA collaborates with over 700 facilities, including renowned restaurants and pastry shops, prestigious hôtellerie, collective catering and wine industries in Italy and abroad.
ENAIP NET – Impresa Sociale Consortile Srl | ITALY
ENAIP NET is one of the largest networks of Vocational Education and Training providers in Italy, with 89 training centres and more than 40,000 students per year. Its mission is to enhance the growth of local economies through the professional development and active inclusion of all citizens. ENAIP NET is active in VET, employment services, innovation and development and international projects.
JAMK University of Applied Science | FINLAND JAMK is an internationally oriented higher education institution with 8500 students, 875 staff and 8 fields of study. JAMK has set itself an objective to be a carbon neutral UAS in 2030. JAMK/School of Business has been a signatory member of the Principles for Responsible Management Education since 2011. Since 2014 the degree programme in Service Business has focused on sustainable gastronomy and its curriculum uses the UN SDGs as a framework.
Nutritics Limited | IRLAND
Nutritics is the leading provider of recipe development and menu management software to the food industry. Their user-friendly software allows for ease of compliance with food law, optimal menu management and publishing and facilitates a direct link of food information between suppliers, operators and customers. The Company was founded in Ireland in 2013 and has grown organically to now serve over 10,000 food businesses in 100+ countries. It is the only software solution globally to be independently accredited by EUROFIR for accuracy in recipe calculation methods.
Advisory group
International experts on food and sustainability are joining the Life Climate Smart Chefs Advisory Group:
Sophie Hieke
Research Advisor, European Food Information Council; Professor for Marketing and Communication, Munich Business School
Paul Newnham
Strategic innovator and executive leader, SDGs - Good Food For All by 2030; Network Lead, Chef's Manifesto, SDG2 and Good Food for All
Chiara Pavan
Cheffe, Venissa Restaurant (Venice), Michelin Green Star 2022
Riccardo Valentini
Full Professor of Forest Ecology, Tuscia University; Member, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
The Climate Smart Chefs team
Marta Antonelli
Climate Smart Chefs Project Coordinator
William Nicholson
Climate Smart Chefs Project Manager
Alessandra Varotto
Climate Smart Chefs Communication Manager
Duncan Williamson
Senior Researcher
Simona Castaldi
Senior Researcher
Andrea Magnani
Senior Researcher
Silene Casari
Researcher
Alessio Mennecozzi
Communication Coordinator for Barilla Foundation
Giulio Negri
Operations Manager for Barilla Foundation
Andrea Sinigaglia
General Director at ALMA
Graceanne LaCombe
Project Coordinator for ALMA
Maria Paola Italia
Projec Manager for ALMA
Candida D’Elia
External Relations Manager for ALMA
Giacomo Bullo
Senior Communication Manager for ALMA
Valentina Rossi
Communication for ALMA
Fabio Amadei
Senior Academic Teacher for ALMA
Laura Torresin
Senior Chef for ALMA
Francesca Giopp
Nutrition Academic Teacher for ALMA
Laila Ciocca
Gastronomic Culture and Sustainability Academic Teacher for ALMA
Silvia Melegari
Administration for ALMA
Maria Cristina Ceci
Administration for ALMA
Karoliina Väisänen
Project Manager for JAMK
Francesca Allievi
Expert on Food Systems
Minna Junttila
Expert on Sustainable Gastronomy
Sirpa Laitinen-Väänänen
Expert on Education Practices
Karen O' Brien, Senior Technical Executive
Climate Smart Chefs Project Manager for Nutritics
Laura Kirwan
Sustainability Lead Coordinator
Networking
We network with international projects and initiatives to foster the dialogue on sustainable diets and sustainable food systems as key factors for climate change mitigation.
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The LIFE CLIMATE SMART CHEFS project has received funding from the LIFE Programme of the European Union under grant agreement n. LIFE20 GIC/IT/001708.
The contents of this website are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the European Union.