Intern’l Chefs Day: Inspiring Next Generation on Healthy Cooking Habits

Rebecca Ejifoma

In its continuous commitment to help 50 million children live healthier lives by 2030, Nestlé Professional paired seven public and private schools with professional chefs in a cooking exercise to promote well-being in Lagos state to mark this year’s International Chefs Day.

With the theme, “Growing A Healthy Future”, students were trained on the fringe benefits and significance of nurturing healthy cooking habits. This was at the International Chefs Day on Thursday, October 20 powered by Nestle Professional which was held at the new Lagos State Culinary Academy in the Ikeja area.

Among the participants in the cooking training is an SS2 student of Ilupeju Senior Grammar School, Hope Shulamite. She narrated her experience, “I am happy that I was chosen to be part of this event. I particularly enjoyed creating the recipes and cooking with the chefs and members of my group.”

Shulamite resolved to relive this moment. “I will try out the recipe again at home and in school with my friends during our home economics practical. On behalf of all the students here today, I want to thank the organisers for giving us this wonderful learning opportunity.”

Okafor Audrey, an SS 2 Student of Queensland Academy, shares in Shulamite’s excitement. “I learned a unique way to chop my onions for the beans and sauce my school prepared. There is a way you slice onions called caramelisation. It brings out the sugar and makes it sweeter.”

While expressing her delight and honour in being a part of the cooking exercise, Okafor enthused, “I’ve learnt so much and enjoyed the experience. Thank you so much, Nestle, for this opportunity. I hope we have more opportunities for more students and non-students out there around the world.”

Their experience is part of Nestlé Nigeria’s effort to mark World Chef Day to teach the next generation healthy cooking and eating in line with International Chefs Day 2022. “The well-being of their children is the fundamental goal for parents and caregivers. It is also an indicator of societal development,” says Funmi Osineye, the Business Manager of Nestlé Professional.

She, therefore, iterated the commitment of Nestle to work with stakeholders to enhance the well-being of generations to come through nutrition education and continuous provision of high-quality nutritious food and beverages.

While describing the event as a platform for relentless engagement to encourage children to be creative with food, Osineye acknowledged the Association of Professional Chefs Nigeria (APCN) for consistently partnering with Nestlé to achieve the company’s global objective of helping 50 million children live healthier lives by 2030. 

“We want to thank the APCN for partnering with us through the years.” She highlighted. “We are also grateful to the administrators of the Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board for their collaboration to celebrate Chef’s Day 2022. 

“We are delighted to witness the sincere interest in skilling up young people in Lagos State for gainful employment in the hospitality sector.”

According to the National President of APCN, Paul Okon, it has been a great pleasure engaging, educating, and enlightening children on healthy eating as we believe this is the foundation for a healthy future.

“We sincerely appreciate the role Nestlé Professional has played over the years, promoting Nigeria’s Food Tourism, supporting capacity development of Chefs, and empowering the next generation of Chefs,” Okon expressed further.

On her part, the Executive Secretary of Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board (LASTVEB), Moronke Azeez remarked, “We are delighted to be working with Nestlé on this laudable initiative which has been very impactful and a great learning exercise for the children”.

She conceded that the event fully aligns with the objective of the recently established Lagos Culinary Academy aimed at producing professionals for the hospitality and food service industry while equipping students for entrepreneurship and self-employment. 

The event was commemorated via a fun-filled educational workshop and practical sessions coordinated by the chefs with a hands-on approach for the children. Together, they created recipes out of fresh food items including green vegetables, fruits and more.

The beneficiaries of the training came from public and private secondary schools in the state. They include Ilupeju Senior Secondary School; Efforts Will Academy, Ejigbo; Woodland Hills High School, Shasha; Laureates College, Oshodi; the Lagos State Technical College, Agidingbi; Ilupeju Senior Grammar School; and Queensland Academy and chefs from the Lagos State Chapter of the APCN. 

Meanwhile, International Chefs Day began in 2004. It is focused on bringing education, competition, networking, and sustainability to the authority on cuisine. It also aims to educate kids around the world about the importance of eating healthy, promote the career of chefs and help change their local communities.

Therefore, Nestlé and the APCN have continued to synergise since 2014 to make value-adding contributions in the food service industry, thereby, helping to bring nutrition, health, and wellness education to present and future chefs across the country.