Inspiring young minds and ‘Growing Great Chefs’

Nestlé Professional, in collaboration with Worldchefs - the World Association of Chefs Societies - will celebrate International Chefs Day 2024 on October 20th to continue inspiring and educating children about the importance of a balanced diet. This year’s theme, ‘Growing Great Chefs,’ welcomes young enthusiasts into the wonderful world of cooking, teaching them not only how to prepare delicious dishes but also how to make informed food choices.

In 2023, International Chefs Day reached new heights with 456 events across the globe, involving about 3,700 chefs and over 140,000 children. This year, we are excited to build on this success, engaging even more young minds in culinary workshops that emphasize the joys of cooking and the importance of a balanced diet.

2024 also marks the 20th anniversary of the creation of International Chefs Day celebrations.

Empowering the next generation of chefs

International Chefs Day offers chefs a unique opportunity to connect closely with children, teaching them about the delights of cooking and all about our hero ingredients. This celebration is more than just a day; it’s a chance to make a lasting impact on the lives of young people, encouraging them to explore the culinary arts and learning about different food groups.

“We believe that empowering children with the knowledge and skills when making food choices can help to influence the future. ‘Growing Great Chefs’ aligns with our mission to inspire and nurture the next generation of chefs,” said Emmanuel Lorieux, Nestlé Professional Global Executive Chef and Global Culinary Partnership Manager. “By engaging youngsters in this hands-on learning experience, we hope to ignite their passion for cooking and foster lifelong habits.”

Nestlé Professional also provides a comprehensive toolkit that includes posters, recipe cards, workshop tips, games and educational resources. Among these is a ‘balanced plate’ guide, designed to inspire young chefs to create well-balanced meals using a variety of food groups. Events across the globe will include cooking workshops, education sessions, food safety awareness, farm visits, food art and cultural culinary journeys.

Supporting healthier kids with Nestlé for Healthier Kids

This initiative is part of the broader Nestlé for Healthier Kids program (N4HK), which promotes balanced diets and healthy lifestyle habits for children aged 3–12 and supports parents and caregivers to raise healthier kids.

By collaborating with Worldchefs on International Chefs Day, we are taking another step towards achieving this ambitious goal, ensuring that children worldwide have the tools and knowledge they need to make informed food choices.

“This is a monumental year for us in many ways,” explains Vanessa Marquis, Chairperson of the Worldchefs International Chefs Day Committee. “Firstly, this marks the 20th anniversary of International Chefs’ Day. We are pleased to celebrate this on the first day of the Worldchefs Congress 2024 and to hold this at the Nestlé Professional Customer Engagement Centre (CEC) in Singapore. We’re proud to work with Nestlé Professional to inspire children worldwide to make lifelong habits and positive changes in their lives.”

We’re excited about offering access to educational resources, allowing children worldwide to learn about the importance of a healthy and balanced diet. 

Download the toolkit HERE to have access to tips, posters, and recipes that are tailored to different age groups.