SWISS CULINARY NUTRITION HUB 2030
INTERNATIONAL OPEN COLLABORATION AND CONSULTING HUB CONNECTING INTERDISCIPLINARY PROFESSIONALS
TRANSLATING EVIDENCE-BASED CULINARY CONCEPTS INTO CLINICAL AND NON-CLINICAL SETTING
INTEGRATING THE PRINCIPLES OF NUTRITION AND COOKING IN PROFESSIONAL AND PATIENT EDUCATION
EXPLORING THE GLOBAL CULINARY ARCHITECTURE AND ITS IMPACT ON HUMAN AND PLANETARY HEALTH

 

WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES ?
1.)  Lack of progress means unacceptable levels of malnutrition persist. Worldwide, 149.2 million children under 5 years of age are stunted, 45.4 million are     wasted and 38.9 million are overweight. Over 40% of all men and women (2.2 billion people) are now overweight or obese (Global Nutrition Report 2021)

2.)  Generally, there is a lack of nutrition education in culinary, hotel and gastronomic schools. 

3.)  A global need to create more collaboration models between trained chefs and nutritionists has been on a rise. 

4.)  There are a lot of people who cannot cook. Cooking is not only an important life skill, but also an efficient tool to achieve better food systems, make healthier choices and reduce the double burden of malnutrition and non-communicable diseases.  

MAIN MISSION AND STAGES: ACHIEVING PUBLIC HEALTH IMPACT THROUGH CULINARY SKILLS
1.)   Our aim to identify regional challenges and implement more cooking education to help reduce malnutrition in all its forms and improve regional/global food systems
2.)  Our initiative builds on existing efforts to expand an evidence-based Teaching Kitchen model for culinary professionals.
3.)  Our goal is to make cooking more accessible to all, promote new findings and fill up potential knowledge gaps for communities and professionals

SUBSIDIARY PROJECTS
CREATION OF INITIAL COOKING AND COLLABORATIVE PHILOSOPHY/FRAMEWORK (2022)
1.)    Cultural heritage and gastrodiplomacy of global (and Central European) cuisines, their influence on human and planetary health (2022-2023) 
2.)   Course, workshop and program offerings for chefs, nutritionists, food professionals,  leaders of international and cultural organizations and academics (2022-2024) 
3.)   Launch of teaching kitchen/food as medicine clubs, as a form of social prescribing and complementary food therapy (2023-2025)

FURTHER STAGES
1.)    Translation of evidence and projects for different stakeholders and key groups and development of specific (culinary) manifesto of actions
2.)   Development of multiple project adaptations (hands-on model, online, mobile delivery)
3.)   Definition of implementation options into continual research, policy, practice, nutrition/catering plans, social initiatives and existing projects
4.)   Creation of frameworks, tools and manifesto (future app) for professionals, individuals and patients to secure ongoing collaboration and learning opportunities
5.)   Review of Strategy in 2025 / Discussing continual development for the period 2025-2030 / Timeline Development

KEY AREAS:
1.)    Food Diplomacy and Culture
2.)   Hospitality, Culinary Arts and Design  
3.)   Nutrition and Public Health

OUR CULINARY PHILOSOPHY AND GLOBAL CHEFS' MANIFESTO 

Chefs bridge the gap between the farm and the fork – transforming raw ingredients into delicious, nutritious meals. In doing so, they influence what we grow, what we put on our plates and how we think and talk about food. We think chefs can be powerful advocates for a better food future – inspiring people to make changes in their kitchens, act as agents of nutrition, community leaders and empower them to call on governments and companies to also play their part (Chefs as Agents of Change, FAO, 2015)

Our priorities are:
1.)     Most importantly, to listen to people and guests, collect their questions/concerns and provide them with and evidence-based feedback  
2.)    To identify food and nutrition-related regional challenges and cuisines, analyse them, find solutions and explore implementation opportunities
3.)    To study regional and global cuisines, review and test recipes applying/using different critical appraisal tools 
4.)    To incorporate latest culinary trends and scientific knowledge and translate it to different key groups, communities and households 
5.)    To facilitate the movement/action steps for change through the following action areas (co-developed by +900 chefs with a support of SDG2 Advocacy Hub)

            1.  Ingredients grown with respect for the earth & its oceans
           2.  Protection of biodiversity & improved animal welfare

           3.  Investment in livelihoods

           4.  Value natural resources & reduce waste

           5.  Celebration of local & seasonal food 

           6.  A focus on plant-based ingredients 

           7.  Education on food safety & healthy diets

           8. Nutritious food that is accessible & affordable for all 

INTERDISCIPLINARY INTEGRATION OF CULINARY NUTRITION
1.)    To apply more scientific knowledge about cooking and nutrition among culinary professionals. 
2.)   To support the work and create links between dietitians/nutritionists and food and beverage professionals.
3.)   To engage patients and communities and improve their health through culinary skills. 
4.)   To collect new information, facts and data about global cuisines and cultures and create new culinary nutrition frameworks. 
5.)    To contribute to global initiatives to reduce and prevent a food waste and achieve better food systems.

PROJECT PARTS, SERVICES AND INITIATIVES
1.)    Global Network and Open Collaboration Program
2.)   Consulting and Services (Project Development, Hospitality  and Catering Services)
3.)   Research (Global and Regional Manifesto Test Kitchen/Science-Based Recipes and Cookbook) 
4.)   Education (Foundation Culinary Nutrition Course, Workshop and other Course Offerings) 
5.)   Multipurpose Teaching Kitchen (Learning Model)  
6.)   Events and Annual Summits (Key Meetings, Organization of Roundtables and Knowledge Events including Catering Plans)
7.)    Future App Development 
 

ENTRY POINTS  
Action 1:    Analysis of regional needs and challenges and review of existing examples of practice.
Action 2:   Research activities driven by chefs, dietitians, food professionals and people.
Action 3:   Formation of manifesto/framework (application of primary, secondary, tertiary sources and key findings). 
Action 4:   Development of key outputs and projects.
Action 5:   Creation of culinary courses and programs.
Action 6:   Creation and launch of a collaboration program/incubator. 
Action 7:    Organization of annual events and key meetings.
Action 8:   Develop a knowledge-exchange model with international and regional organizations.
Action 9:   Translation of key evidence and engagement of target groups through a Teaching Kitchen concept.
Action 10: Transformation of existing and future projects into digital health innovations and concepts.

TARGET GROUPS AND BENEFICIARIES
Level 1:  Organizations, Food Associations, Initiatives and Social Innovators
Level 2: Research and Educational Institutions
Level 3: Chefs and Food Supply Chain Actors
Level 4: Students and Academics
Level 5: Public Engagement, Communities and Patients

EXAMPLES OF PRACTICE AND INITIAL BRIEF EVALUATION OF THE IMPACT 2016-2022
Applied Culinary Philosophy and Knowledge:
- 12 big regional/international food events with + of 1,000 guests and per day / overall +46 000 of guests and 63 000 portions of food

- 35 mid-size events with an average of 75 guests per each one / overall +2 450 guests and +6 300 portions of food
- Cooking for and interacting with +1 100 guest per month and preparing +2 700 portions of food
- Other projects and statistics to be added gradually

Key Targets and Areas of Implementation of Food and Nutrition Education:
- Catering documents: Service Standards/Meals, Menus and Dietary Requirements/Waste Minimisation and Recycling/Nutrition Specifications/Other
- Staff/In-House Training 
- Guest experience, communication and feedback materials for training employees, guest and partners
- Post-event reflections and analysis, new suggestions, improvements and incorporation of more nutrition education, minimisation of risks

Major Impacts Evaluated:
1. Support of food systems and environmental impact
2. Work efficiency, education of hospitality and culinary professionals, cooks and service staff
3. Improved processing of ingredients, cooking techniques (for example, food bioactives) and innovation of new plant-based options
 

-Reduction of energy costs up to 60%
-Reduction water consumption up to 20%
-Reduce waste management costs up to 30%
-Better and more sustainable food and ingredients choices up to 40%
-Improved overall satisfaction of guests, customers and partners to 63%

New arising opportunities and space for expansion of nutrition education within the hospitality/public health sector: 
- Public and gastro-diplomacy (communication strategy, people-to-people cooking sessions, promotion of healthy diets)
- Incorporation of nutrition education in the hospitality publications
- New ideas to integrate nutrition-related survey questions to improve a general guest experience and collect new data from customers
- Development of new courses and programs for hospitality professionals
- To engage hotel and restaurant guests to take part in cooking classes to learn more about the nutrition aspects of restaurant/home menus
- To launch new Teaching Kitchens as a collaborative/learning environment to test new menus and achieve better health outcomes of guests
- To continuously develop new cooperations with nutrition, health organizations, schools and universities
- To organize new knowledge events and co-develop new and existing hospitality events, conferences and summits 
- To develop global guidelines on specific topics/actions and translate culinary philosophies (manifesto) to different groups to facilitate the movement