Part of the Erasmus+-funded Zero Waste Chefs EU project, the publication is accompanied by a free online course (MOOC) for teachers, catering colleges, and industry professionals.
Ibiza, 29 August 2025 – The Zero Waste Chefs EU project, funded by the European Union’s Erasmus+ programme, has launched the Guide to Good Practice for Zero Waste Kitchens, a pioneering educational resource that brings together theoretical insights and practical proposals for integrating sustainability and the zero-waste philosophy into vocational culinary training.
Developed collaboratively by the environmental foundation IbizaPreservation, Ibiza-based secondary school Isidor Macabich, and Estonian vocational college Tallinna Teeninduskool (TEKO), the guide is available for free download in several languages. In addition, the project is launching a free MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) for teachers, culinary schools, and professionals in the sector.
According to IbizaPreservation, its aim is to broaden the scope of training and facilitate the implementation of zero-waste practices in educational centres and cooking schools across Europe.
“The guide combines both theoretical and practical content with the objective of transforming classrooms and school kitchens into more sustainable, creative, and environmentally friendly spaces,” explained Itziar Arratibel, Programme Director at IbizaPreservation. It will be shared across Europe as a reference for schools, HORECA organisations, and environmental groups looking to embed sustainability into training and professional practice.
Available in Spanish, Catalan, English, and Estonian, the guide frames food waste as a major global environmental and social challenge and introduces circular economy principles and sustainable kitchen practices, aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 12 on responsible consumption and production. It also includes practical exercises, participatory activities, and preservation techniques, such as pickling and fermenting, alongside recipes created by students in Ibiza and Estonia using ingredients that would otherwise have been discarded.
The project has also developed a free online training programme in MOOC format, structured into three modules created by the partner organisations: the first, presented by IbizaPreservation, covers the environmental context and project objectives; the second focuses on the experience of IES Isidor Macabich; and the third explores the methodology applied by TEKO in Tallinn.
“Through the MOOC, we offer not just theoretical insights but also real-world examples from two very different educational settings,” said Arratibel. “This makes it a valuable resource for both new and experienced culinary educators looking to bring sustainability into their teaching.”
Both the guide and the MOOC are available at zerowastechefs.eu. According to IbizaPreservation, the Zero Waste Chefs EU project has served as a pilot initiative, demonstrating that the zero-waste approach can be systematically integrated into vocational training programmes. Over two years, it has fostered collaboration among the participating colleges, generated innovative educational resources, and driven meaningful change in culinary education from an environmental perspective.
NOTE: The Zero Waste Chefs EU project is funded by the European Union’s Erasmus+ programme. The content of this press release is the sole responsibility of IbizaPreservation, IES Isidor Macabich and Tallinna Teeninduskool, and neither the European Commission nor the Spanish Service for the Internationalisation of Education (SEPIE) are responsible for any use that may be made of the information disseminated here.
