Part of the Erasmus+-funded Zero Waste Chefs EU project, the publication is accompanied by a free online course (MOOC) for...
Logo of Zero Waste Chefs EU comprising a chef′s hat with arrows in a circle around the name. Underneath are smaller logos of the participating entities - Ibiza & Formentera Preservation, IES Isidor Macabich, TEKO Estonia, and the EU flag with the words Funded by the European Union.
ZERO WASTE CHEFS EU
A proposal for the kitchens of the future
Zero Waste Chefs EU is an educational project focused on reducing food waste in the catering sector through vocational training. This programme is dedicated to teaching and promoting sustainable and zero waste cooking practices among future culinary professionals, strengthening their environmental commitment and encouraging innovation in food waste management in the kitchen.
The project, which is funded by the European Union via its Erasmus+ programme, is a cross-border collaboration coordinated by the Spanish environmental foundation Ibiza & Formentera Preservation, in partnership with two vocational colleges, IES Isidor Macabich in Ibiza and Tallinna Teeninduskool in Estonia, who bring their expertise and resources to develop and implement the training in their respective institutions.
Students remove meat from a chicken carcass with their hands
Students remove meat from a chicken carcass with their hands
Zero Waste Chefs EU runs for 2 years, from September 2023 to August 2025. Its phases include:
- Initial design and planning
- Teacher training workshops
- Design and implementation of educational modules
- Creation of a best practice guide
- Dissemination of the project results and materials
Ultimately, the project aims to contribute to food waste reduction in Europe by sharing the educational tools and techniques developed with the wider academic and catering sectors throughout the region. This objective aligns with sustainability policies and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, especially SDG 12 on responsible consumption and production.
TOOLS & RESOURCES
Good Practice Guide
The Good Practice Guide for Zero-Waste Kitchens is an educational resource designed to support vocational training colleges specialising in hospitality and catering across Europe in transitioning toward more sustainable models committed to reducing food waste.
The guide is the result of two years of joint work between Ibiza & Formentera Preservation, IES Isidor Macabich in Ibiza, and Tallinna Teeninduskool in Estonia. It combines theory, teaching modules, practical exercises, culinary techniques, and success stories to help integrate the zero-waste philosophy into the training of future kitchen professionals.
It is available in four languages. Download your copy here and join the movement towards waste-free kitchens!
MOOC
In addition to the guide, the project has developed a free online course or MOOC. The training is structured into three modules delivered by the partner organisations:
- The first, led by Ibiza & Formentera Preservation, covers the environmental context and the project’s objectives.
- The second, by IES Isidor Macabich, focuses on integrating the zero-waste approach into culinary education.
- The third, from the Estonian center Tallinna Teeninduskool (TEKO) in Tallinn, presents their applied methodology.
Explore the course modules and tools and bring the zero-waste approach to your classroom or kitchen through the button below, or watch them directly on YouTube in English, Estonian, Spanish or Catalan.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION
If you work or teach in the catering sector and are passionate about zero waste cooking, please join our Facebook group. As well as keeping up-to-date on all the project’s news and activities, you can ask questions and share your own research and experiences. Just hit the button below!
A GIF of the Spanish Service for the Internationalisation of Education, the national agency for Erasmus+, linking to the website
The Zero Waste Chefs EU project is funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union. The content of this web page is the sole responsibility of Ibiza & Formentera Preservation, IES Isidor Macabich y Tallinna Teeninduskool and neither the European Commission nor the Spanish Service for the Internationalisation of Education (SEPIE) is responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.
