Inspiring Chefs in Central, West Africa to Create Healthy Meals on International Chefs Day

Chukwuemeka Okezie

Nestlé Professional and Nestlé Healthy Kids united again this year with the World Association of Chefs Societies (Worldchefs) to celebrate International Chefs Day 2016 on October 20.

This year’s theme ‘Art on a Plate’, aims to educate children in Central and West Africa and worldwide about the importance of healthy eating by creating edible artwork on a plate, and teach them about healthy habits for life.

Art on a Plate

To mark the event, an Art on a Plate toolkit was created to help chefs teach children how to turn everyday recipes into fun, appetising food that is not only enjoyable to make, but also healthy to eat. It contains recipe ideas, inspiration, tips and a checklist for different age groups.

Nestlé Ghana has teamed up with the University of Ghana Basic School in Accra, and chef Ali from the Mövenpick Hotel, who led the workshops using the toolkit to show about 200 children how easy it is to make five healthy recipes into Art on a Plate.

A complementary toolkit were given to the youngsters to take home to encourage their parents to provide nutritious meals and boost healthy diets at home and at school.

Healthy lifestyles

Nestlé’s commitment to promote healthy diets and lifestyles is part of its 39 pledges highlighted in the Nestlé Central and West Africa Region (CWAR) – Nestlé in society report 2015 that covers nutrition, water, rural development, environmental sustainability and compliance, which it aims to fulfill by 2020 or earlier.

The company also aims to enhance healthy lifestyles by addressing the UN Sustainable Development Goal 3, which seeks to ensure health and well being for all, at every stage of life.

Nestlé Professional and Worldchefs have been partners since 2014, making more possible in the foodservice industry, and helping to bring nutrition, health and wellness to chefs and the people they serve.