This New Award Is Celebrating EU Chefs And Sustainability Change-Makers

Chefs and sustainability-focused non-profit organisations within the EU should be sure to enter the Climate Smart Chefs Award. Applications opened in September 2023 and will close 10th June 2024.

The Climate Smart Chefs Award is open to two categories: chefs who have taken part in the LIFE Climate Smart Chefs High-Level Course (online or in person) and sustainability projects, local initiatives or non-profits led by chefs. The categories have different requirements and prizes – read on for the details!

Category One: Chefs who have taken part in the LIFE Climate Smart Chefs High-Level Course 

Are you one of the participants from the LIFE Climate Smart Chefs High-Level Course, or have you completed the online-only course? Time to get your entry in – the Climate Smart Chefs is looking for the most impressive sustainability change-maker in Europe.

• If you are a senior culinary professional (e.g., a head chef, restaurant owner, or senior chef) you can enter your restaurant as the most climate-smart and sustainable restaurant.
• If you have a junior profile (e.g., a student at a culinary school, or a culinary professional not owning or managing a restaurant) you can enter your inspiring ideas for new sustainable recipes.

Entry requirements

• 18 years old+
• Operator or student in the restaurant or hospitality sector
• Country of residence within the European Union
• Completion of the LIFE Climate Smart Chefs High-Level Course (online + in-presence) or the online-only course – more info on the Course here.

Selection criteria

The judges are looking for culinary professionals and students who are clearly embracing sustainability in their restaurants and daily activities.

What are the prizes?

Prizes for winners in this category include:

• A free specialised training course at ALMA – The School of Italian Culinary Arts, the most authoritative centre for advanced training in Italian cuisine and hospitality with accredited teachers from all over the world.
• One year’s free license for “Foodprint”, a menu environmental footprint calculation software from Nutritics.
• Community-building and promotional and visibility opportunities.

Please read the full regulations and FAQs before applying for the Climate Smart Chefs Award; you can find them here.

Category Two: Non-profit organisations

Is your non-profit organisation or community project fostering food sustainability at a local level? The LIFE team is looking for projects and initiatives dealing with these issues: the food-climate-water nexus, carbon and water footprints reduction, sustainable nutrition and/or food waste reduction.

Requirements

• Associations, committees, NGOs and non-profit organisations with legal entity
• Operating within a European member state
• The project/initiative presented must be already existing and ongoing
• It must have one or more chefs either in a leadership position or highly involved.

Selection criteria

Judges will evaluate the overall quality, originality and the impact of your project/initiative, with an eye also to the potential for it to be replicated elsewhere.

What are the prizes?

Prizes for winners in this category include:

• A monetary prize amounting to €10,000 (first place), €5,000 (second place) or €2,500 (third place)
• Community-building and visibility opportunities.

Please read the full regulations and FAQs before applying for the Climate Smart Chefs Award; you can find them here.

Apply now

Applications close on 10^th June, so if either of the above categories sounds like you, make sure to enter! They must be completed in English and submitted online by filling in the dedicated form.

Applications will be evaluated by a jury composed by international experts, chaired by Michelin-starred Cheffe Chiara Pavan. The winners will be awarded during the Final Conference of the LIFE Climate Smart Chefs project in September 2024.

Find more information and apply here. For plenty of inspiration about what sustainability can mean for chefs and restaurant operators, visit our News & Insights page!