Developing a Healthy and Climate-Friendly Community College Culinary Curriculum

This paper describes the development of the Climate-Friendly, Healthy, Efficient Food Service (CHEF) curriculum at the City University of New York (CUNY). The program addresses a critical gap between growing industry demand for sustainability-trained workers and limited community college culinary ed...

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Main Authors: Nevin Cohen, Nicolle Fernandes, Mark D’Alessandro, Katherine Tomaino Fraser, Julia Greene
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-02-01
Series:Gastronomy
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2813-513X/3/1/4
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author Nevin Cohen
Nicolle Fernandes
Mark D’Alessandro
Katherine Tomaino Fraser
Julia Greene
author_facet Nevin Cohen
Nicolle Fernandes
Mark D’Alessandro
Katherine Tomaino Fraser
Julia Greene
author_sort Nevin Cohen
collection DOAJ
description This paper describes the development of the Climate-Friendly, Healthy, Efficient Food Service (CHEF) curriculum at the City University of New York (CUNY). The program addresses a critical gap between growing industry demand for sustainability-trained workers and limited community college culinary education in these areas. Through collaborative design with industry partners, public agencies, and non-profit organizations, we created four core courses covering sustainable food service operations, culinary practices, food systems, and nutrition. The curriculum offers two implementation pathways: a 100 h continuing education credential and an Associate of Applied Science degree concentration. Industry partners have committed to supporting the program through internships and recognition of the credential in hiring decisions. This model demonstrates the feasibility of integrating comprehensive sustainability education into community college culinary programs while enhancing graduates’ career prospects in the expanding sustainable food service sector.
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series Gastronomy
spelling doaj-art-7b14813d81874c40859ca260dfdbd4cb2025-08-20T02:42:32ZengMDPI AGGastronomy2813-513X2025-02-0131410.3390/gastronomy3010004Developing a Healthy and Climate-Friendly Community College Culinary CurriculumNevin Cohen0Nicolle Fernandes1Mark D’Alessandro2Katherine Tomaino Fraser3Julia Greene4Urban Food Policy Institute, CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy, New York, NY 10027, USACUNY LaGuardia Community College, New York, NY 11101, USACUNY Kingsborough Community College, New York, NY 11235, USAUrban Food Policy Institute, CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy, New York, NY 10027, USAUrban Food Policy Institute, CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy, New York, NY 10027, USAThis paper describes the development of the Climate-Friendly, Healthy, Efficient Food Service (CHEF) curriculum at the City University of New York (CUNY). The program addresses a critical gap between growing industry demand for sustainability-trained workers and limited community college culinary education in these areas. Through collaborative design with industry partners, public agencies, and non-profit organizations, we created four core courses covering sustainable food service operations, culinary practices, food systems, and nutrition. The curriculum offers two implementation pathways: a 100 h continuing education credential and an Associate of Applied Science degree concentration. Industry partners have committed to supporting the program through internships and recognition of the credential in hiring decisions. This model demonstrates the feasibility of integrating comprehensive sustainability education into community college culinary programs while enhancing graduates’ career prospects in the expanding sustainable food service sector.https://www.mdpi.com/2813-513X/3/1/4climate-friendly food servicecommunity collegeculinary trainingworkforce developmentsustainability
spellingShingle Nevin Cohen
Nicolle Fernandes
Mark D’Alessandro
Katherine Tomaino Fraser
Julia Greene
Developing a Healthy and Climate-Friendly Community College Culinary Curriculum
Gastronomy
climate-friendly food service
community college
culinary training
workforce development
sustainability
title Developing a Healthy and Climate-Friendly Community College Culinary Curriculum
title_full Developing a Healthy and Climate-Friendly Community College Culinary Curriculum
title_fullStr Developing a Healthy and Climate-Friendly Community College Culinary Curriculum
title_full_unstemmed Developing a Healthy and Climate-Friendly Community College Culinary Curriculum
title_short Developing a Healthy and Climate-Friendly Community College Culinary Curriculum
title_sort developing a healthy and climate friendly community college culinary curriculum
topic climate-friendly food service
community college
culinary training
workforce development
sustainability
url https://www.mdpi.com/2813-513X/3/1/4
work_keys_str_mv AT nevincohen developingahealthyandclimatefriendlycommunitycollegeculinarycurriculum
AT nicollefernandes developingahealthyandclimatefriendlycommunitycollegeculinarycurriculum
AT markdalessandro developingahealthyandclimatefriendlycommunitycollegeculinarycurriculum
AT katherinetomainofraser developingahealthyandclimatefriendlycommunitycollegeculinarycurriculum
AT juliagreene developingahealthyandclimatefriendlycommunitycollegeculinarycurriculum