Chefs, driving force behind promoting children healthy eating

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) says "in lack or in excess, problems of nutrition always encompass inappropriate choices and practices, and nutrition education is an important step in empowering the consumer to make healthy food choices."

The chefs are a core group of those who help in making healthy food choices. They are trained professional cooks and tradesmen who are proficient in all aspects of food preparation.

Since 2004, chefs have been celebrated annually on Oct. 20, as International Chefs Day.

Supreme reports that the day was created by the late Dr Billy Gallagher, a renowned chef and businessman, who was the president of the South African Chefs Association for 21 years.

Gallagher also became the president of the World Association of Chefs Societies (WACS) in 1996.

Over the years, the World Chefs have partnered with platforms like Nestlé Professional – the company's business that supplies the food and beverage out-of-home industry – to teach young children the importance of healthy eating through workshops across the globe.

Nestlé Professional in Nigeria marked International Chefs Day 2022 at the new Lagos State Culinary Academy, Ikeja, with students from public and private secondary schools across Lagos.

The event featured training on the importance of healthy eating and lifestyles in line with this year's International Chef's Day theme: "Growing a Health Future."

It was celebrated via a fun-filled educative workshop and practical sessions coordinated by chefs with a hands-on approach for the children.

They created recipes out of fresh food items, including vegetables and fruits, and prepared healthy dishes during the cooking sessions.

Funmi Osineye, Business Manager, Nestlé Professional, said: "The wellbeing of their children is the fundamental goal for parents and caregivers. It is also an indicator of societal development.

"We are, therefore, committed to working with stakeholders to enhance the wellbeing of generations to come through nutrition education as well as the continuous provision of high-quality nutritious food and beverages."

"Today's event is a platform for continuous engagement to encourage children to be creative with food."

Osineye acknowledged the Association of Professional Chefs Nigeria (APCN) for consistently partnering with Nestlé to achieve the company's global objective of helping 50 million children live healthier lives by 2030.

"We want to thank the Association of Professional Chefs Nigeria for partnering with us through the years."

"We are also grateful to the administrators of the Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board for their collaboration to celebrate Chef's Day 2022.

"We are delighted to witness the sincere interest in skilling up young people in Lagos State for gainful employment in the hospitality sector," she added.

Speaking, Paul Okon, National President, Association of Professional Chefs Nigeria (APCN), said: "It has been a great pleasure to engage, educate, and enlighten children on healthy eating as we believe this is the foundation for a healthy future."

"We sincerely appreciate the role Nestlé Professional has played over the years in promoting Nigeria's food tourism, supporting capacity development of chefs and empowering the next generation of chefs."

In her comments, Moronke Azeez, Executive Secretary, Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board (LASTVEB) said, "We are delighted to be working with Nestlé on this laudable initiative, which has been very impactful and a great learning exercise for the children."

"The event is fully aligned with the objective of the recent establishment of the Lagos Culinary Academy aimed at producing professionals for the hospitality and food service industry while equipping students for entrepreneurship and self-employment."

Speaking on her experience, Chineze, an SS2 student of Ilupeju Senior Secondary School, said she enjoyed the event and learnt some practical meal recipes that she would cook at home.

On the importance of good nutrition, Dr Mekwuye Eric, Director of Training and Corporate Matters, APCN, explained: "It is our first defence against disease and our source of energy to live and be energetic.

"Nutritional challenges caused by an inadequate diet can be diverse, and when they affect a generation of young people, they can reduce their well-being and learning capacities."

"This can compromise their future."

He said in some instances, they could lead to an inter-generational cycle of malnutrition, which would ultimately have severe consequences for both individuals and nations.

"Good nutrition means your body gets all the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals it needs to work at its best.

"Good nutrition helps increase your energy level, improves ability to fight off illness, recover from illnesses and injuries; improves mental, cognitive and physical well-being

"It also reduces the risk of some diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, stroke, some cancers, and osteoporosis, high blood pressure, as well as helps to lower high cholesterol, among others."

Chef Nick Maaji, Vice President, South West, APCN, giving tips on eating healthy, said: "We know that all over the world we are talking about climate change, flood, drought, and environmental pollution.

"So many things are affecting our environment, and one of the biggest challenges in our environment is food.

"The way it is cultivated, harvested, preserved, distributed, prepared, eaten, all can affect our environment

So, I encourage us all to eat plenty of fruits. Eat fruits whole rather than as juices; eat a lot of whole grains; take low-fat or fat-free milk.

"Also take lean meats and poultry as they have less fat and fewer calories." In addition, try other vegetable sources of protein and drink lots of water. "

Concluding, Maaji said with a good chef, there would be healthy persons, families and nation.

Without good food, you can't have a healthy future.

"Research shows that if we want to have a healthy future, we have to eat more vegetables, fruits, nuts, and cut down on our red meat and sugar by about 50 percent."

He advised chefs to pass on to the younger generation the need for healthy meals for the future to be healthy for humanity.