Nine Chefs are Inaugural Graduates from Sodexo WellChef Academy
Nine Sodexo Ireland chefs have recently celebrated becoming the inaugural graduates from the Sodexo WellChef Academy.
The CPD accredited programme, developed by John Core, Sodexo’s culinary nutrition lead in Ireland, is designed to upskill and empower Sodexo Ireland-based chefs with advanced skills in nutrition and sustainability. The graduates are Andrei Neamt, Mark Tobin, Chris Leech, Marianna Silvestri, David Sayce, Stephen Grimes, Jacob Kruger, John McCarthy and Fergal O’Rourke, who are all based at Sodexo client sites around Ireland.
Programme leader John Core is a graduate of TU Dublin’s MSc in Applied Culinary Nutrition and the first-ever winner of the Paula Mee Applied Culinary Nutrition Memorial Award. The programme incorporated workshops, interactive webinars and one to one mentoring. Each chef was given a specific focus to explore, including snack options, hospitality, comfort meals, soups, and stews, reflecting the diverse range of culinary expertise required in modern food service.
With a focus on sustainability, the chefs were encouraged to use local and seasonal ingredients to reduce food miles and support local suppliers. They were also trained to minimise food waste by making use of all parts of an ingredient, such as turning vegetable scraps into stocks or using leftover bread for croutons.
The Academy highlighted the importance of using sustainable proteins, such as plant-based options and responsibly sourced meat and fish, to create balanced and environmentally friendly dishes. The chef participants also learned to design menus that reduced waste, controlled portions, and used energy-efficient cooking methods. It concluded with a graduation event where the participants prepared and presented their dishes, displaying their outputs and learnings.
Huge congratulations to our inaugural Class of 2024 whose creativity, passion, and commitment is paving the way for a healthier, more sustainable future.
Over an intensive twelve weeks, they learned to create dishes that not only delight the palate but also support health and wellbeing, all designed to embrace Sodexo’s mission to deliver healthier, more sustainable, and delicious food.
CPD Accreditation is a trust mark achieved by training providers, course creators, and other educators when their training activity has been assessed and confirmed to meet standards suitable for Continuing Professional Development. It reflects Sodexo’s dedication to professional development and equipping its culinary community with the skills to lead in food nutrition and sustainability.
Well done to John Core for his commitment to sharing his culinary nutrition expertise and supporting the development of the WellChef Academy.
At its core, the WellChef Academy aligns with Sodexo’s approach to culinary excellence and is underpinned by the principles of prioritising nutrient dense ingredients and making the healthiest choice the easiest choice, ensuring healthy, convenient and accessible meal options for all our customers.