Problem addressed

This innovation responds to pressing needs within the culinary industry, including:
a. The growing demand in the job market for qualified culinary professionals, particularly as more restaurants add vegan options to their menus.
b. The need for both teachers and students to update their knowledge and skills in creating appealing and nutritious meals, in line with the rising consumer trend of reducing animal-based food consumption.
c. The necessity of incorporating plant-based nutrition into the curricula of culinary secondary schools to better align with current industry trends, labour market expectations, and consumer preferences.

Innovative solution

The innovation was developed using the Design Thinking method. It began as a micro-innovation cerated by a couple of educators - Dorota Rygiel and Tomasz Rygiel - and was later expanded with the involvement of both students and teachers. The manual and lesson plans were created by experts from the Polish catering industry. 

Students and teachers from the school participated in five workshops, each lasting about four hours, held in well-equipped school kitchens. These sessions were led by professional chefs, mostly head chefs from renowned restaurants. Under their guidance, students practiced preparing vegan dishes. Each workshop focused on different areas: soups, starters, main courses, and desserts.

Due to time constraints, the project’s aim was not to provide exhaustive knowledge of vegan cuisine but to offer basic information and inspire further exploration. Students used materials developed for the innovation, including theoretical foundations of vegan cooking and a recipe book.

During the workshops, students were encouraged to cook independently, with an emphasis on creativity and experimentation. While the chef trainers provided guidance, the final taste and quality of the dishes were the students’ responsibility. Informal discussions also addressed topics such as the environmental impact of industrial food production and the effects of meat-based diets on consumer health.

Key results and benefits

The innovation was introduced in 50 culinary vocational schools, involving 648 students and 91 teachers. Evaluations show that participants improved their skills in several areas:

Knowledge:

• Understand definitions and types of meatless diets, especially vegan principles.
• Recognize benefits and risks of a vegan diet.
• Identify plant-based protein alternatives and how to use them in classic dishes.
• Know substitutes for salt and sugar, and be familiar with various vinegars, oils, flours, rice, pasta, legumes, and fermented plant ingredients.
• Learn about ingredients like miso, tofu, seitan, tempeh, spirulina, and oriental spices.

Skills:

• Perform ingredient processing for vegan cuisine.
• Plan work stages and prepare the workstation.
• Follow recipes accurately and apply zero-waste and safety principles.
• Present dishes attractively and evaluate their quality independently.

Social Competencies:

• Understand differences between vegetarianism and veganism.
• Comprehend plant-based nutrition philosophy.
• Recognize hygiene’s role in food quality.

Potential for mainstreaming

The innovation can be implemented in vocational schools with a focus on culinary arts. The training materials and recipes are designed to be universal, making it possible to adapt them into other languages (currently available only in Polish). Evaluation reports confirm the effectiveness of the method.

Schools have identified several barriers to implementation, including:

• The cost of raw materials and semi-finished products used as meat substitutes
• Limited space to apply the innovation’s concepts due to a demanding core curriculum

Overall, the product is highly rated and fully ready for use in educational settings.