Cultivating ethical culinary practices and sustainability awareness in culinary education: Fostering responsible future chefs

Abstract

The global culinary landscape is increasingly shifting towards ethical practices and sustainability, driven by consumer demand and environmental stewardship. Culinary education institutions are pivotal in embedding these principles into their curricula to foster responsible future chefs. This study addresses the research gap in integrating sustainability and ethical responsibility into culinary education by proposing a comprehensive model based on the Norm Activation Model and the Attitude-Behavior-Context theory. The model investigates the relationships among contextual forces (positive role models, experiential learning, policy and institutional support), Norm Activation Model (awareness of consequences, ascription of responsibility, personal norms), and responsible culinary behaviors (food waste reduction, energy-efficient cooking, sustainable sourcing). Data were analyzed using integrated generalized structured component analysis (IGSCA) and necessary condition analysis (NCA). Results indicate that experiential learning and policy and institutional support significantly impact awareness of consequences, while personal norms strongly drive responsible behaviors. The necessity logic further identifies crucial antecedents required for achieving these behaviors. This study provides valuable insights for culinary educators and policymakers to develop effective curricula focused on ethical and sustainability-oriented practices, emphasizing experiential learning and institutional support to cultivate ethical and sustainable culinary practices.