« Cooking skills: a tool for a healthy diet »

Editorial

Cooking and chefs have never been more popular. Both are making headlines in magazines, television and the internet. They are everywhere and chefs are starting to become real superstars!!!

The message given is that we should take pleasure in cooking every day, and therefore chefs face a greater challenge.
Education in healthy eating!

In earlier times, transmission of cooking skills was a family affair, mostly concerning women. Today is a very different story. Intense pace, little or no time devoted to preparing family meals, demons of food that is “ready made”, or “ready to cook”. These pressures occur at a time we know that a balanced healthy diet is key to well being. The proof is in rising rates of obesity, cardiovascular disease as well as many other health concerns.

Like our grandmothers before, chefs are now playing a leading role in educating people about balanced and healthy eating. This is an enormous challenge!

When are we going to see children playing the leading role in school cafeterias?

They have to relearn the obvious: to eat fresh fruits and vegetables, to vary and diversify foods, right from a very early age. When will we see cooking classes in elementary schools? We could then teach children good habits right from the start. Children would then be in a position to be the best teachers for their parents. Culinary education should integrate all modern media (internet, videos…). Our favorite chefs must also replace our grandmothers and visit elementary, middle and high schools, as well as universities to remind us of the basics. Cooking skills, a source of pleasure, love of good food and sharing is a real motivation for healthy eating.

Much work remains…

See next article