Google and Culinary Institute of America partner on plant-forward certification initiative

Google got its employees to eat more vegetables. Now the company wants to win over a much larger group of customers, said Michiel Bakker, director of Google’s global workplace services programs, during the virtual 2020 Global Plant-Forward Culinary Summit hosted by the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) during May and June.

At the Summit, Bakker announced that Google has partnered with the CIA to launch a new plant-forward certification initiative to invest in and train culinarians. The initiative’s curriculum includes modules on menu development, global cuisines, nutrition and behavioral change. “We want to go back to ground zero to train young cooks to bring vegetables to the forefront,” said Mark Erickson, provost of the CIA.

The program will offer a two-tiered approach to plant-forward culinary education. A blended learning approach combines video modules with live culinary practicals and assessments. It’s open to cooks and chefs on different levels to offer both student and mentor development.

The ultimate goal: “To build and empower a team of global chefs to produce plant-forward menus at scale,” Bakker said.