International Chefs Day

October 20th is International Chefs Day, when chefs from around the world celebrate the importance of a healthy diet. Every year, a theme is chosen to focus on. For example, in 2020, the theme was “Healthy Food of the Future”.

History

International Chefs Day was founded in 2004 by the renowned Bill Gallagher, who also served as President of the World Association of Chef Societies (Worldchefs). Cooking has been a crucial profession for many centuries, with food being one of the most important aspects of human survival.

Experimentation with foods has been going on for thousands of years, as evidenced by Roman Marcus Apicius’s 1st century AD recipe book, “The Art of Cooking,” which contains over 400 recipes. He had to travel around the world to source the ingredients!

In 1765, the first restaurant was opened in Paris, with its sign reading “restaurant” or “restorative establishment,” referring to the broths and soups on offer. Later, the word “restaurant” came to refer to any public eating establishment.

Interesting Facts

• In 1846, Auguste Escoffier established a brigade system for working in the kitchen.
• During the Great Irish Famine in 1847, chef Alexis Soyer fed thousands of people.
• The number of folds on a chef’s hat symbolizes the number of ways to cook eggs.
• In 1889, the first home delivery of pizza was made for the King and Queen of Italy.

How to Take Part

Celebrate International Chefs Day by cooking a new dish! Share your recipe with others on social media and watch cooking shows on TV or online. If you have dreams of becoming a chef, this is the perfect time to take the plunge and enroll in a culinary school. Who knows, you may become the next world-famous chef!

When is International Chefs Day in 2024?

International Chefs Day is observed on October 20 each year.

Observations