EL CHEF EMPRESARIO

There are bright spots amid the tragedy of the Covid-19 pandemic. Here in Bahia de Caraquez, Ecuador, local cooks are turning home kitchens into workshops, experimenting with creative recipes which bring new food choices to Bahia. Many new offerings are focused on healthy, locally sourced menu items, and these entrepreneurs are improving their families' health and economic security.

But most local cooks lacking formal training in the kitchen and struggle to manage the finances of their ventures. The failure rate of new enterprises is high. To support this new crop of food enthusiasts, Walking Palms has developed El Chef Empresario (The Entreprenuerial Chef), a culinary course which mixes foundational cooking skills with business strategy. Taught by a classically trained chef who grew up in Bahia, this program aims to empower local small businesspeople to improve their menus and their bottom lines.

At our open-air facility, students will learn:

• Kitchen Safety
• Culinary Math and Controlling Food Costs
• Dining Room Service
• Food Prep Basics (knife skills, stocks/soups, proteins, etc)
• Nutrition, Plant-Based Dishes
• Expense Tracking, Budget Management
• Staff management
• Marketing, including social media
• Delivery and Takeout

This course is being provided as a community service, with tuition well below market rates for this type of high-quality, practical instruction. Not only do new and innovative food concepts benefit local paletes, but they help boost the regional tourism economy.

Please consider supporting the development of the culinary scene here in Bahia!