Future chefs in Ibiza are being introduced to practical ways of preventing food waste as part of an ongoing collaboration between the Escola d’Hoteleria de les Illes Balears and the Zero Food Waste® initiative.

The latest training session took place on 2 October 2026 at the Escola d’Hoteleria de les Illes Balears, where students from the Cooking and Pastry programmes took part in a new Zero Food Waste® showcooking.

The session was led by Carlos Fernández-Valdés, executive chef of Grupo Amante, and Jordi Tomás, head chef, who shared professional techniques and practices focused on making better use of ingredients and managing kitchen resources more efficiently.

Taking Food Waste Prevention Into the Classroom

The initiative is designed to move beyond general awareness by giving students practical knowledge they can apply in professional kitchens.

The training focused on areas including planning purchases, making better use of ingredients during preparation and managing surplus food.

These are all areas where professional kitchens can work to prevent food from becoming waste in the first place.

The session continues a collaboration between EHIB and Zero Food Waste® that began during the 2025-2026 academic year, when practical content on food-waste prevention and the full utilisation of ingredients began to be incorporated into the training of Cooking and Pastry students.

Learning From Ibiza's Hospitality Industry

The participation of Grupo Amante gives students the opportunity to learn directly from professionals working in Ibiza's hospitality sector.

Grupo Amante is part of the Zero Food Waste® initiative, allowing the programme to bring real professional practices into the classroom.

Amante, Aiyanna and Mangiamo joined the initiative during 2026, with a commitment to address processes including purchasing, food utilisation and the management of surpluses.

For students preparing to enter the hospitality industry, the aim is to make these practices part of their professional preparation rather than treating food-waste prevention as a separate issue.

From Purchasing to Surplus Management

Food waste prevention can begin before food even reaches the kitchen.

Planning purchases according to expected demand can help avoid unnecessary stock, while making better use of ingredients can reduce the amount discarded during preparation.

Managing surplus correctly is another part of the process.

The Zero Food Waste® programme promotes this approach through training, awareness, technical advice and collaboration with businesses, public administrations and educational institutions.

Public and Private Sectors Working Together

The 2 October session was attended by representatives of several Ibiza administrations involved in the initiative.

Those present included Consell d’Eivissa councillor Ignacio José Andrés Roselló, Ibiza Town Hall councillor Jordi Grivé, Sant Josep de sa Talaia councillor Felicia Bocu and Sant Antoni de Portmany councillor Josefa Torres.

Their participation reflects the project's wider approach of connecting public administrations, hospitality businesses, educational centres and professionals around food-waste prevention.

The Consell d’Eivissa formally joined Zero Food Waste earlier in 2026, with a programme of workshops, showcookings and awareness activities planned throughout the year.

Preparing Ibiza's Next Generation of Chefs

Food-waste prevention is increasingly becoming part of professional hospitality training in Ibiza.

For EHIB students, the Zero Food Waste® sessions provide an opportunity to learn techniques directly from working chefs while considering the environmental and operational consequences of how food is purchased, prepared and managed.

The latest showcooking continues that educational work, connecting the classroom with Ibiza's hospitality sector and encouraging future chefs to make more efficient use of ingredients throughout their professional careers.

The broader Zero Food Waste® project, promoted by Grupo Herbusa, aims to prevent and reduce food waste in Ibiza through education, awareness, technical support and collaboration between businesses, public administrations, educational institutions and the wider community.