In a historic evening for the national gastronomy and tourism sector, Costa Rica officially launched its Professional Certification Program in Sustainable Gastronomy, an unprecedented initiative that places the country at the forefront of Latin America by formally recognizing skills, values, and best practices in responsible, culturally rooted, and environmentally conscious cuisine.
The event took place at the Hyatt Centric San José Escazú Hotel, host of this solemn ceremony that brought together national authorities, representatives of the hotel and gastronomy sector, specialized press, and trade organizations, in an evening celebrating excellence, commitment, and innovation.
The program was developed by Essential Sustainable Gastronomy and is endorsed by the Costa Rican Association of Sustainable Gastronomy and Tourism (Gastronomica Costa Rica), an organization that brings together chefs, gastronomists, nutritionists, producers, academics, and sustainability experts committed to positioning Costa Rica as an international benchmark in sustainable and healthy gastronomy.
Certifier Chef Lizbeth Rodríguez, the program’s certifier, explained during the presentation and awarding of the first certification:
It’s not just about certifying knowledge, skills, and abilities, but about promoting a profound and necessary transformation in the way we conceive culinary management in our country. Because today, more than ever, we need a gastronomy with a purpose: a gastronomy that nourishes with awareness, fosters responsible innovation, and transcends through sustainable, safe, and ethical practices.
During his speech, Alejandro Madrigal Ramírez, president of both organizations, stated:
This program was born from a national vision that understands that cooking is not only about nourishing, but also about transforming. We validate professionals who are already leading this transformation, and we provide tools so that sustainability becomes professionalized, valued, and legitimately recognized.
One of the most emotional moments of the evening was the presentation of the first Professional Certification as a Sustainable Executive Chef to renowned chef Kevin Charpantier Romero, who successfully passed the technical, ethical, and practical evaluation process established by the program:
I thank my family, who have strongly supported me in fulfilling my dream of sustainability, given my love for local produce and my passion as a chef for cooking with our own products. I am happy to be able to express through my cooking what I believe in and what I share through my cooking. Thank you for this process.
This launch is part of the vision and philosophy of the National Plan for Sustainable and Healthy Costa Rican Gastronomy (PNGCSS), promoted by the Costa Rican Gastronomy Foundation (FUCOGA), and directly contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals linked to decent work, responsible production and consumption, gender equality, health and well-being, climate action, and community strengthening.
The event clearly demonstrated the value of aligning professional training, responsible management, and institutional commitment on a single national platform that recognizes both individuals and establishments that choose to make sustainability a real strategy.
The certification and distinction will be offered nationwide beginning in the second half of 2025, with open calls for chefs, cooks, food and beverage companies, hotels, restaurants, cafes, and gastronomic tour operators interested in validating their commitment to sustainability.
Essential Gastronomy and Gastronomic Costa Rica have also announced that they will work in partnership with academic institutions, local governments, and business chambers to extend this model to the country’s rural and coastal regions.