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Chefs Sans Frontières: How Culinary Masters Around The World Are Serving Up Hope

Stuart Abraham


Alan Coxon with other chefs
Alan Coxon (centre), President of CSF


In times of disaster, first responders typically include medical teams, emergency aid workers, and relief organisations. But what if world-class chefs could play a role too? Enter Chefs Sans Frontières (CSF), an extraordinary global initiative where top culinary talents — from Michelin starred maestros to seasoned kitchen veterans — come together to help communities devastated by natural disasters. Their mission? To support small farmers, fishermen, and artisan food producers whose livelihoods have been wiped out.



Chef Alan Coxon
Alan Coxon


 


The Birth of Chefs Sans Frontières

Chefs from around the world have started serving up humanitarian aid in disaster-struck countries. Fourteen mainly Michelin starred chefs are going to Sri Lanka in August to raise funds for various causes. There will be a gala dinner to help farmers whose livelihoods have been threatened or destroyed by everything from floods to elephant invasions.


Based in Mamer, south-west Luxemburg, Chefs Sans Frontières was founded to raise funds after natural disasters. UK-born founder and President Alan Coxon explains: “CSF supports the re-building of lives and businesses of small producers that are caught up in natural disasters triggered by the ever increasing global and environmental changes.


"The small producers – many second and third generations – are vital for cultural gastronomy, preservation of skills and the retention of a country’s true identity. They are in effect the very people that help make a country special, add a beating heart to a nation and in turn offer those vital points of difference for the local community and every visitor or holiday maker alike."


Alan Coxon was inspired by the forest fires and disasters in Greece in 2021. Especially a news item which told the story of an elderly shepherd shown in tears, having lost all his flock of sheep and goats that were his only possessions, leaving him with nothing.


"The milk from the sheep went to make cheese, which was then sold to the market for locals, chefs and tourists to purchase. I thought surely we could buy the shepherd 20 sheep for him but then there was a realisation that there are so many small artisan producers suffering loss with no insurance, no government support or saving, all in need of help.

 

"To lose these artisans we lose regional, cultural gastronomy and traditional skills, whilst countries lose the beating heart of a nation.The tourism industry loses the very charm that lures visitors to their countries so this is something we need to preserve not only for our enjoyment but for that of our future generations to come."



Vivek Chauhan
Vivek Chauhan, CSF Ambassador India


 


Michelin Starred Humanitarian

Coxon is a culinary consultant, TV chef/presenter, author, President of iTi (International Taste Institute of Brussels), and EU Ambassador to the Disciples of Escoffier International. 


He spent four years at the Loews Hotel Monte Carlo working with a brigade of 68 chefs and working within the hotel’s diverse restaurants, including the Foie Gras Michelin star restaurant. He opened the largest 4 star hotel based in Paris and was an integral part of the opening crew of Euro Disney Paris as well as the Executive Chef of Scotland’s leading food producer and visitors centre "Baxters" of Speyside. He has also run restaurants on the Isle of Man.


"We have all kinds of projects on the go," he explains. "We are working on a book with the Magic Dentist charity set up to help children with dental problems. The book will encourage healthy eating, diet and improved dental maintenance. The aim of CSF is to  build a global family in order to make a significant impact that can literally change lives."


Coxon founded CSF with Anthony Pean, President of iTi (International Taste Institute of Brussels) and EU Ambassador to the Disciples of Escoffier International, and Alain Clos, Executive Chef to the Red Cross head office in Luxembourg. They met as judges for the International Taste Institute of Brussels.


Continues Coxon: "In Greece, the funds raised by CSF go towards purchasing vital equipment, products, produce and livestock such as new flocks of sheep and goats for farmers, new bee hives, bees and wild flower seeds for local honey producers, new pistachio trees, olive groves, and boats for fishermen."



Crystal Sushi
Minh Thai Nguyen, CSF Ambassador Vietnam


 


Meet the Culinary Philanthropists

There are now 250 culinary philanthropists working with Chefs Sans Frontiers (Chefs without Borders), an international fraternity of chefs dedicated to worthy causes and helping those in desperate need. These include Jean Nassar, former corporate chef for H.H. The Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. Born in Lebanon, he studied at the ICS University, Scranton, Pennsylvania. He has worked in Beirut, Istanbul, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Now living in Texas, he is the CFS Ambassador for the USA.


"I got involved in Chefs Sans Frontiers International because I believe deeply in the transformative power of community and the importance of supporting to raise funds for small artisanal food producers and farmers that have lost livelihoods and businesses caused by uncontrollable trauma and natural disasters," explains Jean. "I have witnessed how small producers and farmers struggle due to a lack of access to essential resources such as education, and healthcare support. The small producers are vital for cultural gastronomy, preservation of skills, and the retention of a country’s true identity.


"As a chef and a foodie, I adore points of difference, ingredient options, flavours, and traditional techniques. Sadly as more disasters arise we are seeing the demise and gradual extinction of the individual small producer, often being wiped out for good, losing homes, livelihoods, and hope. Every effort counts and together, we can make a difference."


CFS Ambassador in Vietnam, Minh Thai Nguyen,  has been very active helping the victims of flooding affected by Typhoon Yaga that struck several provinces. The central and northern regions were the hardest hit. Heavy rainfall and strong winds caused widespread flooding, landslides, and infrastructure damage. Among the most affected areas were Yen Bai Cai,Tuyen Quang and Ha Giang.


Minh worked as a head chef in Aarhus, Denmark. He spent a year in Germany under Michelin starred chef Michael Riemenschneider and is currently director of a company specialising in consulting for Vietnamese restaurants, helping them with menu development, kitchen operations, and building professional culinary teams. He has consulted for Vietnamese restaurants across Europe.


"Over 400 people lost their lives in the floods," he tells us. "Many families have lost their homes and all their possessions. The financial impact of the storm is significant, with preliminary damage estimates reaching tens of millions of dollars. We are currently working with local authorities to assist these communities. Our focus will be on providing targeted aid to those most in need, and we aim to support various professions that have been devastated by this natural disaster."  


Flooding in Australia is also being addressed by chef and "culinary educator" Brad Bennett. He is the founder and CEO of the country’s Le Culinaire Hospitality Institute.


Also involved in CFS are the Pope’s former private chef at the Vatican, Sergio Dussin who now runs The Al Pioppeto Restaurant in Bassano del Grappa, Italy, and Visen Anenden, the former head chef of King Charles who is CSF Ambassador for Mauritius. 


India’s Vivek Chauhan won the Iconic Pastry Chef of the Year 2024 by the International Icons of Excellence Award. He graduated from IHM, Gwalior and worked for Taj Mahal Hotel and Lancaster London Hotel. He was part of the pre-opening team of the Hilton London Heathrow Airport Terminal 5 and Head Pastry Chef at The Westbury Mayfair. "Our aim is to encourage young chefs as well as support small artisan producers from nut farmers and shepherds to small boat fishermen," she says.


Peruvian pastry chef Juliana Romana explains: "The white shirt is an opportunity to get into action and do something for the least fortunate. I strongly believe that CSF is the window where we can see and identify situations where we all can help each other. If we chefs take into consideration the amount of work and sacrifice that our farmers make to produce the food we use every day, maybe we can create a little more conscious kitchen mindset. CSF promotes culinary education, enhances food security, and supports sustainable cooking practices. This involves training local chefs, providing and working to improve nutrition and food distribution in underserved areas. Being a member of Chef Sans Frontières allows organisations like Le Culinaire to collaborate on these important missions, share knowledge, and contribute to global food-related causes. In 2023, Le Culinaire students raised $1,000 URO for Turkey. CSF leverages cooking as a means to foster social change and empower communities."


Other female chefs who are ambassadors include the UK’s Jennifer Williams and Shona Macdonald who is ambassador to Scotland.


The Executive Chef at Vilamandhoo Resort, Luca Massimiliano Radice, has recently been appointed with Denmark’s CSF Ambassador for charity initiatives. He says: "Cooking and eating together improves our quality of life. Conversations take place, relationships are built and problems are solved, thereby strengthening the foundations of every community. CSF builds gastronomic meeting places and training facilities in areas of (social) conflict, always in cooperation with a local partnering organisation. Its goal is at all times to secure the long-term independent economic sustainability of the projects."



Juliana Romana CSF Peru
Juliana Romana, CSF Ambassador Peru


 


The Future of Chefs Sans Frontières

In Lithuania, CSF Int. helped a local cheese factory. Three weeks before the 2023 Festival of Artisanal Small Farm Cheeses was to be held in the town of Druskininkai, Audrius Jokūbauskas, one of the organisers of the festival, was killed in a farm accident. Together with other organisers, the CSF arranged a dinner to collect funds to support the family and maintain his cheese factory, and make sure it continued operating.


CSF organises four and eight-hand dinners and charity auctions. Says Coxon: "Our ambassadors are responsible for assessing the needs and the distribution of new equipment, product, and livestock direct to the producers to get them straight back into their livelihoods, production and self-sufficiency. We will not be handing out money, but directly replacing any items that have been lost. We have a presence nearly everywhere from Sri Lanka to Portugal, Canada to Malaysia, Malta to Peru."


The organisation relies on donations. A newly designed range of chefs clothing and kitchen tools will contribute to much funds. 


Concludes Coxon: "There are always challenges with starting anything up and the amount of work involved is enormous, but there has been such a positive response from chefs who fully support the idea that it is extremely encouraging.


"Ours is a global family and we are here to help and learn to help. My major goal is to have one CSF representative in every country in the world to support and be ready to help when needed."









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