Training to become a specialist in vegetarian cuisine will start in Austria at the beginning of 2025.
Initially, there was great resistance from industry and employee representatives: the Green Economy initiative for a vegan/vegetarian cookery apprenticeship attracted critics who feared that the specialized training would not be compatible with the reality of life in the catering industry – after all, only around 11 percent of Austrians eat a vegan/vegetarian diet. However, the initiators were able to push through their demand despite the headwind. From January 1, 2025, the training will start throughout Austria and should now make the profession accessible to all those who have previously ruled out an apprenticeship as a training path due to their personal diet.
Interested parties can also combine the training to become a specialist in vegetarian cuisine in the form of a dual apprenticeship with conventional chef training. The apprenticeship lasts three years. There is currently still a four-week assessment period. “With the vegetarian-vegan cooking apprenticeship, the catering industry is taking an important step towards sustainability,” says Joachim Ivany, member of the committee of the Gastronomy Association, who is delighted with the regulation. Felix Hnat, Chairman of the Vegan Society, welcomes the new curriculum and expects attractive teaching content that meets the demands of modern plant-based cuisine: “The group of experts that has been appointed by the WKÖ to develop the curriculum is top-class. However, the detailed content has not yet been set in stone for the launch in January. The task now is to continue to work well together. Plant-based and regional apricot dumplings or home-made mayonnaise are a valuable addition to the classic cooking apprenticeship – gratinated Emmental cheese or cheese spaetzle are old hat.”
Sign up now for our newsletter.
