Chatham University Launches Sustainable Kitchen Certification Program with EcoChef
Chatham University this month launched a first-of-its-kind certification program for sustainable commercial kitchens in partnership with EcoChef.
EcoChef Practitioner is an advanced certification developed for architects, engineers, designers, and sustainability leaders. It equips professionals to design, build, and deliver high-performance, electrified, and sustainable commercial kitchens that prioritize energy efficiency and indoor air quality without sacrificing operational performance and long-term economic value.
Built around a 12-module curriculum followed by a comprehensive final exam, EcoChef Practitioner bridges the gap between kitchen design and real-world operations. The program focuses on the commercial kitchen as a critical, but often overlooked, driver of building performance, workforce health, and operational cost. This online course is asynchronous and self-paced, and participants have up to six months to complete it.
Over the course of the program, participants will learn about:
Electrified commercial kitchen equipment and infrastructure
Energy, water, and waste optimization strategies
Indoor air quality, thermal comfort, and worker health
Advanced hood ventilation and refrigeration systems
Biophilic and ergonomic kitchen design
Financial modeling, return on investment, and available incentives
Policy, codes, and regulatory compliance in the U.S. and globally
Real-world case studies and implementation challenges
Managing EcoChef kitchen certifications for clients
EcoChef Praticioner was designed by experts in the field: EcoChef Co-Founders Gerard Kenny, ECC, ECP; John Harrison, FAIA, RDI, ECP, LEED Fellow, LEED, AP BD+C; and Chef Christopher Galarza, CEC, CCA, ECC, ECP, WCEC, bestselling author of Understanding the Green Industrial Revolution and founder of Forward Dining Solutions.
To learn more and sign up for the EcoChef Practicioner program, visit chatham.edu. To learn more about EcoChef, visit ecochef.org.