There are places where the future quietly begins to take shape, through everyday gestures and shared reflections. At the Cossa Institute in Pavia, a school dedicated to food and wine education, that place is the kitchen. And much more besides.
Here, a new initiative puts young people and their relationship with food at the centre, transforming food education into a journey of awareness, connection and responsibility.
In search of sustainable taste
The project is promoted by the Mèlia ETS association, in collaboration with Ersaf and the Lombardy Region, and is built around an educational kit designed to support learning and reflection in schools.
The program is backed by a network of producers committed to sustainability: Latteria di Chiuro, Molino Filippini, Franchetti Mele, Berneri and Miele Campo Giardino.
Though diverse in nature, these businesses share a common goal: guiding younger generations towards a deeper understanding of what we eat and how our choices impact the environment and local communities.
The project does not end within the walls of the Cossa Institute. The initiative is expanding to other high schools across Lombardy, with the aim of fostering a network of exchange among students, practices and perspectives, a dialogue in which young people learn from one another, sharing experiences and questions about building a fairer and more sustainable food system.
When cooking and dining become educational languages
In everyday school life, the kitchen and the dining room are in constant dialogue. On the one hand, culinary students work with raw ingredients, experiment with techniques, rediscover essential flavours and learn to respect what they have in their hands. On the other, the dining room becomes a space for learning about care: hospitality, the art of describing dishes, and the time devoted to meals.
Because eating is not just about nourishment. It is a cultural, social and relational act. The way a dish is presented, the words that accompany it, and the attention with which it is consumed are all part of the same experience. In this ongoing dialogue between doing and telling, food becomes a tool for growth, professionally, but above all personally.
Teachers play a central role in holding this journey together. In particular, lessons in food science and hospitality help young people connect theoretical knowledge with everyday practice, encouraging them to see food as a matter of culture, care and shared responsibility.
This experience raises a question that goes beyond the school environment and concerns us all: how can we bring the same awareness into our homes? Listening to young people, to the way they look at food and at the future, can become a valuable exercise. One step at a time, starting with what we put on our plates.
The project will continue next year, expanding its tools, reflections and practices, so that we can keep growing together.
In the kitchen
“Here, we learn to respect before we learn to cook.”
What does it mean to teach sustainability in the kitchen?
“We always start with raw ingredients,” says chef Agostino D’Anna, who teaches the third-year cooking class. “Before cooking, I ask students to pause for a moment and reflect on where what they have in front of them comes from.” It’s a simple gesture, but one that shifts their perspective.
“Technique is essential, but it’s not enough. If you don’t understand the value of an ingredient, you can’t truly respect it.” During lessons, topics such as seasonality, short supply chains and waste reduction are part of the conversation. “When students realise that authentic flavours don’t need to be masked, you can see their attitude change. And that’s where the real transformation begins.”
This approach also invites a change of pace beyond the school environment: slowing down, observing what we cook and recognising its origins can become a first, everyday act of sustainability.
In the dining room
“Serving is an act of care.”
What do you really learn in the dining room?
“We teach students that serving is not just about bringing a plate to the table,” explains Giovanna Di Rico, who teaches the third-year dining room class. “It means taking care of the entire dining experience.” Attention is paid to tone of voice, choice of words and how one moves within the space.
“Describing a dish means restoring value to the work of those who produced and prepared it.” And to the time devoted to eating as well. “Eating too quickly makes us lose sight of what is in front of us. Here, students learn that respect also means slowing down.”
This is a lesson we can carry with us every day: taking the time to eat, listening to those around us and recognising the value of what is served at the table.
Networking
A project of responsibility, a pact between generations
The project is based on a network of producer partners who share a common vision. Among these, Latteria di Chiuro, together with Molino Filippini, Franchetti Mele, Berneri, and Miele Campo Giardino, represent a concrete example of how sustainability can become everyday practice.
“The role of teachers is central,” emphasizes Alessandra Taverna, the school's health representative. “This is why the first network was created among them, promoting interdisciplinarity. It is an area in which our school invests heavily, thanks to the commitment of everyone, starting with the headmistress Cristina Comini, who has supported this project from the beginning.”
“Networking means building a foundation of responsibility that looks to the future while living fully in the present. It is a pact between generations, in which those who produce, those who teach, and those who learn recognize themselves as part of the same journey,” says Flora Liberti, reception teacher and school coordinator. “This is why we open our doors to exchanges and discussions that are always active, both inside and outside the classroom.”
“We who work in sustainable production strongly believe in young people,” concludes Matilde Robustelli della Cuna, Head of Education and Communication at Latteria di Chiuro. “Investing in them means building a future based on informed choices, strong relationships and respect for the local area, a future that is not simply awaited, but built together, day by day.
“This invitation is for everyone: recognising that we are part of a wider network, even through our everyday choices, means sharing a responsibility for both the present and the future.”
Carla Barzanò
Carla Barzanò is a dietitian and journalist, and an expert in food education. She is the author of several books dedicated to children and families and has been leading cooking and tasting workshops for both adults and children since 1989. Over the years, she has designed and coordinated numerous taste education projects, continually monitored and updated through action research methodologies, with the aim of enhancing everyday approaches to nutrition. Through this work, she has engaged with people of all ages and backgrounds. She is actively committed to promoting sustainable eating practices in line with the objectives of the United Nations 2030 Agenda.
