TAFE NSW upskilling the hospitality industry to reduce food waste
The Minns Labor Government is backing a new collaboration between TAFE NSW and the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) to upskill hospitality workers to tackle one of the industry’s biggest challenges, food waste.
A $200,000 NSW EPA Business Food Waste Partnerships Grant will assist TAFE NSW in developing an online short course to equip the next generation of chefs and hospitality workers with the skills they need to reduce and recycle food waste and encourage more sustainable practices in commercial kitchens.
Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education, Steve Whan, joined over 40 TAFE NSW cookery students at a Sustainability Masterclass at TAFE NSW Ryde, hosted by Meat & Livestock Australia’s Corporate Executive Chef and TAFE NSW alumnus Sam Burke, Master Pastry Chef Christopher Thé, and red meat producer Robert Mackenzie.
The masterclass was livestreamed to students across NSW, providing practical tips to apply in the kitchen and introduce them to some of the strategies included in the short course.
Tips included creative ways to reduce food waste, such as whole product utilisation and making the most of every ingredient.
Food waste costs the Australian economy an estimated $36.6 billion each year, with NSW generating around 1.7 million tonnes of food waste annually. Reducing food waste is critical to cutting greenhouse gas emissions from landfill and building a more sustainable future.
The new online microskill, developed in consultation with the EPA and hospitality industry leaders, will launch in January 2026.
Alongside the course, TAFE NSW will pilot a new food waste management toolkit for staff at Ultimo, Ryde and Wollongbar campuses, aiming to cut general waste by 15 per cent at each location.
Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education, Steve Whan said:
“This new short course is a great example of government and industry working together to meet emerging skills needs and prepare commercial cookery students for the demands of professional kitchens.
“Reducing food waste isn’t just good for the planet, it saves businesses money and makes kitchens run more efficiently.
“TAFE NSW is leading by example, piloting, a new food waste management toolkit in its facilities at Ryde, Ultimo, and Wollongbar to embed sustainability into everything from training to day-to-day operations.”
TAFE NSW, 26th September 2025
