Chef Cares began in March of 2020 as a collaborative effort with over 70 of Thailand’s renowned chefs and corporate sponsors to donate delicious and nutritious meals to frontline hospital and transit personnel during the initial fight against Covid-19. Over four months the project delivered over 30,000 lunch boxes and helped to lift spirits during a difficult time.

Although the project was well-received and gained considerable recognition as being a one-of-a-kind effort in the fight against Covid-19, when the crisis period abated and transmission rates became manageable it had run its course and was wrapped up. However, founder Marisa Chearavanont realized that the momentum and the bonds that were created between this remarkable group of chefs and the community were exceptional, and had the potential to have an even greater impact on society if properly nurtured.

A logical next step was to create the Chef Cares Foundation, but as opposed to the lunch box project which relied entirely on donations, Marisa’s vision was for a more sustainable model that could create its own revenue streams. But her vision did not stop there, because she also saw potential in using commerce not only to provide funds to sustain the foundation’s activities, but also to promote a healthier community and improved nutrition.

Thus, the Chef Cares ready meal project was born. This initiative is meant to provide sustainable funding as 100% of the profits go directly towards the foundation’s charitable activities, while also serving as an educational piece that furthers the conversation about healthy lifestyles. Of course, as each exclusive recipe comes one of our amazingly talented chefs, these meals also demonstrate that you don’t have to sacrifice flavor for good nutrition.

Sales from the ready meal project currently provide funding for two charitable activities, with plans for many more to be added in the future. The “Chef Cares Dream Academy” provides underprivileged youth with the chance to pursue their culinary dreams, and “Thai Taste” is a digital archive of Thai culinary wisdom and recipes, developed as a free resource for a world-wide audience that helps to preserve Thailand’s gastronomic heritage.

This is why we say “Eat Well and Do Good” – because no matter if you are eating well for good nutrition, or simply because you love the taste, you can rest assured that your purchase is doing good things for our community.

Chef Cares Mission

Chef Cares was founded with a mission to collaborate with world class chefs for a healthier community and to give back to society through their culinary artistry.

How we achieve our mission:

1. Promote a healthier community through public awareness campaigns that highlight the importance of nutrition-balanced diets in reducing risks of dietary diseases, as well as providing such diets, created by Chef Cares chefs, that are delicious, widely available and affordable.

2. Provide underprivileged youths an opportunity to improve their lives by enabling them to become accomplished chefs through culinary education and mentoring with practical experience by Chef Cares chefs.

3. Preserve authentic Thai culinary heritage through the creation and curation of a comprehensive archive of recipes, ingredients, history, culture and geographical influences of Thai gastronomy.

Founder’s Message

 I am grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with brilliant and compassionate top chefs to prepare delicious meals with the finest nutritious ingredients at affordable prices. Moreover, all the profits from sales will be used for charitable endeavors to better society. Please join us in spreading compassion ”  

Marisa Chearavanont

Chef Cares Dream Academy

Inaugurated in March 2021, Chef Cares Dream Academy assists juvenile offenders and underprivileged youths in realising their dreams of becoming professional chefs.
 
The inaugural class consists of 12 young adults, with ages ranging from 18-24. Half of the group comes from Thailand’s juvenile corrections system, while the other six come from marginalized communities in remote areas of Thailand, including hill tribe members, who were nominated by the Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University’s Center of Communication and Development Knowledge Management.
 
The students were selected after submitting their profile and going through an interview process, and each will receive a full scholarship for a 5 month program that consists of two months of intensive culinary instruction at PIM followed by a three month practical internship in the kitchen of a top chef from the Chef Cares network. The program is meant to give them a solid footing in the culinary arts that they can use as a springboard to becoming a professional chef,
while also providing inspiration for others in their peer groups to become aspiring chefs.
 
Along the way, the students will also have the benefit of a competency development program under a psychiatrist’s supervision. This program aims to boost the student’s self-determination and resilience by helping them better understand their strengths and weaknesses, with the goal of increasing their potential while also managing potential obstacles. The program will also help the youth adjust to the demands of restaurant work, with a focus on becoming a good team player through effective communication that enhances cooperation.
 
This foundation of support, from practical learning to psychological development, gives the students a helping hand in pursuing their dreams and becoming valuable members of society.