Welcome! On this page, you will find everything you need to know about the Sustainable Gastronomy Competition organizedby HIH & Partners.
On Sustainable Gastronomy Day, HIH & Partners announced the first nationwide Sustainable Gastronomy Competition for local chefs, beverage professionals, and hospitality students across Jordan.
Centered around Sustainable Gastronomy, Health Cuisine, and Zero-Proof (non-alcoholic) Drinks, the competition challenges contestants to push creative boundaries, celebrate the culinary heritage of Bilad Al Sham, and embrace future-fit Food & Beverages that promote wellness and sustainability. Competition entry closes on 01 October 2026. The awards ceremony takes place during the inaugural Wellness & Ancestral Superfoods Conference on 31 October.
Key Elements of the competition are outlined below. Full details are described on the Contestant Entry Form you receive by email after you submit your registration.
Eligibility: All contestants must have Jordanian nationality. The competition is open to students who are currently registered at a Hospitality School or Culinary Academy in Jordan, and for professionals who are currently employed with a hotel, restaurant, or café in Jordan.
Score distribution: HIH judging criteria are based on a unique 5-grade weighting balance of 20% Technique, 20% Creativity, 20% Presentation, 20% Storytelling, and 20% Evidence of sustainability or health benefits.
Two Competition Rounds: Round one is recipe-based in September. The jury scores all entries of round one between 2-12 October. Round two is on 15 October: the top 3 of all 4 categories (6 students and 6 professionals) will be invited to compete live in Amman.
F&B Inspiration Hub: Before registering, we recommend all contestants to start their competition journey by studying the articles and videos about Health Cuisine and Sustainable Gastronomy in the section below.
Key points for contestants
E-book: each top 3 contestant is featured with her/his dish or drink in the e-book that will be published in November 2026, after the Wellness & Ancestral Superfoods Conference in October in Amman. Click here to discover past HIH books.
Certificate & Expo: all eligible participants receive an official HIH Competition Certificate and a complimentary ticket for the Boutique Expo & Seminars during the Wellness & Ancestral Superfoods Conference in October in Amman.
Meet the Jury
Jury Member 1
Luca Lelli
Amelia Bilbeisi
Jury Member 4
Jury Member 5
Muneeb Enayan
Amman Alsaqqaf
Tareq Zoumot
Jury Member 4
Nicolas Dingemans
Yazeed Malkawi
Organizers
Partners
Interested to co-sponsor or contribute to our events in Jordan? Contact 0798164303
F&B Inspiration Hub
A message from 3-Michelin-starred Chef Joan Roca
In 2021, HIH & Partners proudly hosted the prestigious Olive Oil Cooking Competition in Jordan, bringing together elite five-star chefs as part of the seven-week campaign “In Celebration of Olive Oil.” During the award ceremony on World Olive Tree Day, Four Seasons Hotel Amman was crowned as the winner, and W Hotel Amman earned the runner-up position. To elevate the campaign, three-Michelin-starred Chef Joan Roca—ranked No.1 in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2013 and 2015—shared an inspiring message with chefs and emerging culinary talents in Jordan. His words emphasized the vital role of local products and farmers in shaping the future of gastronomy, underscoring the deep connection between culinary arts, sustainability, and community.
Ancestral Superfoods & Wellness
With wellness now a core business strategy, how do chefs weave wellbeing into modern menus? How can hotels & restaurants across Asia design Food & Beverage experiences that elevate guest wellbeing with dishes that support heart, brain, and blood health, the microbiome, and immunity, that are also ethically sourced, planet-friendly, and traceable – at scale? Asia Sustainable Travel magazine (AST) invited Food Writer and former Hotelier Nicolas Dingemans to explore this question in a guest article.
He approached it through the lens of Health Cuisine, rediscovering healthy food cultures across six Asian countries, and highlighting seven sustainable Ancestral Superfoods: Kombu in Japan, Bamboo shoots in China, Holy Basil in Thailand, Ulam Raja and Heirloom Beets in Malaysia, Amaranth leaves in India, and Extra Virgin Olive Oil in Jordan. The article closes with insights from five leading wellness and culinary experts, spanning perspectives from Amman to Singapore.
Our Four Core Values
of sustainable gastronomy
Health Cuisine
Ingredients and dishes addressing immune system, gut and heart health, essential amino and fatty acids, allergens, lowering vitamin deficiencies, macro minerals, trace minerals, natural detox. Holistic approaches: Ayurveda, Macrobiotics, Indigenous food traditions.
Environmental Stewardship
Local farmers, fishermen, growers, and shepherds who focus on biodiversity, seasonality, soil health, animal welfare, sustainable fisheries & aquaculture, sustainable agriculture, organic farming, biodynamic farming, permaculture, nature-inclusive farming, GMO-free, antibiotics-free.
Responsible Innovation
Blue economy, circularity, no-waste, traceability, protein transition, food integrity, food tech, future food, urban farming, desert farming, regeneration, water efficiency, renewable energy, and elimination of plastic, microplastics, phthalates, bisphenols, PFAS/forever chemicals.
Socioeconomic Impact
Food security, food sovereignty, indigenous food cultures, heritage preservation, rural development, agricultural inclusion, community, gender equality, generational succession, lowering import dependency, short value chains, alignment with Fair Food, Slow Food, UN SDGs.
Beverage Inspiration
In this section, we share different articles about trending alcohol-free drinks and inspiration for beverage contestants.
Youth Leading by Example
Creating Camel Cuisine | 2025
Three consecutive Mondays in November and December 2025 were dedicated to organizing Ships of the Desert Part II. The theme was “Heritage, Culinary innovation, Education, and Revitalization.” The end result was Camel Cuisine by Luminus.
On two Monday mornings, culinary students from Luminus Technical University College (LTUC) visited a camel farm in Amman with Camelera to connect with the source of their ingredients. On the third Monday, the students prepared a unique lunch menu featuring dishes made with camel milk, cheese, and meat. The event began with a reception, where guests were welcomed with a camel milk drink, and a selection of four canapés. The four course menu (illustrated below) was served at Le Bistro, the student-training restaurant.
The primary goal is to improve the livelihoods of Bedouin communities by creating demand for local, healthy camel products in Jordan’s hospitality market while raising awareness of Jordan’s rich nomadic heritage. Our approach? Start with youth. Educating and engaging our future General Managers, Executive Chefs, Food and Beverage Directors, and Procurement Managers is essential for driving sustainable transformation.
Modernizing Khubeizeh | 2025
To celebrate the 10th Khubeizeh Festival in the Jordan Valley, we organized a farm visit on February 14, 2025. We brought together students, chefs, agricultural experts, and members of the press to rediscover Khubeizeh – also known as Common Mallow, or Malva Neglecta – a nutrient-rich leafy green packed with vitamins, trace minerals, and protein. The festival inspired students at Luminus Technical University College (LTUC) to transform this ancient superfood into a modern menu by creating seven international dishes featuring Kubeizeh.
By visiting local farms and festivals, educators encourage students to go “Back to the Roots” and celebrate Jordan’s rich biodiversity. LTUC showed an excellent example of environmental stewardship and socioeconomic impact, while applying principles of health cuisine and responsible innovation.
Sustainable Gastronomy Day
We asked four Jordanian chefs to craft four dishes telling the story of our four core values: Health Cuisine, Environmental Stewardship, Responsible Innovation, and Socio-Economic Impact. The culinary collaboration took place at the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts (RACA) on 18 June 2023. The HIH event answered to the United Nations’ approach to cuisine who describes Sustainable Gastronomy as: Cuisine that takes into account where the ingredients are from, how the food is grown, how it gets to our markets and eventually to our plates. All key ingredients were 100% local and 100% seasonal, sourced from 11 different Jordanian suppliers.
On 21 December 2016, the UN General Assembly adopted its resolution A/RES/71/246 and designated 18 June as an international observance for Sustainable Gastronomy Day. The decision acknowledges gastronomy as a cultural expression related to the natural and cultural diversity of the world. Celebrating seasonal ingredients and producers, preserving wildlife, as well as our culinary traditions is today more relevant than ever. Watch the video and read more here.
Our 2026 Campaign in Jordan
A snapshot of 2026 events by HIH & Partners. Click here for details.
Global Wellness Day
Celebrate Global Wellness Day with complimentary activities: Yoga at sunset with Deena Jarrar, an Olive Oil tasting masterclass with Amelia Bilbeisi, and a round table talk in nature about Roots with Nicolas Dingemans.
Sustainable Gastronomy Day
Al Fresco dinner pop-up with four chefs, four courses, celebrating the four core values of sustainable gastronomy in the heart of Weibdeh.
Sustainable Cooking Competition
A unique cooking competition for professional chefs and culinary students centered around Health Cuisine, Ancestral Superfoods, and Sustainable Gastronomy.
Wellness & Ancestral Superfoods Conference
A full-day conference featuring a Wellness Forum with international and local speakers, a Boutique Expo, and a Michelin-starred Health Cuisine dinner with five leading chefs.