Chef Keith Rhodes, owner of Catch seafood restaurant in Wilmington, has been selected as one of 14 chefs from across the U.S. to participate in the James Beard Foundation’s 10th annual Chefs Boot Camp for Policy and Change.

Sept. 11-13, the chefs will gather at Shelburne Farms in Burlington, Vermont, to learn effective advocacy skills while exploring the multifaceted issues around food waste reduction, according to a recent news release.

More than 650 chefs have applied to the Chefs Boot Camp for Policy and Change program since it launched in 2012. Participants are selected to represent regional and topical diversity, with consideration given to the voice that each chef has within his or her local community.

Rhodes said the James Beard Foundation approached him earlier this year about applying for the program. He said having the endorsement of the foundation will go a long way to further advocacy for food issues in Wilmington and across North Carolina.

“One of the things I’m most looking forward to is just the sharing of ideas,” Rhodes said, “hearing what others are doing in other parts of the country when it comes to issues of hunger, waste and sustainability, and hopefully gaining some ideas to share with our community. There are so many great chefs and organizations here that are making the effort bring attention to these issues, and it would be great to share some new ideas with them.”

The Chefs Boot Camp for Policy and Change is part of the James Beard Foundation's Impact Programs, which engage the culinary community in the process of creating sustainable food systems to provide nutritious and delicious food for all.

Kris Moon, vice president of the James Beard Foundation, said in a news release that the four key food system issue areas the Impact Programs focuses on are: food waste reduction, sustainable seafood and fish, sustainable meats and childhood nutrition.

“A staggering 40 percent of food produced in the U.S. goes uneaten each year. Our foundation believes chefs are important stakeholders in achieving the U.S. government’s goal of 50 percent reduction of food waste by 2030,” Moon said.

Founded in 1986, the James Beard Foundation honors America's diverse culinary heritage through programs that educate and inspire, according to a news release. The late James Beard, a cookbook author and teacher, was a champion of American cuisine who helped educate and mentor generations of professional chefs and food enthusiasts, the release said.

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