Developing Sustainable Chef Competency Indicators: An Application of the Fuzzy Delphi Method

The hospitality industry plays a pivotal role in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the foodservice sector bears specific responsibilities for reducing environmental impacts and embedding sustainability in practice. Meeting these goals requires chefs to pair technical expertise with ecological responsibility. This study establishes a structured competency indicators framework for sustainable chefs by synthesizing principles from sustainable food systems and culinary practice. We applied the Fuzzy Delphi Method (FDM) with dual triangular fuzzy numbers across two expert rounds. In round 1, 47 of 61 indicators met the consensus threshold; 5 new indicators were added based on expert suggestions. Round 2 achieved full convergence, confirming a final set of 38 sustainable chef competency indicators across six domains. The framework clarifies the competencies required of sustainability-oriented chefs and provides a practical basis for curriculum design, workforce training, and sustainability strategies within the hospitality sector.