KCG Corporation Public Company Limited (KCG), in collaboration with Suan Dusit University, announced the successful completion of “KCG Light Up Your Passion, Cook Up Your Dream, Season 3” under the concept “The Next Gen: European Technique x Thai Twist.” The initiative has evolved from a corporate social responsibility project into a platform for creating educational opportunities, with its activities integrated into the academic curriculum for more than 185 second-year university students. The project aims to develop “Future Food Talent,” who will play a foundational role in driving Thailand’s food industry toward the Next Generation Food Industry era. These future professionals will need a diverse range of skills, including culinary entrepreneurship, business management, sustainability, and more. By bringing together the business sector, educational institutions, and the younger generation, KCG is also developing a roadmap to expand collaboration across different fields of study and educational institutions nationwide. This initiative reinforces KCG’s belief that “Food does more than create delicious experiences; it creates opportunities, inspires people, and has the power to build a better future.”
Mr. Damrongchai Vipawatanakul, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of KCG Corporation Public Company Limited (KCG), said, “KCG has been a leading Thai company in food products for modern lifestyles for more than 60 years, guided by our vision of becoming a leader in the food industry that brings enjoyment to consumers while creating value for society and the environment. Over the past three years, we have pursued this vision through the ‘KCG Light Up Your Passion, Cook Up Your Dream’ project. In Season 1, we focused on creating career opportunities for people affected by the COVID-19 crisis. In Season 2, we partnered with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to enhance the skills of SME entrepreneurs in the restaurant and bakery sectors. In Season 3, we are focusing on “food talent,” or university students, to prepare them for changes in the food industry over the next five to ten years.”
“Future Food Talent”: The Foundation for Driving the Food Ecosystem of the Future
KCG selected Suan Dusit University as its partner, recognizing its position as a leading educational institution with expertise in food at the national level. The collaboration aims to establish a model for developing “Future Food Talent,” a strategy considered a key foundation for strengthening the future competitiveness of Thailand’s food industry through four essential skills:
1. Innovation: Developing new food products that meet market demands, with an emphasis on fostering creativity, problem-solving skills, and innovations with the potential for practical commercial application.
2. Application: Applying ingredients and professional recipe development techniques while learning to put theory into practice to develop recipes, products, and work processes that align with industry standards.
3. Consumer Insight: Understanding consumer needs and market trends while identifying opportunities to create added business value. This involves developing the ability to analyze market demands and translate those insights into valuable, differentiated products and business concepts.
4. Entrepreneurial Mindset: Developing teamwork, communication, and entrepreneurial thinking skills, with an emphasis on collaborating effectively with others, presenting ideas, and identifying business opportunities to prepare students for the realities of working in the food industry.
Asst. Prof. Acting Sub Lt. Dr. Thanapat Saengrungrueang, Dean of the School of Culinary Arts, Suan Dusit University, said, “Suan Dusit University has more than 90 years of expertise in food education, emphasizing intensive practical training combined with knowledge of food innovation. Our collaboration with KCG through the ‘KCG Light Up Your Passion, Cook Up Your Dream, Season 3’ project provides an important opportunity for students to learn from experts and gain firsthand experience in the food industry. By incorporating the Future Food Talent framework, we aim to equip students with innovative thinking, cost management skills, and an understanding of the business aspects of the food industry, developing high-quality graduates who are ready to work in a professional industry environment.”
“What makes this year’s project special is its integration into the academic curriculum for more than 185 second-year university students, providing them with a comprehensive learning experience that begins with theoretical instruction and hands-on workshops under the theme ‘European Bakery x Thai Twist,’ followed by the development of menu concept proposals. From these proposals, 30 menus were shortlisted for the final round, where students had the opportunity to prepare their creations and present them to expert chefs as part of the selection process to identify ‘Future Food Talent.’ The success of this project will serve as an important model for further developing and refining the university’s curriculum.”
Chef Bib – Chachaya Raktakanishta, Vice President of KCG Creative Center and KCG Ambassador Chef, said, “The key objective of ‘KCG Light Up Your Passion, Cook Up Your Dream, Season 3’ is to nurture students into “Future Food Talent” through a curriculum that goes beyond teaching culinary skills. It introduces real-world challenges from the business sector, giving students opportunities to develop their thinking and put their ideas into practice. The KCG chef team has shared its knowledge and expertise through the 4 Essential Future Skills, preparing students to become skilled professionals and the next generation of food entrepreneurs who can achieve sustainable growth in the future. The success of “KCG Light Up Your Passion, Cook Up Your Dream, Season 3” is reflected not only in its integration into the academic curriculum, culminating in a showcase of 30 signature dishes, the presentation of 35 competitions and special awards with a combined value of more than 61,000 baht, but also in its broader positive impact, marking a shift from traditional corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities toward creating shared value and generating benefits for all stakeholders. These include providing the next generation with career opportunities and professional skills, strengthening collaboration with educational institutions, developing skilled professionals for the food industry, and building a capable workforce to help drive the country's development.
Developing “Future Food Talent” through the “KCG Light Up Your Passion, Cook Up Your Dream” project serves as an important model for integrating knowledge of food, technology, business, and sustainability. This reinforces KCG’s perspective that “Food Innovators create food innovations, while Future Food Talent represents the workforce needed by the future food industry.” Both groups will play a vital role in driving Thailand’s food industry toward the Next Generation Food Industry era. The project also reflects KCG’s belief that “Food does more than create delicious experiences; it creates opportunities, inspires people, and has the power to build a better future.”