The project’s objectives are to: 1) enhance the quality and relevance of the adult learning offer in culinary arts, by developing new and innovative approaches and disseminating best practices; 2) contribute to increasing the labour market relevance of adult learning programmes and qualifications in culinary arts; 3) improve guidance into lifelong learning and facilitate the transition of culinary arts learners through different levels and types of formal and non-formal education, in particular through the use of European reference tools for the recognition and validation of qualifications; 4) contribute to increasing degree productivity in education and training institutions offering adult learning and other forms of education and training in culinary arts; 5) foster youth employment and the gradual reorientation of the culinary business toward social objectives, impact and responsibility, in particular by integrating into culinary arts training the social, sustainability and innovation dimensions of business, and by establishing a social incubator for the culinary business. The project focuses on: - young people, especially those that are not in employment, education or training (NEETs) - development of higher competencies in culinary arts, with special attention to innovation and the emerging business trend of acting socially responsibly. These objectives are achieved through: - development of an interdisciplinary culinary arts training course suitable for adult learning and easily adaptable to tertiary and vocational education. The topics are related to the sustainability, social and innovation aspects of culinary arts. The course is complemented by flexible learning pathways between different types and levels of education and training, an LLL guidance system, a trainee retention and degree productivity strategy for adult learning providers and a procedure for the validation of skills acquired through informal and non-formal learning and work experience. The course will also be delivered in the form of e-learning, where the online training platform will be digitally integrated with a blog on culinary innovations designed to make trainees co-creators in the teaching process; - creation of a Social Incubator dedicated to providing consultation, advice and assistance to culinary businesses engaged in innovations or wishing to undertake activities aimed at having social impact, at implementing social and environmental responsibility initiatives. The Social Incubator shall implement a set of pilot activities aimed at mobilizing the social impact of the culinary business and at demonstrating the interconnections between the labour market on the one hand, and formal, non-formal education, vocational training and other forms of learning on the other hand. In order to facilitate the achievement of the objectives, 8 multiplier dissemination events will be organized in the project’s 7 countries – Bulgaria, Italy, Lithuania, Latvia, Spain, the UK and Slovenia. The partnership will also carry out two targeted trainings for adult learners and for its own staff respectively. The extent and membership of the partnership finds a balance between various types of institutions and thus a balance of viewpoints and constituencies. The project is a joint effort of two higher education institutions – the University of Salford (UK) and Mariampole College (LT); two VET and adult learning institutions – International College (BG) and FASE (ES); a regional culinary business cluster – CAHA (BG); a social enterprise GEA (SL); and two LLL and stakeholder organizations – YouNet (IT) and BEHA (LT). The expected long-term impacts of the project are: - gradual improvement of the adult learning offer in the field of culinary arts; - further development and wider use of digitally-based learning methods in adult education; - attraction of more unemployed youth and NEETs into the culinary sector due to increased flexibility of the pathways between various types of education and training and due to better opportunities for recognition and validation of skills gained outside formal education; - increased visibility and credibility of social objectives and social impact within the culinary business community and among their customers; - increased knowledge and strengthened competencies for social business and innovation among employees and managers in the culinary sector; - a stronger culture of entrepreneurship in the culinary sector, including in relation to social entrepreneurship. - a gradual overall shift toward a more socially and environmentally responsible culinary business.