Cooking For Life scholars at their graduation ceremony

Culinary Eco Life Inc.

Teach them to cook.
Feed them for a lifetime

Empowering underserved Filipinos through culinary education, sustainable livelihood, and environmental stewardship.

About us

A future where lives are transformed, communities flourish and people thrive in harmony with the planet.

The Culinary Eco-Life, Inc. (formerly Culinary Education Foundation, Inc.) is a non-stock, non-profit organization. It was the vision of our founder, Ms. Susana “Annie” Guerrero, a Certified Culinary Professional, to be the lead foundation in providing culinary education to deserving individuals to help them succeed in the food service industry.

In September 2001, with the help and support of individuals who share the same aspiration, the organization was finally created.

Our logo embodies our objective of providing culinary education to those individuals aspiring to build a better future in the culinary industry. We are committed to develop and promote world-class Filipino chefs.

CELI operates under the philosophy “Teach them to cook. Feed them for a lifetime.” It empowers underserved Filipinos, including out-of-school youth and women in depressed communities, through free culinary education, green food production training, and job placement. Key initiatives include The Super Manang Project, Cooking for Life, and eco-friendly technologies such as Bokashi composting, a water ozonator, and solar-powered kitchens.

We believe that self-sufficiency paves the way for a future filled with opportunities and life-long achievements.

See our impact →

Scholars preparing food during culinary training

Fresh produce used in CELI’s green food programs

857: Scholars recorded
453: Katipunan graduates
250: Candon graduates
154: Rotary graduates

Founder’s Story

Susana ‘Annie’ Guerrero

Susana (Annie) P. Guerrero advocates empowering communities through lifelong learning, green practices, and sustainable livelihood. She has spearheaded the Cooking for Life Program, a culinary training program with over 700 graduates. Ninety percent are now working in the F&B industry.

With the scholars of the program, she has provided more than twenty thousand hot meals to healthcare workers during the pandemic. She has also built sustainable communities in Bulacan, Leyte, Agusan del Sur, and Butuan City in Mindanao.

Her philosophy is that when you give a hungry man a fish, you feed him for a day, but if you teach him how to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.

CELI scholars and partners gathered together in the kitchen

Our vision

We envision a world where humans live in harmony with the rest of God’s Creation, using earth’s resources to meet our present needs as well as the next generation.

Our mission

To contribute towards the realization of our vision, we must learn to directly respond to the many challenges posed by the ecological crisis.

01
Empowerment
Providing culinary skills and green livelihood to build self-reliance and improve quality of life.
02
Education
Building a better future for out-of-school youths through culinary passion and environmental awareness.
03
Community Development
Equipping women and families with sustainable livelihood skills to foster self-reliant communities.

Programs

Programs built around people, food, and the planet.

Culinary students in white coats working together in a training kitchen

Culinary Education

Cooking For Life Program

A three-month intensive, hands-on culinary training program for underprivileged individuals seeking employment in the food and beverage industry, run with CCA Manila.

Sponsor a Batch →

Green Skills

Green Chefmanship Training

A sixteen-hour training program developed to promote environmental management in food production, in collaboration with Earth Day Network Philippines.

Learn more →

Livelihood

The Super Manang Project

An outreach livelihood program developing basic culinary skills among women in underserved communities, including fish deboning skills linked to employment opportunities.

Support the program →

Preserved vegetables, salads, and bottled drinks prepared in the program kitchen

Green Technology

The Earth Kitchen

A renewable-energy technology project featuring a caramelizer stove, solar-powered food dehydrator, solar dryer for buko shells, and slow-cooking stove.

Explore →

Green technology

Green Tech Projects

Ozonation technology uses a low-cost, low-technology, custom-made ozonator.

Ozonation of air removes airborne contaminants, enriches the oxygen, and aids in pest control. Ozonation of water produces highly oxygenated, pH 8 alkaline water, and treats wastewater.

Learn more →

Our story

From one vision to a growing network of communities.

Approximately 4,000 beneficiaries have come through the CEF/CELI program since 2001. They are all cooked for a cause.

Swipe through the years.

2001
CEF was created
CEF was created to provide culinary education to deserving individuals to help them succeed in the food service industry.
2005
Mobile Kitchen On the Go
300 out-of-school youths and housewives gained skills in culinary arts and food business development, to build careers and start livelihood activities.
2009–2011
Training in Candon
The Culinary Training Program was conducted in Candon City, Ilocos Sur.
2011
Maggi Carinderia Grant
A partnership with Nestlé through the Maggi Carinderia Grant.
2013
Manila Food & Wine Festival
The first Manila Food & Wine Festival: Cooking Revolution. Proceeds funded scholars of the Cooking for Life Program, which began in Manila in May and extended to Candon City in November.
2015
Green Tech Project
A continued commitment to environmental awareness through Best Green Practices, zero-waste advocacy, and an eco-economy that is low-cost, low-tech, and easily replicable. Food scraps become nutrient-rich compost through Bokashi technology, and Ozone technology promotes a cleaner, safer environment. CEF was featured in Hospitality News Magazine as one of the most successful CSR institutions in the industry.
2017
Rotary scholars
The first batch of 25 CLP scholars, in partnership with the Rotary Club of Sto. Domingo.
2023
A renewed beginning
The CLP-Candon scholarship program resumed after the pandemic through the support of Cong. Kristine Singson.
2024
CELI
We evolved into Culinary Eco-Life, Inc. (CELI), reflecting a renewed commitment to culinary education integrating environmental stewardship and sustainable living.
2025
Super Manang
A renewed commitment to empower women through the Super Manang Program.
2026
Rotary continues
Another run of CLP, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Sto. Domingo.