BGN Deputy Head Nanik Deyang, in a press conference here on Friday, noted that each MBG kitchen will be required to have two professional chefs to safeguard the food safety standards.
“There are 30 thousand kitchens that need chefs. If each kitchen needs two chefs, there will be 60 thousand chefs needed,” she said.
Deyang explained that the presence of professional chefs is key to maintaining the hygiene and quality of food provided in the program, including in the selection of raw materials and techniques for large-scale cooking.
She noted that so far, most MBG kitchens were managed by local workers who are experienced in home-based catering businesses.
While the BGN continues to encourage the involvement of local residents as helpers or assistants in the kitchens, the food production leader positions will be filled by certified chefs.
For kitchens in remote regions, the BGN also opens up opportunities for chefs from outside the regions to apply.
“The chefs do not have to be from the local regions. If there are chefs from hotels or restaurants from other cities who are ready to be assigned in villages, that is actually what we highly hope for,” she said.
The MBG program was launched on January 6, 2025, with the aim of improving the nutritional status of children under five, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and schoolchildren up to the high school level.
The program is targeted to reach 82.9 million beneficiaries across Indonesia, making it one of the largest programs implemented in the country.
The BGN earlier reported that 70 cases of food poisoning were recorded from January to September 2025, with 5,914 beneficiaries affected.
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Translator: Andi F, Genta T, Raka Adji
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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