The "One Village, One Thai Food Chief" initiative will kick off in June and is expected to produce about 75,000 professional cooks by 2027.
Minister of Higher Education Science Research and Innovation, Supamas Isarabhakdi, unveiled details of the ministry's plan for the project following an April 12 discussion between Food Industry Steering Committee chairman Chumpol Jangprai, ministry executives and officials from culinary institutes.
Ms Supamas said the ministry will provide instructors from culinary institutes to help restauranteurs develop know-how in Thai cuisine.
The initiative is in line with the government's soft power policy and focuses on the food industry, which is a prominent means of soft power and could bring a new revenue stream to the country, she said.
Some 10,000 people will participate in online and onsite training sessions during the first stage of the project. The project aims to produce 75,086 Thai cuisine chefs between this year and 2027, half of whom will use the knowledge to earn a living and boost the economy, said the minister.
She added that support from academics and innovation researchers is important to help develop local wisdom and identities. The know-how can also help increase the economic value of local heritage, she said.
She cited the ministry's success in pushing for the registration of Phuket and Phetchaburi provinces as Cities of Gastronomy by Unesco as evidence.