16-day intensive in-person
Plant-Based Nutrition & Culinary Fundamentals Certification Program
Level One: Raw Food Chef Certification Program & Holistic Healing Retreat
16 Day Intensive in-person
Plant-Based Nutrition & Culinary Fundamentals Certification Program
Level One: Raw Food Chef Certification Program & Holistic Healing Retreat
Immersive Raw Food Chef Certification Program |
Master Plant-Based Culinary Arts and Holistic Wellness
LEVEL ONE
Join Pachavega’s Level One Raw Food Chef Certification—a 16-day immersive program that provides the foundation for mastering raw food preparation, plant-based nutrition, and holistic wellness. Perfect for those seeking flexibility, this course is offered every other year and is your first step toward becoming a certified raw food chef. Secure your spot today!
Launch Price! - save $300 until December 31st
October 5th - 19th, 2025
The Pachavega Raw Food Residency Program is structured to provide flexibility and allow you to fully integrate the teachings before advancing. Level One and Level Two are offered on an alternating yearly schedule, with each level taking place in October. Each year the full 30-Day Residency Program is offered in January and November.
- Level One will be held in October 2025 (2027), and you’ll be able to apply your new skills and knowledge until the next step.
- Level Two will follow in October 2026 (2028) allowing you a full year to practice and deepen your understanding before progressing to advanced techniques and leadership skills (taking the Level Two portion of the program is a choice. Level One is a stand alone program).
This schedule, with a year in between, gives you ample time to absorb the teachings, refine your craft, and gain confidence in your abilities. Each level builds on the previous one, ensuring a smooth, supportive learning journey that’s paced to suit your lifestyle.
What You Will Learn
- Foundation Staple Foods
- Nutrient Dense Plant-Based Nutrition
- Knife Skills
- Flavor Balancing
- How to Stock your Kitchen
- Soaking and Sprouting
- Cultured and Fermented Foods, Kimchi and Kraut
- Sustainability and Ethical Choices
- Nut-Free Cuisine and Food Sensitivities
- Tips and Tricks for Healthy Detoxification
- Healing Spices from Around the World
- Gourmet Raw Vegan Meals
- Healing Herbal Soups and Adaptogens
- Dehydrated Foods
- Gourmet Cultured Foods
- Detoxification and Your pH
- Healthy Digestion and your Gut Microbiome
- Foods the Promote Digestion
Through our curriculum, you’ll delve deep into the intricacies of taste balancing, learning to harmonize flavors and textures to create truly exceptional dishes. Beyond mere cooking techniques, you’ll cultivate your own culinary identity, crafting signature dishes that reflect your unique creativity and passion.
But our program is more than just a culinary school—it’s a transformative experience that touches every aspect of your being. You’ll explore a diverse range of culinary themes, from fundamental principles of plant-based nutrition to advanced methods for addressing specific health concerns. Whether you’re an avid food enthusiast, aspiring entrepreneur, or dedicated advocate of plant-based living, our immersive program is designed to ignite your passion and equip you with the knowledge and skills to thrive in the world of holistic cuisine.
Join us in embracing the plant-based revolution and become a catalyst for positive change in your community and beyond. Together, let’s harness the transformative power of plant-based living to cultivate a brighter, healthier future for all.
Para el bien de todos!
Register Today!
Level 1: Plant-Based Nutrition & Culinary Fundamentals Certification
October 5th - 19th, 2025
What's Included in Your Experience?
- Airport Transfer (complimentary, a $150 value)
- 16 nights accommodation in a private resort (valued at $1500)
- All meals included, meticulously curated for your culinary journey (valued at $1550)
- Embroidered Personalized Apron (valued at $75)
- Culinary Project Support for hands-on application (valued at $900)
- Holistic Nutrition Classes to deepen your understanding (valued at $1000)
- Daily morning yoga, movement, and meditation facilitated by Special Guests for holistic well-being (valued at $450)
- Instructional Plant labs for practical learning (valued at $800)
- Chocolate Tour and Tasting for a delightful experience (valued at $75)
- Breathwork Experience for holistic wellness (valued at $100)
- and so much more. We take care of you.
Our trainings are for...
the stay-at-home mom
the nutritionist
the Chinese medicine doctor
the new retiree
the red seal chef
the professional athlete
those looking for a new career
those looking to enhance their nutrition intake
the fresh out of high school
The seasoned entrepreneur
… and many more. All these types of people have taken Pachavega’s Raw Food Chef Certification Course.
What we have in common is a desire to create healthy whole food recipes for our families, loved ones, clients and ourselves. We want to know how to help our body do what is designed to do, heal itself.
This course offers an in-depth study into a whole foods, plant-based lifestyle as a means to heal your body and ignite your spirit of adventure and passion to get you into the kitchen and experiment and in turn, improve your health and wellbeing for life.
You will Make Simple as well as Gourmet Recipes
All of our recipes are made with gluten-free, plant-based ingredients that are designed by nature to build health
PACHAVEGA PLANT-BASED CULINARY SCHOOL NICARAGUA
Level 1: Plant-Based Nutrition & Culinary Fundamentals Certification
October 5th - 19th, 2025
Kind Words about our Courses
What our graduates are saying about us!
Pachavega's Raw Food Chef Certification Course dispelled the myths of living foods prep and lifestyle. It’s not just what you eat, but how nutrition can influence your physical and emotional state that truly matters. Danielle Arsenault is a passionate and inspiring teacher who has infused this desire to live life to its fullest in me and many others.
This is a practical course that teaches you not only how to make amazing healthful food, but teaches you the science of why we would eat this way. The way the course is structured really heps to maximize the time for optimum absorption of the information. I have learned skills here that I will use for the rest of my life. Thank you Danielle for creating this inspirational course!
Before coming to Pachavega I had been transitioning to plant-based of life. It was a slow process because I wanted to do it responsibly, nutritionally. Taking this course not only jump started the process, it accelerated the process by giving me tools and education to know how to eat a nutrient dense menu. Totally worth every penny and an investment in myself from a health perspective!
Introducing Your Teacher...
Danielle Arsenault, founder of Pachavega Living Foods Education, is a passionate Raw Food Chef and Plant Based Nutrition Educator. In 2011 a near-death rock climbing accident changed her relationship with the world and life as she knew it. It gave her the realization that we are truly blessed to be alive. After she healed her body with food, she made it her life’s purpose to educate the world about the healing power of plant-based whole foods and a healthy lifestyle rooted in compassion for the planet.
Danielle is a professional educator, internationally renowned chef, published author of 7 cookbooks and an award-winning vegan influencer. She is a best-selling co-author and has been on the TedX stage. She has also been featured in over 40 podcasts, 50+ magazine articles, several online summit series and catered over 50 retreats, including almost 30 in-person Raw Food Chef Certification Trainings.
Her professional career includes a stint as a college professor, a Raw Food Chef and Nutrition Consultant at a tropical wellness resort and designing and teaching over 350 students, online and in-person, through her Online Culinary Arts Institute and in-person Holistic Wellness Retreats. She lives on the island of Ometepe, Nicaragua and frequently donates her time and passion to teach healthy cooking skills within her local community.
As Seen In:
Location and Accommodation
Ometepe island. nicaragua
Our 2025 and 2026 Programs will be held at Om Island Retreats.
Our Raw Food Chef School Nicaragua is based on the Island of Ometepe, Nicaragua at a place called La Vida Bonita. It’s a brand new farm, circa 2022 where in fact, we are still in the middle of building our dream kitchen! We will be ready to host Pachavega in-person programs in 2027.
You enjoy what we do and wanna stay up to date with our new products, contents & promotions?
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By following this link, You can also find our new E-book Tropical Treats & Savory Eats, it contains 3 days of nourishing raw vegan meals from the tropics.
