Culinary Medicine at Pace University

Program Overview

Launching in Spring 2026, Pace University will introduce its first undergraduate culinary medicine course, integrating the Health meets Food curriculum into a for-credit elective open to all undergraduates. Housed within the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics in the College of Health Professions, the course will serve as a prerequisite for students pursuing a new “Health Sciences Badge” that includes culinary medicine and two additional health sciences courses.

The 45-hour elective will likely include the first eight core Health meets Food modules. Hands-on learning will be delivered using Pace’s mobile teaching kitchen in an on-campus classroom and will include planned upgrades to support the program’s growth.

While the initial offering will be limited to the undergraduate badge track, the long-term vision includes expanding the program to serve a wider range of students and campus partners—potentially including athletes, sports camps, and other university departments—once additional facilities are in place.

Faculty Leadership

Mary Opfer, MS, RDN, CCMS
Instructor & Program Lead
Mary, a Certified Culinary Medicine Specialist, teaches all culinary medicine sessions and leads program development within the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics. She has been instrumental in implanting the culinary medicine program at Pace and securing donor support for essential equipment. She envisions the program growing into a semester-long course available year-round, ideally in a dedicated teaching kitchen connected to a campus garden.

For more information, contact Mary Opfer: mopfer@pace.edu