The 11th Annual Health meets Food: The Culinary Medicine Conference - June 2025
There will be an online streaming option using a virtual conference platform that will allow for the full conference experience including lectures, expert panels and culinary skills-building programming.
Thursday – Optional* Hands On Health meets Food Module
*With additional fee. All times Central Daylight Time.
1:00 PM to 4:00 PM – Introduction to Culinary Medicine
An outline of the Mediterranean diet examining recent sources and studies examining its effectiveness in treating diet-related illnesses. The module reviews methods of communicating these principles to patients along with an introduction to basic kitchen safety and knife handling skills.
5:00 PM to 8:00 PM – Pregnancy and Nutrition
In this module we explore the guidelines for changes in diet during pregnancy, including BMI-based weight gain recommendations as well as changes in metabolism, caloric, and exercise needs. We include recent research into maternal nutritional outcomes. We also discuss which foods should be avoided in pregnancy, their sources, which micronutrients are important and their common sources, and the importance of portion sizes. Wew prepare foods high in these important nutrients while being mindful of nutrient density and portion sizes..
Register for the Conference Now!
Friday – Reboot of Fundamental Knowledge
Friday programming will focus on the food safety, sanitation and contaminants in the supply chain with practical solutions for healthcare and foodservice professionals.
Presentations: Culinary Medicine – Fundamental Knowledge
8:30 AM – Opening Announcements and Conference Information
Session No. 1: Safety in the Food Supply – Barbara Kowalcyk, PhD
Session No. 2: Food Borne Illness: Diagnosis and Treatment – Christine Zurawski, MD
Session No. 3: Hidden Hazards: Environmental Pollutants in the Food Chain – Carla A. Ng, PhD
Culinary Skills Building Sessions: Fundamental Culinary Skills
Morning Session
Afternoon Session
The conference skills building sessions below do not count towards the hands-on module requirements for the Culinary Medicine certification programs (CCMS and CCMP).
Knife Skills – Cut Like a Chef – This session will review how to safely hold and use a chef’s knife. Learn how to cut various vegetables into various shapes. Speed and precision will come with practice. Learn time-saving techniques to slice, dice, julienne, mince, supreme, and more. This session will review knife basics, including anatomy, safety, and proper care as well as proper fundamental cutting techniques. Speed and precision will come with practice. Participants will prepare tasty samples to enjoy from their newly honed skills!
Steaming – So Healthy, So Easy – This ancient technique for cooking is often overlooked. Learn steaming fundamentals – from selecting equipment, ingredients, and building unique and interesting flavor and texture combinations. This session will expand your cooking method repertoire allowing for quick, delicious, and healthy meal preparation. Participants will prepare a variety of dishes including Dumplings, Dukkah Crusted Cauliflower, Ginger Miso Fish en Papillote, and more!
Poaching – Poaching, Braising, Blanching, Oh my! – Moist heat cooking techniques are forgiving and are great for the novice cook to the culinary master. This session will go beyond just eggs and bland, colorless chicken to show how versatile and flavorful this cooking method can be. We will prepare vegetables, fish, and dessert and will showcase global flavors and a variety of techniques within poaching. Participants will prepare a variety of dishes including Thai Shrimp and Grapefruit Salad, Shakshuka, Chai Spiced Poached Pears, and more!
Pasta – That’s Amore! – Campanelle, caramelle, cavatappi, conchiglie… come learn about pasta shapes and more! In this session you will get to knead, roll, and shape pasta dough, learn about different types of pasta dough and how to perfect your technique. Participants will prepare pasta dough in a variety of shapes and enjoy a tasting of the prepared pasta.
Taste and Flavor – Do you ever marvel at how renowned chefs can take a small taste of a dish and know exactly what and how much to add to make that dish shine? You can build that skill to by learning the ins and outs of taste and flavor, the relationship between the components of the two, and how to maximize flavor through cooking techniques. Participants will taste samples throughout the session during this interactive presentation as they hone their flavor skills!
Olive Oil Tasting – Dip into this Kitchen Staple – A fundamental part of the Mediterranean Diet, olive oil in all its forms will be explored in this session. Extra virgin olive oils from across the world – Italy, Spain, Greek, North Africa, USA and Australia – will be tasted.
Exploring Whole Grains – Beyond Brown Rice – Explore the world of whole grains, the history of grains and their impact on heritage food and cooking, how to prepare different types of whole grains, and flavor pairings in this presentation and tasting. After learning about the expansive world of whole grains, participants will get to taste some less common offerings and discuss creative pairings.
Session No. 4: Food Safety Demonstration
Session No. 5: Panel Discussion: Panel discussion
6:00 PM to 7:00 PM: Reception: Mediterranean Diet Hors d’oeuvres and Libations: free to attendees and guests
Register for the Conference Now!
Saturday – Current Topics in Culinary Medicine: Women’s Health
8:30 AM: Current Topics in Culinary Medicine: Women’s Health
Session No. 1: The Role of Women’s Health in Nutrition Research – Irene O. Aninye, PhD
Session No. 2: PCOS and Nutrition – Richard S. Legro, MD
Session No. 3: Pre-pregnancy whole person care: application of culinary medicine to support intergenerational wellbeing – Karen Lindsey, PhD
Session No. 4: Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity in Women Across the Lifespan – Nisha Patel, MD, MS, CCMS
Culinary Skills Building Sessions: Fundamental Culinary Skills
Morning Session
Afternoon Session
The conference skills building sessions below do not count towards the hands-on module requirements for the Culinary Medicine certification programs (CCMS and CCMP).
Knife Skills – Cut Like a Chef – This session will review how to safely hold and use a chef’s knife. Learn how to cut various vegetables into various shapes. Speed and precision will come with practice. Learn time-saving techniques to slice, dice, julienne, mince, supreme, and more. This session will review knife basics, including anatomy, safety, and proper care as well as proper fundamental cutting techniques. Speed and precision will come with practice. Participants will prepare tasty samples to enjoy from their newly honed skills!
Steaming – So Healthy, So Easy – This ancient technique for cooking is often overlooked. Learn steaming fundamentals – from selecting equipment, ingredients, and building unique and interesting flavor and texture combinations. This session will expand your cooking method repertoire allowing for quick, delicious, and healthy meal preparation. Participants will prepare a variety of dishes including Dumplings, Dukkah Crusted Cauliflower, Ginger Miso Fish en Papillote, and more!
Poaching – Poaching, Braising, Blanching, Oh my! – Moist heat cooking techniques are forgiving and are great for the novice cook to the culinary master. This session will go beyond just eggs and bland, colorless chicken to show how versatile and flavorful this cooking method can be. We will prepare vegetables, fish, and dessert and will showcase global flavors and a variety of techniques within poaching. Participants will prepare a variety of dishes including Thai Shrimp and Grapefruit Salad, Shakshuka, Chai Spiced Poached Pears, and more!
Pasta – That’s Amore! – Campanelle, caramelle, cavatappi, conchiglie… come learn about pasta shapes and more! In this session you will get to knead, roll, and shape pasta dough, learn about different types of pasta dough and how to perfect your technique. Participants will prepare pasta dough in a variety of shapes and enjoy a tasting of the prepared pasta.
Taste and Flavor – Do you ever marvel at how renowned chefs can take a small taste of a dish and know exactly what and how much to add to make that dish shine? You can build that skill to by learning the ins and outs of taste and flavor, the relationship between the components of the two, and how to maximize flavor through cooking techniques. Participants will taste samples throughout the session during this interactive presentation as they hone their flavor skills!
Olive Oil Tasting – Dip into this Kitchen Staple – A fundamental part of the Mediterranean Diet, olive oil in all its forms will be explored in this session. Extra virgin olive oils from across the world – Italy, Spain, Greek, North Africa, USA and Australia – will be tasted.
Exploring Whole Grains – Beyond Brown Rice – Explore the world of whole grains, the history of grains and their impact on heritage food and cooking, how to prepare different types of whole grains, and flavor pairings in this presentation and tasting. After learning about the expansive world of whole grains, participants will get to taste some less common offerings and discuss creative pairings.
Session No. 4: Panel Discussion: Panel discussion moderated by Dr. Basma Faris
Register for the Conference Now!
Sunday – Looking to the Horizon: Food for Thought
What does the future hold for our patients and patrons?
8:30 AM: Presentations: Culinary Medicine in the Future
Session No. 1: The Climate Reality for Independent Restaurants – Stacy Dean, GWU Global Food Institute
Session No. 2: The Agrifood System and Climate Change – Bill Dietz, MD, PhD
Session No. 3: Promoting Healthy and Sustainable Diets:Challenges and Opportunities – Sydney Pryor, PhD
Session No. 4: Panel Discussion: Panel Discussion covering the future state of nutrition for clinicians and foodservice professionals.
Optional hands-on Health meets Food module with additional fee
1:30 PM to 4:30 PM – Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Attendees will explore the pathophysiology, signs and symptoms, and diagnostic criteria of PCOS. The module also details the the role of weight loss in PCOS, particularly as it relates to insulin resistance. In the kitchen, our objectives include the roles of complex carbohydrates and fiber in PCOS management.
