Penn Culinary Medicine Events

IN PERSON Culinary Medicine CME Workshop for Health Professionals  

This workshop has been rescheduled for the fall 2026. More details to follow.

The Community Nutrition and Culinary Medicine

The course starts in January 2026 

Community Nutrition and Culinary Medicine is a one-year elective course for first-year medical students at the Perelman School of Medicine. Taught by a team of culinary experts, physicians, and registered dietitians, Culinary Medicine integrates advanced nutrition science and the culinary arts into a hands-on, interdisciplinary experience. Each session runs during a Core1 organ system and disease block in order to integrate nutrition education with the basic science and clinical medicine concepts of a particular organ system. This training provides students with the knowledge to understand the impact of healthy eating on normal human physiology and disease. Through evidence-based research, case-based discussions, and in-the-kitchen, hands-on training, students learn about the role of nutrition in integrated biological systems, with a focus on dietary recommendations for real-life patient care. Students also learn by teaching, partnering with Philadelphia schools and families to collaborate with high school students and develop menus for local community dinners. 

Frontiers in Culinary Medicine Course  

Article on the Frontiers Culinary Medicine course 

This course is from 2/2/26 to 2/27/26. 

Frontiers in Culinary Medicine (FRO535) is a 4-week elective for post-clerkship students at the Perelman School of Medicine taught by a team of culinary experts, physicians, and registered dietitians, that integrates the science of medicine and the culinary arts into an interdisciplinary experience that prepares students to promote healthy eating in their future patients. Through didactics, case-based discussions, and in-person, in-the-kitchen training by professional chefs, students will learn behavior change strategies regarding diet and nutrition, as well as explore healthier diets and the use of accessible and inexpensive substitute ingredients to prepare healthy, yet tasty meals. It is anticipated this course will stimulate students to incorporate healthy behaviors into their own personal lives, and in so doing, gain more comfort and confidence in sharing these behaviors with their future patients.  The course is offered as a 1-week credit (0.25 CU) elective which meets 8 evenings over the four weeks, with the opportunity to gain 2-week credit (0.5 CU) by completing four additional asynchronous requirements.

In this year’s 2026 PSOM Frontiers in Culinary Medicine, students focused on translating nutrition science into practical, patient-centered care across a range of real-world clinical scenarios. Through hands-on cooking and case-based discussions, they explored how to counsel patients on general nutrition, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, pregnancy, gastrointestinal conditions, and food insecurity—emphasizing affordable, and accessible meals. A recurring theme was “nutrition addition,” encouraging increased fruit, vegetable, whole grain, and plant-based protein intake rather than restriction, while building skills in flavor development, knife techniques, and low-sodium cooking. The series culminated in a cook-off challenge in which teams designed budget-conscious, SNAP-appropriate meals for a mother and son transitioning from frequent fast food to home cooking, navigating equipment limitations and lifestyle realities. Across sessions, students strengthened their ability to connect culinary skills, behavior change strategies, and evidence-based nutrition recommendations to the everyday lives of their future patients.