Tag: Culinary Medicine

Nicholls and LSU Health Bring Culinary Medicine Skills Into Medical Education

For future physicians preparing to enter clinical care, understanding nutrition can require more than memorizing dietary guidelines. According to this news release from Nicholls State University, 13 third-year medical students recently traded the traditional classroom for a professional kitchen, learning how nutrition recommendations translate into meals patients could realistically prepare and eat. The experience was part of the eighth annual Culinary Medicine Program, a collaboration between Nicholls and LSU Health New Orleans designed to connect medical science with practical food preparation.

The two-week culinary medicine program took place at Nicholls’ Chef John Folse Culinary Institute and was sponsored by Thibodaux Regional Health System. Culinary medicine combines evidence-based nutrition education with hands-on cooking instruction, giving future healthcare professionals an opportunity to understand not only what dietary changes may benefit patients, but also what those changes can look like in an everyday kitchen. That practical component can become especially important when physicians need to turn broad recommendations into clear, manageable guidance.

The participating LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine students completed the program shortly before beginning clinical training, when they will start caring for patients directly. Instruction was led by Chef Jana Billiot, director and instructor at the Chef John Folse Culinary Institute, and Dr. Allison Gaubert, a registered dietitian nutritionist and Nicholls assistant professor of dietetics. Gaubert emphasized that simply advising patients to improve their diets may offer too little direction. Physicians can provide more useful support when they understand accessible ways patients might put nutritional recommendations into practice.

Each day connected academic instruction with kitchen experience. Students began with lessons examining how food and nutrition relate to disease prevention and health before moving into cooking labs. There, they prepared and evaluated health-conscious dishes while considering how ingredients, preparation techniques and dietary patterns could apply to patient care. The structure allowed students to move directly from discussing nutritional science to seeing how those concepts influence an actual meal.

The curriculum covered carbohydrates, fats and proteins along with eating patterns such as the Mediterranean andDASH diet, which was developed as an approach to supporting cardiovascular health. Students also explored fad diets, weight-neutral communication and nutritional genomics, an emerging field that considers relationships between nutrition and genetic variation. Additional instruction addressed dietary considerations involving heart disease, digestive health, pregnancy, lactation and dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing.

Learning culinary medicine also extended beyond the Nicholls kitchen. Students visited the Thibodaux Regional Wellness Center to observe how nutrition can fit within a broader healthcare setting, and they completed a grocery-store walk-through with a registered dietitian. That exercise brought another practical dimension to the course by connecting clinical nutrition concepts with the food choices patients encounter while shopping.

The 2026 culinary medicine program also introduced live cooking demonstrations. Medical students prepared recipes before an audience while explaining the nutritional value of the dishes and describing situations in which those foods or cooking approaches could have clinical relevance. The exercise required participants to combine culinary technique, medical knowledge and communication—skills that can become important when explaining complicated health information in understandable terms.

The culinary medicine program concluded by connecting nutrition with another factor that shapes how people eat: culture. Students prepared favorite family recipes and considered how heritage, traditions and identity influence dietary habits. Rather than treating healthy eating as a single universal menu, the activity highlighted the importance of understanding the foods that already carry meaning in patients’ lives.

The Culinary Medicine Program also reflects a broader emphasis on nutrition within medical training. In March 2026,LSU Health New Orleans announced an expansion of nutrition education for medical students, with the goal of better preparing future physicians to discuss prevention, treatment and dietary recommendations with patients. At Nicholls, the annual partnership puts that goal into practice by bringing medical education, dietetics and culinary instruction together before students enter one of the most important stages of their physician training.

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Nicholls Culinary Equips Medical Students with Tools to Heal Through Food

Nicholls State University recently welcomed a group of future physicians to its campus for a unique blend of culinary and clinical education. In partnership with the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center New Orleans School of Medicine, the Nicholls Culinary program hosted the seventh annual Culinary Medicine Program at the Chef John Folse Culinary Institute. Sponsored by Thibodaux Regional Health System, this two-week immersive program gave eight third-year LSU medical students the chance to merge hands-on culinary instruction with evidence-based nutrition science, as per this news release from Nicholls.

Under the expert guidance of Chef Jana Billiot, director and instructor at CJFCI, and Dr. Allison Gaubert, a registered dietitian nutritionist and assistant professor of dietetics, the students explored how food and health intersect in real, practical ways. As the students prepared to transition into clinical settings for the first time, the timing of this program couldn’t have been more impactful. It equipped them with tools not only to cook healthfully but to educate patients on how food can be used as a preventive and therapeutic tool.

Chef Billiot reflected on the rewarding nature of the course, observing how students gained both kitchen confidence and a deeper understanding of the connections between recipe reading, cooking techniques, and overall health. Dr. Gaubert emphasized the importance of filling a persistent gap in medical training, noting that many physicians feel underprepared to discuss nutrition with patients. This course, she explained, gives them a strong starting point while also modeling interprofessional collaboration within healthcare teams.

Each morning began with a lecture on a specific health topic, ranging from the prevention and management of disease through food to dietary strategies for specific conditions. Topics included macronutrients such as carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, as well as a comparison of popular eating patterns like the DASH diet, theMediterranean diet, and more controversial fad diets. Medical students also dove into nutritional approaches tailored for cardiovascular health, gastrointestinal function, energy regulation, pregnancy, lactation, and early childhood.

Following each lecture, students moved to the kitchen to apply what they had learned. Guided by Billiot and Gaubert, they created dishes that reflected the nutritional principles of the day. Among the recipes featured were fish en papillote, strawberry balsamic sorbet, oven-fried shrimp, falafels, couscous bowls, bouillabaisse, spicy zucchini lasagna, and dark chocolate coconut lactation cookies. Once the meals were prepared, everyone gathered to eat, analyze flavor profiles, and evaluate the health merits of each dish.

Beyond the kitchen, the program also featured guest lectures and field experiences. Dr. John Doucet, Dean of theCollege of Sciences and Technology, presented on nutritional genomics—an emerging field that examines how genes and nutrition interact. Students also learned from Barbara Blake, Head of Allied Health Sciences and a licensed speech-language pathologist, about modified diets for patients with dysphagia. Registered dietitian April Sins led a grocery store tour at Rouses, and Leah Porche, another registered dietitian, delivered a session on weight-neutral health approaches, encouraging compassionate, non-stigmatizing dialogue with patients.

A highlight of the program was the evening reception where students recreated their favorite recipes for guests from Thibodaux Regional Health System. The evening served as both a culinary showcase and a demonstration of their growing ability to translate food knowledge into patient care. On the final day, students shared family recipes, emphasizing how deeply food traditions shape identity and values. They explained the cultural significance behind each dish, reinforcing the idea that effective dietary guidance must also consider personal and cultural meaning.

This annual Culinary Medicine Program continues to bridge the gap between the kitchen and the clinic. As these medical students move forward in their careers, the lessons learned at Nicholls will help them support their future patients with compassion, cultural sensitivity, and the power of food as medicine.

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Nicholls and LSU Health New Orleans Unite for Innovative Culinary Medicine Course

Nicholls State University and Louisiana State University Health Science Center – New Orleans (LSUHSC-NO) School of Medicine have joined forces once again to present the annual Culinary Medicine Program at the esteemed Chef John Folse Culinary Institute. Marking its sixth consecutive year, this program took place from July 1-12, sponsored by the Cardiovascular Institute of the South (CIS) and Thibodaux Regional Health System, as per this news release from Nicholls.

This unique educational collaboration attracted eleven third-year medical students from LSUHSC-NO, who opted to enhance their medical education by enrolling in this culinary medicine course. The program was conducted by experienced instructors from Nicholls’ Chef John Folse Culinary Institute and its didactic program in dietetics. Over the course of two weeks, these future physicians delved into evidence-based nutrition and honed their culinary skills, aiming to integrate this knowledge into their future medical practices.

Each day, the students started with a morning lecture that covered an array of topics emphasizing the crucial role of food in both preventing and managing diseases. Following the lectures, the students transitioned into practical application, preparing various recipes that reinforced the lecture themes. After the hands-on cooking sessions, students and instructors shared the prepared meals, engaging in discussions about the taste and health benefits of the dishes. This comprehensive approach aimed to equip students with the foundational knowledge necessary to treat and educate their future patients effectively.

The curriculum of this year’s program encompassed a broad spectrum of topics. Students explored plant-based diets, proteins, and altered texture diets. They delved into the significance of dietary fats in health, the inflammatory cascade, and cardiovascular health, among other subjects. Each topic was chosen to provide a holistic understanding of how diet can be utilized as a powerful tool in medical practice.

Established in 1929, Thibodaux Regional Health System has consistently demonstrated a commitment to providing top-notch medical services to its patients and the community. As a leader in regional healthcare, Thibodaux Regionaloffers an extensive range of inpatient and outpatient services, including comprehensive cardiovascular care and heart surgery, cancer care, neurosurgery, orthopedics and sports medicine, women’s services, obstetrics, and both inpatient and outpatient physical rehabilitation. The health system also boasts a state-of-the-art Wellness Center. Thibodaux Regional’s dedication to excellence is evident in its history, mission, and numerous achievements.

Culinary medicine represents an innovative approach to healthcare that merges the art of cooking with the science of medicine. It emphasizes the importance of nutrition in disease prevention and management, offering practical skills that medical professionals can pass on to their patients. By understanding the direct impact of diet on health, physicians can provide more comprehensive care, addressing both the medical and lifestyle aspects of their patients’ well-being.

The Culinary Medicine Program at Nicholls State University stands as a testament to the growing recognition of the role that diet plays in health. This partnership not only enriches the medical education of future doctors but also promotes a holistic approach to healthcare that can lead to better patient outcomes. As medical students learn to integrate culinary skills with medical knowledge, they are better prepared to advocate for and implement dietary changes that can significantly improve their patients’ quality of life.

The collaboration between Nicholls State University and LSUHSC-NO for the Culinary Medicine Program exemplifies a forward-thinking approach to medical education. By bridging the gap between culinary arts and medical science, this program equips future physicians with the tools necessary to promote healthier lifestyles through diet. Supported by prominent institutions like the Cardiovascular Institute of the South and Thibodaux Regional Health System, the program underscores the vital connection between nutrition and health, paving the way for a new generation of doctors who are as skilled in the kitchen as they are in the clinic.

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Exploring the Fusion of Medicine and Culinary Arts: Nicholls’ Culinary Medicine Program

When education transcends traditional boundaries, the results can be truly remarkable. This sentiment is beautifully embodied by the annual Culinary Medicine Program jointly hosted by Nicholls State University and the Louisiana State University Health New Orleans School of Medicine. For an impressive fifth consecutive year, these esteemed institutions have come together to nurture a unique learning experience that merges the worlds of gastronomy and medicine. According to this news release from the school, this innovative program, held at the renowned Chef John Folse Culinary Institute, offers a glimpse into the captivating synergy between evidence-based nutrition and culinary mastery, providing a platform for future medical practitioners to enrich their practices with invaluable knowledge.

The backdrop for this enriching endeavor, the Chef John Folse Culinary Institute, sits nestled in the heart of Louisiana’s Bayou Region, a place where culture, flavors, and traditions meld seamlessly. It beckons aspiring chefs with an audacious palate and a fervent desire to thrive in the food and service industries, offering them the opportunity to pursue Bachelor of Science or Associate of Science degrees in Culinary Arts. In a state where culinary excellence thrives, Nicholls stands tall as the sole post-secondary institution in Louisiana offering a comprehensive four-year culinary degree program.

The synergy of minds between the culinary institute and the medical school is profound, exemplifying the value of interdisciplinary collaboration. This year’s iteration of the Culinary Medicine Program took place from July 17 to 28, featuring a cohort of nine third-year medical students from the LSU Health Sciences Center (LSUHSC) New Orleans. These budding medical professionals made a conscious choice to delve into the culinary medicine course, facilitated by the proficient instructors from Nicholls’ Chef John Folse Culinary Institute, along with the didactic program in dietetics.

The heart of the program lies in its ability to introduce future physicians to the realm of evidence-based nutrition and the practical prowess of culinary artistry. The program structure was designed meticulously to encompass a range of topics, each underscoring the pivotal role of food in disease prevention and management. Morning lectures, infused with insights on weight-neutral nutrition approaches, dietary patterns and their health outcomes, genetics and nutrition, and much more, provided the foundation for students to comprehend the intricate dance between nourishment and well-being.

In a poignant twist, the classroom knowledge was translated into tangible experiences through hands-on culinary exercises. Post-lecture sessions saw students donning aprons and immersing themselves in the creation of dishes that resonated with the principles discussed earlier. This immersive approach not only consolidated their understanding but also imbued them with practical skills to weave nutrition into their future medical practices.

Dr. Craig Walker, the visionary founder, president, and medical director at the Cardiovascular Institute of the South, aptly acknowledged the program’s uniqueness and the vital knowledge it imparts to the medical leaders of tomorrow. He remarked, “This is a unique program by Chef John Folse that is sharing valuable knowledge with future leaders in the field of medicine.” Dr. Walker’s words underline the invaluable contribution the Culinary Medicine Program makes to the realm of health education.

In conclusion, the Culinary Medicine Program at Nicholls State University serves as a remarkable testament to the power of education that transcends boundaries. By blending the realms of culinary arts and medical science, this program not only imparts invaluable knowledge but also nurtures a holistic perspective that future physicians can carry into their practices. The fusion of these diverse fields is a clarion call for more such interdisciplinary collaborations that enrich the educational landscape and prepare professionals for multifaceted challenges.

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Culinary Medicine Partnership

In partnership with LSU Health New Orleans, Nicholls State University proudly announced its latest offering– a two-week course in culinary medicine beginning in the summer session of 2019. The program began July 1st. Nine third-year LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine students are enrolled. They are currently studying the possible preventative effects that nutrition can have in treating chronic diseases, as well as the crucial, fundamental culinary skills and recipes to promote good nutrition. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, eating patterns and specific foods have proven to be effective treatments in some cases of epilepsy, rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular disease, colon cancer, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, and acute cough.

Dr. John La Puma, the founder of ChefMD and Chef Clinic, defined culinary medicine as: an evidence-based field that blends the art of cooking with the science of nutrition. It is multidisciplinary in its way of blending art and science, which are arguably very similar in that they both take time, craft, and attention. Culinary medicine promotes the teamwork of physicians and nutrition professionals to prevent and treat patients’ illnesses by learning more about the food we eat.

“The Office of Undergraduate Medical Education is excited to offer this career planning elective to the Class of 2021. While students are taught the science of nutrition during their first and second years of medical school, the Culinary Medicine CPE gives them the opportunity to translate this into practical knowledge,” Dr. Catherine Hebert, the associate professor of clinical medicine and co-director of clinical sciences curriculum at LSU Health New Orleans stated. She continued, “It is not just about telling a patient to cut out salt and fat. It is about teaching them how to do this in a way that is realistic given the time and money constraints that we all face.”

During the course, students begin the day in the classroom. Here, they learn nutrition theory through lectures, case studies, and simulations that focus on such ailments as diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, heart disease, and obesity. In the afternoon, the third-year will move from classroom to kitchen in order to learn fundamental culinary skills and related recipes from chefs and other culinary professionals. What is learned in the morning is then created in the afternoon, meaning that the nutrition content learned at the head of the day is used in relevant recipes in the afternoon. The Culinary Department Head Chef John Kozar gave the example, “Let’s say they learn about diabetes in the morning, we will work on dishes appropriate for the diabetic patient in the afternoon.”

The learning does not stop at the walls of the classroom or kitchen. Students will also take field trips to Rouses Supermarket with a Registered Dietician (RD), tour the kitchen at Thibodaux Regional Medical Center, and test their new nutritional knowledge at local restaurants.

“This is an exciting opportunity for both Dietetics and the Chef John Folse Culinary Institute to have an even bigger impact on the community,” expressed Dr. Brigett Scott, associate dean of the College of Science and Technology and associate professor of dietetics. “What people eat has one of the biggest impacts on their health. Ultimately, the goal is that these future doctors will practice in Louisiana and promote the nutrition and culinary skills they learned to make an impact on the health of our community.”

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