Westminster Kingsway College is proud to launch a ground-breaking new degree for chefs in Culinary Health and Nutrition, starting in September 2019.
First of its kind
A first for the UK, this degree merges the principles of human nutrition with clinical biology, culinary arts and lifestyle medicine.
Changes in market demand require a new approach to culinary training, and this programme is leading the way. Such changes include advances in food manufacturing, increased co-working between food technologists and chefs, growing demand for skilled nutritionists in the health and public sector, the emergence of sectors such as the gut microbiome and the impact of lifestyle medicine on General Practice.
Expert input
The programme has been developed in collaboration with a range of employers and industry professionals, including Restaurant Associates, FoodPlus, Compass, Google, Unilever, Reynolds Foods, Nestlé Professional, Footprint and nutritionist Amanda Ursell.
Amanda says “It’s crucial that chefs who are training today understand about nutrition, how it affects how we feel and our long-term health. You have to start with the chefs because they are the people creating and shaping menus – they have the health of so many in their hands.”
Amy Fetzer, Head of Research and Analysis at Footprint Intelligence, says “With the public eating a quarter of their calories out of home, our research has demonstrated how important it is that chefs understand healthy diets and healthier kitchen practices. This new course, which builds on the ground-breaking Healthy Plate, Healthy Planet module launched by Footprint Intelligence, Nestlé Professional and Westminster Kingsway earlier this year, is another much needed resource to help chefs get the nutritional training they sorely need.”
Offering a BSc (Hons), FdSc and Top-up, the qualifications are quality assured by Middlesex University and students will receive a Middlesex award on successful completion.
For the ‘chef of the future’
Ben Creek, Director of Operations UK & IRE, Food+ By Compass for Google said “The content of this degree will set the benchmark for the ‘chef of the future’ and this is the exact type of qualification that we want our employees to have”.
The programme leads to careers in a range of fields, including health food and commercial product development, supplements and healthy eating, sports nutrition, corporate wellness and public health.
It is suitable for those both with and without work experience, as developing employability skills and experience is a central theme. As well as preparing students for roles within organisations, it also provides the enterprise skills to start a business, enhancing career prospects with transferable and commercial skills in business development and product launching.
Key ingredients
The programme provides the opportunity to examine the impact of nutrition on health and disease, as well as developing culinary arts skills. Students will:
- Develop knowledge and skills in a range of scientific and emerging techniques, facilitating sound judgement with regards to scientific evidence and health claims about food and nutrition.
- Explore the principle of nutrition and the underpinning scientific knowledge of cellular biology, human physiology and pathology, including diabetes, hypertension, Syndrome X, and pre and post exercise nutrition, including competition preparation.
- Investigate the effect of macronutrients and micronutrients on human health and disease, and discuss ‘superfoods’, diet trends such as flexitarian, ketogenic, veganism, and technology such as 3D food printing.
- Learn how to screen and identify people at nutritional risk by assessing the size, shape and composition of the human body using anthropometric assessments together with nutritional assessment of diet.
- Develop knowledge and skills relating to culinary theory and arts, kitchen organisation and food management from various cultures – promoting diversity and inclusion.
- Develop an understanding of prebiotics, probiotics and microbiology, their importance in the human body and their relationship to disease, in line with Food Safety legislation.
- Examine the role of nutrition within public health and society and appraise the impact of overnutrition and undernutrition on health.
- Investigate pillars of sustainability and the importance of professional development, accountability, conduct and ethical standards.
Find out more about the BSc (Hons), FdSc and Top-up in Culinary Health and Nutrition. Places are available to start this September – call 0203 429 7676 to apply.
Westminster Kingsway is one of the finest culinary arts colleges in the country, combining a century of tradition with contemporary innovations in food development. Its award-winning restaurants at The Vincent Rooms offer students hands-on commercial experience, and strong relationships with partners and sponsors keep the College at the heart of sector developments.
Celebrated alumni include Andy Wong, Geoffrey Smeddle, Paul Walsh, Jeff Galvin, Russell Bateman, Ainsley Harriott, Jamie Oliver, Ian Nottage, Selin Kiazim and Sophie Wright.
Find out more about Westminster Kingsway’s courses in Culinary Arts and Hospitality.
