Invitational network, which includes Google and Cleveland Clinic, aims to improve personal and public health outcomes around the world.
The National University of Natural Medicine in Portland, Ore., has been formally accepted into the Teaching Kitchen Collaborative (TKC), a leading invitational network of educational, research, and community organizations with teaching kitchens aimed at improving personal and public health.
Effective January 1, 2024, NUNM has joined organizations including Google, Compass Group, and Cleveland Clinic, leading the teaching kitchen movement to improve health outcomes in the United States and around the world.
“Our membership with the Teaching Kitchen Collaborative gives us a seat at the table with thought leaders and organizations working to enhance the health of individuals and communities through nutrition education and cooking classes,” said Dr. Andrew Erlandsen, dean of the School of Undergraduate and Graduate Studies and lead physician in the Food as Medicine Institute.
As the only natural medicine-focused school in the TKC, Erlandsen said NUNM brings a unique perspective and voice to the conversation around teaching kitchens.
“This partnership will provide opportunities for NUNM on a national level, including educational development and research activities,” he said.
The TKC is a unique collaborative of medical professionals, chefs, educators, researchers, and food system experts dedicated to improving personal and public health. The TKC’s mission is to catalyze and empower a growing network of innovators who are changing lives through food.
“We are delighted to welcome the National University of Natural Medicine into the Teaching Kitchen Collaborative, said Katie Welch, executive director of TKC. “NUNM is a pioneer and leader in training integrative medicine professionals in hands-on nutrition education, providing a model of innovation and excellence for others around the globe. This partnership both enriches our Collaborative and strengthens our collective commitment to revolutionizing healthcare through the power of culinary education.”
The TKC was formally launched in 2016 by Dr. David Eisenberg, in partnership with The Culinary Institute of America and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, as an invitational network of thought leading organizations using teaching kitchen facilities as catalysts of enhanced personal and public health across medical, corporate, school, and community settings.
In 2020, the TKC became a 501c3 and is now a global network of 58 teaching kitchens. Its members represent a diverse range of organizations, including leading academic medical centers, public youth services institutions, private employers, and public libraries. The TKC functions as a central hub and accelerator to support the reproducibility, scalability, and evaluation of emerging teaching kitchen models and educational programs.
For more information about NUNM and our teaching kitchen, visit the Food as Medicine Institute.
To learn more about the TKC and for a full list of TKC members, visit teachingkitchens.org.