A number of initiatives also provide culinary education for young people, including a summer camp with children from 10 different public schools in Boston, a class for families called “Family Fun with Food”, and a class for teenagers called “Teen Battle Chef”.
The teaching kitchen also offers team-building classes for various departments at BMC, culinary skills classes, and classes for healthcare professionals, including an “Eat to Treat” program for first year medical students at the Boston University School of Medicine.
Dietitians and physicians can also refer patients, as part of their treatment plans, to attend classes at the Teaching Kitchen. Research studies are currently underway with Boston Medical Center’s Endocrinology, Obstetrics and Gynecology departments, as well as investigating the overall efficacy of using teaching kitchens as an integrative intervention.