The Chef-Nutritionist Emergent

The food industry today is flooded with products positioned with specific claims related to health. In the past, a chef’s main concern was the organoleptic properties of food. But today, health aspects play a crucial role.

PATHS TO A HEALTHIER FUTURE

The titles of nutritionist and dietitian can sometimes be confusing. People may title themselves “nutritionists” without a corresponding nutrition-based educational background. However, the title of registered dietitian (R.D.) is legally protected and regulated by the American Dietetic Association (ADA), Chicago. Dietitians must graduate from an accredited Bachelor of Science program in dietetics and complete a yearlong dietetic internship of at least 1,200 hours through an accredited program before taking their registration exam. Only upon completion of their internship and passing the registration exam may someone use the “R.D.” suffix after their name.

In Culinology® degree programs, students simultaneously learn aspects of food science and culinary arts in one program. Nutrition is an integral part of Culinology programs, with students taking classes focusing on the role of nutrients, among other dietetic concerns. “Today’s world requires that Culinology students have an interdisciplinary approach to problem solving, which needs to include nutrition,” says Fayrene Hamouz, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and one of the professors in the school’s Culinology program. She notes that one track is for students with a culinary background to earn a degree in nutrition or dietetics, gain their R.D. accreditation, and return to complete their Master of Science in nutrition with an emphasis in Culinology.