In this field update from sunny Napa, Brian and Nessa reflect on Day One at a groundbreaking food-and-health conference hosted at the Culinary Institute of America. What began as an expectation-free experience quickly turned into something far more affirming: a realization that the work they’ve been intuitively doing around food, medicine, culture, and community is now being formally validated on a national stage.
They explore key themes from the day, including planetary health, medically tailored meals, plant-forward nutrition, and the growing role of teaching kitchens in reimagining healthcare. The conversation dives into the shortcomings of traditional medical education around nutrition, the politicization of dietary guidelines, and why evidence-based recommendations only matter if people can realistically adopt them.
Brian and Nessa also discuss the power of cultural food traditions, global dietary models, and meeting patients where they are — economically, culturally, and practically. From simple culinary demos to big-picture policy implications, this episode captures the excitement of being in a room full of clinicians, chefs, and educators who believe food is not an accessory to health, but a core part of it.
This is a candid, reflective check-in from the field — and a clear signal that the future of healthcare may look a lot more like a kitchen than a clinic.
