“Karma Chameleon” blasting on the speakers. A yell of “Sharps … behind you!” Clad in blue-gray chef’s wear, lead dietician chef Max Goldstein weaves through the cooking stations, issuing encouragement and kitchen safety reminders.
At the Irving and Alice Brown Teaching Kitchen, located at Yale New Haven Hospital, healthcare providers turn to nutritious meals rather than traditional drugs. Like with prescriptions, any Yale clinician can write a referral to the teaching kitchen. Patients come in for a variety of ailments, including obesity, fatty liver disease, irritable bowel disease, diabetes and gluten intolerance.
The teaching kitchen was made possible by a generous donation by Carole Brown, who requested that the kitchen be named after her late parents. Thanks to the donation, patients can utilize the kitchen’s resources cost-free.
Dr. Nate Wood, director of culinary medicine at the School of Medicine, grew up in a family that loved food and cooking. At medical school, Wood felt food “getting pushed to the corners of [his] life” and decided to take a year off to attend the Institute of Culinary Education, where he was introduced to the field of culinary medicine.
At the teaching kitchen, Wood focuses mostly on medical education and teaching nutrition classes to physician’s assistants, medical students and residents. Max Goldstein, a vocationally-trained lead chef dietician, runs the patient-focused classes.
“Most physicians are very poorly trained in nutrition, so they aren’t able to provide robust diet and lifestyle plans for their patients,” Wood told the News.
The framework for a healthy diet isn’t “ground-breaking” to most patients, according to Wood. By providing patients with basic culinary skills and recipes, and occasionally introducing them to unfamiliar ingredients, they aim to build the confidence to cook healthily at home.
Many parts of New Haven are considered a food desert, according to Wood. People who live in a food desert have limited access to healthier fresh foods.
To imitate the selection of produce their patients have access to, teaching kitchen instructors try to optimize their use of frozen and low-sodium canned produce. Contrary to popular belief, Wood explained, the nutritional content of flash-frozen produce is superior to that of the fresh counterpart because they’re picked at peak ripeness and, therefore, have higher nutritional density.
“I don’t go to Whole Foods to find these ingredients,” Goldstein said. “The idea is that, you know, we want people to actually be able to replicate these at home.”
When the News visited the kitchen, 14 attendees — 12 patients and their two invited guests — learned to prepare a nutritious and filling breakfast. “Breakfast” is the second of a six-lesson course. Last week, attendees went over kitchen and knife safety, ending the class with a “Four ways to have tacos” lesson. Future classes will cover lunch, dinner, snacks and a full menu.
Goldstein encourages the patients to bring in a family member, spouse or friend. Like with doctor’s appointments, having a loved one with them in the kitchen not only adds to the comfort but is empowering for many patients.
Angela and Phil LaFleur, a couple from Westville, Conn., learned about the Teaching Kitchen after Angela LaFleur received a referral from her nutritionist.
“I was trying to cut my cholesterol, and I ended up losing 30 pounds,” Angela LaFleur said.
Angela LaFleur said she’s more conscious about portions and fiber. For example, she now has a smaller bowl of noodles and loads it with sauce or eats chicken breast with vegetables rather than the fattier chicken thigh.
LaFleur doesn’t practice diet restriction, either. With more whole grains and healthy proteins, she feels fuller and allows herself to give in to cravings occasionally. She believes she can now “have all that” food, like chocolate, as she also eats more fruits and vegetables.
Phil LaFleur owns a catering trailer that serves weddings and parties. He told the News that he has applied some of the advice and tips he learned from the Teaching Kitchen to his business.
Melania Falcon, a former hospitality professional, once managed huge front and back-of-house operations with hundreds of people. After getting into a car accident, Falcon noticed herself gaining weight and wanted a lifestyle change. Her pain psychologist referred her to the teaching kitchen.
Gail Staggers, a retired New Haven Public Schools teacher, came to the teaching kitchen hoping to learn how to better manage her diabetes. She described the atmosphere as “friendly and collaborative,” pointing to the bountiful resources patients can access.
A second-time kitchen-goer, Staggers recalled the salad dressing last week, consisting of Dijon mustard, herbs, oil and vinegar — a combination she had never even thought of. It has quickly become a household favorite.
Jennifer Bruton, a recently retired dental hygienist, is a weight loss patient at Yale New Haven Hospital. She was prescribed Qsymia, a weight-loss drug, which helped her lose over 20 pounds. However, she noted, it was the dietary changes that helped her keep that weight off.
“Obesity is a brain disease,” Bruton explained. She finished the six-class sequence earlier in the year and loved the atmosphere so much that she returned as a volunteer.
Volunteering alongside Bruton was Dr. Hena Yakoob, a Yale psychologist, who said she would be bringing these tips to patients who may be struggling with obesity in addition to their mental ailments.
The teaching kitchen is located at 8 Devine St.
Contact Michelle So at michelle.so@yale.edu.