Chefs in Future Integrated Healthcare - Current State and Innovation Needs: A First Overview of the NECTAR Project (aN Eu Curriculum for Chef gasTro-Engineering in Primary Food Care)

Marjolein Winters; Valentina Wagner; Roberta Patalano; Sonja Lindner; Serena Alvino; Regina Roller-Wirnsberger; Heidemarie Müller-Riedlhuber; Sandra Pais; Matilde Borriello; John Farrel; Geertrui Vlaemynck; Martijn van Gemst; Bart Geurden; Lobke Van den Wijngaert; Edwig Goossens; Maddalena Illario; Carolin Herzog

doi:10.5334/ijic.6436

Chefs in Future Integrated Healthcare - Current State and Innovation Needs: A First Overview of the NECTAR Project (aN Eu Curriculum for Chef gasTro-Engineering in Primary Food Care)

Int J Integr Care. 2022 Apr 19;22(2):7. doi: 10.5334/ijic.6436. eCollection 2022 Apr-Jun.

Authors

Marjolein Winters¹, Valentina Wagner², Roberta Patalano³, Sonja Lindner², Serena Alvino⁴, Regina Roller-Wirnsberger², Heidemarie Müller-Riedlhuber⁵, Sandra Pais⁶, Matilde Borriello⁷, John Farrel⁸, Geertrui Vlaemynck⁹, Martijn van Gemst¹⁰, Bart Geurden¹¹, Lobke Van den Wijngaert¹², Edwig Goossens¹³, Maddalena Illario^{14

15}, Carolin Herzog²

Affiliations

¹ Odisee University of Applied Sciences, Department of Business Management, Warmoesberg 26, 100 Brussels, BE.
² Medical University of Graz, Department of Internal Medicine, Research Group for Old Age Medicine and lifelong Health, Auenbruggerplatz 15, 8036 Graz, AT.
³ Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia, Sezione di Endocrinologia, Università Federico II di Napoli, via S. Pansini n.5, 80131 Naples, IT.
⁴ SI4LIFE scrl, Via Gramsci 1, 16126 Genoa, IT.
⁵ WIAB, Viennese Institute for Labour Market and Education Research, Leebgasse 46/1, 1100 Vienna, AT.
⁶ University of Algarve, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139, Faro, PT.
⁷ IPSEOA Marco Polo, via Sciaccaluga 9, 16147 Genoa, IT.
⁸ EIP on AHA Reference Site Collaborative Network (RSCN) Round Point Schuman 11, B1040 Brussels, BE.
⁹ Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, ILVO, Department Technology and Food Science, Brusselsesteenweg 370, 9090 Melle, BE.
¹⁰ Center for Primary Food Care - Primary npo, Vissersstraat 1, 3000 Leuven, BE.
¹¹ Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Centre for Research and Innovation in Care (CRIC), University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, BE.
¹² ScC (Taste Center Consult & Coaching) LiveEatTaste, Heirbaan 277A, 2070 Burcht, BE.
¹³ School of Gastrologic Sciences & Primary Food Care, Center for Gastrology - van Rhay cvba, Vismarkt 10c, 3000 Leuven, BE.
¹⁴ Dipartimento di Sanità Pubblica, Università degli studi di Napoli Federico II, via S. Pansini n.5, 80131 Naples, Italy.
¹⁵ UOS Ricerca e Sviluppo, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Federico II, via S. Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, IT.

Abstract

People in need of care, chronic or acute, often present problematic food intake and special nutritional needs. Integrated, person-centred and pro-active food and nutritional care delivery has been proven effective for people in health care. However, skills mismatches have been reported in different professions involved, which also applies to the role of chefs in healthcare. The EU funded project NECTAR aims at closing this gap by creating a new job profile, called Chef Gastro-Engineering (CGE). The current publication summarizes the status quo in hospitals and gives a perspective on the future role of chefs in integrated healthcare delivery.

Keywords: chef; food; integrated health care systems; interprofessional; malnutrition; nutrition; vocational education and training (VET).