Culinary Medicine

What Culinary Medicine does

Culinary Medicine Deutschland e.V. is a registered German nonprofit association (eingetragener Verein) operating an evidence-based Teaching Kitchen platform that combines clinical nutrition, behavioral science, and hands-on culinary instruction. Founded in 2011 at the University of Osnabrück (originally as CookUOS) and consolidated in Göttingen, the organization develops and delivers the LEKuP-aligned Culinary Medicine curriculum, which became Germany's first official medical-school elective for nutrition counseling competencies at the University Medical Center Göttingen in winter semester 2020/21 and is now co-evaluated across three university medical centers (Göttingen, Brandenburg, Gießen).

The core asset is the Teaching Kitchen im Sportpark Jahnstadion in Göttingen — a purpose-built facility with five cooking stations equipped with BORA induction cooktops, smart ovens, and integrated professional media infrastructure (BARCO ClickShare, Samsung smartboards, Crestron controls, PTZ cameras) that supports both in-person and hybrid digital delivery. The product portfolio spans the medical-student Wahlfach, certified continuing education for physicians and nutrition professionals (delivered via VFED with 28 CME points), corporate teambuilding seminars, themed public cooking courses, Planetary Health Diet courses, the T³ science-communication format, and a forthcoming monthly webinar series with the ZERN research network.

The organization is funded through a mix of philanthropic grants (notably €100K from the Rut- und Klaus-Bahlsen-Stiftung in 2019), course registration fees (€75-89 for public After-Work Cooking; €575-750 for professional seminars), customized corporate contracts, donation campaigns (via betterplace.org), and membership-based reselling through professional societies (VFED) and sports platforms (GoeSF). It is led by Vorstand Uwe Neumann and Scientific Director PD Dr. med. Thomas Ellrott, with 11-50 employees operating from a single physical Teaching Kitchen venue serving the German market.

Name

Culinary Medicine

Legal name

Culinary Medicine Deutschland e.V.

Website

https://culinarymedicine.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Culinary Medicine Deutschland e.V. is a German nonprofit operating a Teaching Kitchen in Göttingen that delivers LEKuP-aligned, evidence-based Culinary Medicine curricula to medical students, healthcare professionals, corporate teams, and the general public.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nutritional and Medical Education Services

akta.pro primary industry

Nutrition, Special Diets & Wellness Cooking (EDAOAKAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Institutional & Commercial Kitchen Training (Schools/Healthcare/Corporate) (EDAOAKAL), Culinary Skills Workshops (Baking, Regional Cooking, Food Prep Skills) (THAJAKAE), Cooking Classes & Chef-Led Workshops (THAJAGAI)

Keywords

• Nutrition education
• Culinary training
• Medical continuing education
• Teaching kitchen
• Cooking courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Altenberge

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Course Registration Fees: Direct sales of cooking courses and seminars to individual consumers, corporate clients, and healthcare professionals. After-Work Cooking courses at €79-89 per person, with group bookings starting at 10 participants
2. Professional Training Programs: Certified continuing education programs for physicians, nutrition specialists, and health professionals through partnerships with VFED and professional societies. VFED seminar at €650-750 for members, €575 for trainees/students
3. Corporate Teambuilding Events: Customized team development seminars and cooking events for companies, health insurance providers, and institutions. Includes consultation, needs analysis, and multi-day seminar programs
4. Webinar and Online Training: Live online webinars from the Teaching Kitchen, including partnerships with Yakult for gastroenterology education and DGEM for malnutrition awareness

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Culinary Medicine operates Germany's most innovative Teaching Kitchen at Sportpark Jahnstadion in Göttingen, combining evidence-based nutrition science with hands-on culinary training. The organization delivers a Culinary Medicine medical elective to medical students, certified continuing education for physicians and nutrition professionals, corporate teambuilding seminars, and public cooking courses. Its curriculum is grounded in the German LEKuP (Leitfaden Ernährungstherapie in Klinik und Praxis) guidelines and delivered through a hybrid in-person and online format.

Product overview

Culinary Medicine Deutschland operates a Teaching Kitchen platform offering practical nutrition and culinary education across multiple channels. The core offering consists of the Teaching Kitchen facility (Germany's most innovative teaching kitchen with university connection in Göttingen) and the Culinary Medicine medical elective program for medical students. These are supplemented by After-Work Cooking events, corporate Teambuilding seminars, Professional continuing education for nutritionists and physicians, themed cooking courses, Planetary Health Diet courses for students, and the T³ science communication format. The organization also produces webinars including Malnutrition Awareness Week programming and the ZERN Kulinarischer Zukunftstalk monthly series. All offerings combine evidence-based nutrition science with practical culinary skills in an interactive cooking-based format.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Teaching Kitchen im Sportpark Jahnstadion Göttingen Hands-on cooking education facility combining nutrition science, culinary skills, and health education for up to 24 participants; features 5 cooking stations with BORA induction cooktops, smart Samsung ovens, and integrated seminar space.
• Culinary Medicine Wahlfach (Medical Elective) University elective for medical students combining evidence-based nutrition medicine with practical cooking skills. Based on LEKuP guidelines, covers 7 modules over 28 teaching hours to improve nutritional counseling competencies.
• After-Work Cooking Evening cooking events combining hands-on cooking with nutrition education. Mediterranean-inspired, plant-based menus for teams and groups seeking healthy cooking skills and community building; €79–89 per person.
• Teambuilding Seminars Corporate team development programs using collaborative cooking experiences. Includes communication workshops, leadership training, and organizational development with custom needs analysis; group bookings from 10+ participants.
• Culinary Medicine Professional Continuing Education Interdisciplinary certified seminar for nutrition professionals and physicians over 28 teaching units based on LEKuP guidelines. Covers disease-specific nutrition therapy including malnutrition, metabolic diseases, gastroenterological conditions; €575–750 per participant.
• Malnutrition Awareness Week Webinar Online continuing education on malnutrition in cooperation with DGEM, VDOE, and VDD. Live cooking demonstrations with clinical case studies for healthcare professionals.
• Themed Cooking Courses Seasonal and themed cooking courses including Levante cuisine, pasta variations, plant-based cooking, and meal prep. Open to general public through Sportpark Jahnstadion booking at €75 per adult.
• Planetary Health Diet Courses University sports courses teaching sustainable, plant-forward eating based on EAT-Lancet Commission Planetary Health Diet guidelines.
• T³ Wissenschaftskommunikation (Science Communication Format) Science communication show combining 3-star chef culinary expertise with physics, chemistry, and medical nutrition perspectives. Live cooking demonstrations with entertaining scientific commentary.
• ZERN Kulinarischer Zukunftstalk Webinar Series Monthly virtual webinar series featuring ZERN research network scientists discussing agriculture and nutrition topics while cooking live from the Teaching Kitchen.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4.37 million DALYs could be reduced per year in Germany through optimized nutrition according to DGE food-based dietary guidelines
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered supporting, major and core.

• Berufsverband Oecotrophologie e. V. (VDOE)supportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Cooperation partner for online training and professional continuing education webinars.
• Verband der Diätassistenten – Deutscher Bundesverband e.V. (VDD)supportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Cooperation partner for malnutrition awareness training and professional education.
• Göttinger Sport- und Freizeit GmbH (GoeSF)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2023Platform partner for public course bookings through sport.goesf.de. Hosts Teaching Kitchen courses as part of sports and recreation offerings.
• Deutsche Gesellschaft für Ernährungsmedizin e.V. (DGEM)majorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 November 2022Joint online training on malnutrition with live cooking demonstrations from Teaching Kitchen. Professional society cooperation for medical nutrition therapy education.
• Yakult Deutschland GmbHsupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 September 2022Webinar cooperation for online training series 'Kulinarische Aspekte der Ernährung in der Medizin' covering gastroenterological topics including irritable bowel syndrome.
• Niedersächsischer LandFrauenverband Hannover e. V.supportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 June 2022Partner for IdeenExpo 2022 'Zukunft Schmecken' project. Collaborative cooking workshops and education outreach.
• Zentrum für Ernährung und Hauswirtschaft Niedersachsen (ZEHN)supportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 June 2022Partner for IdeenExpo 2022 'Zukunft Schmecken' project. Collaboration on nutrition, health, sustainability, and culinary practices education.
• Teaching Kitchen Collaborative (TKC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022International network of educational, research, and community organizations with teaching kitchens. CMG accepted effective January 1, 2022. Includes Cleveland Clinic, UCLA, Northwestern University, Google, Stanford, Kaiser Permanente, Barilla Center for Food & Nutrition. Aims to improve health outcomes through teaching kitchen methodology globally.
• VFED e.V.majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2022Professional education society distributing Culinary Medicine training seminars through VFED online shop. Provides 28 continuing education points for participants.
• ZERN-ForschungsverbundmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Research network partnership for 'Kulinarischer Zukunftstalk' webinar series on agricultural and nutrition topics. Monthly live cooking shows featuring ZERN researchers.
• Medizinische Hochschule Brandenburg Theodor FontanemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2021Multicenter evaluation partner since summer semester 2021. Participating in joint evaluation of Culinary Medicine teaching effectiveness across multiple German university hospitals.
• Justus-Liebig-Universität GießenmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2021Multicenter evaluation partner since summer semester 2021. Using identical course materials, conducting same 7 course days of 4 teaching units each, and using same evaluation survey for joint data analysis.
• Barilla DeutschlandsupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 June 2019Event supporter for IdeenExpo 2019 and 2022 participation. Provided support for cooking workshops and demonstration kitchens.
• Institut für Ernährungspsychologie an der Georg-August-Universität Göttingen/UniversitätsmedizincoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Academic partner for research, teaching, and program development. Led by PD Dr. med. Thomas Ellrott. Joint project for Teaching Kitchen at Sportpark Jahnstadion. Cooperative development of Culinary Medicine curriculum for medical education.
• CookUOS e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010Founding partner organization led by Uwe Neumann. Originally developed cooking courses at University of Osnabrück since 2010. Continuing cooperation for Culinary Medicine program development and implementation.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• CookUOS e.V. The founding organization of Culinary Medicine (formerly CookUOS, established 2010 at University of Osnabrück); continues to operate cooking-based health and sustainability courses with overlapping curriculum philosophy and shared leadership (Uwe Neumann). Directly comparable in teaching kitchen methodology and German academic positioning.
• Rutgers Cooking Up Health: US teaching kitchen program training medical students in culinary medicine at Rutgers University; similar elective-for-medical-students model with peer-reviewed evaluation outcomes, making it the closest methodological peer outside Germany.

Emerging players

• Oldways: US nonprofit focused on food, health, and cultural heritage; overlaps thematically with Culinary Medicine's evidence-based nutrition messaging but operates through education campaigns rather than teaching kitchens.
• Barilla Center for Food & Nutrition: Italian foundation affiliated with the same Teaching Kitchen Collaborative network; comparable focus on food culture and nutrition education but operates through foundation grant-making rather than direct teaching delivery.

Broad incumbents

• Cleveland Clinic Teaching Kitchen: Founding member of the Teaching Kitchen Collaborative; runs a well-resourced clinical teaching kitchen program with similar physician-counseling competency aim but operating at much larger scale within a US health system.
• American College of Lifestyle Medicine: US professional society promoting food-as-medicine curricula including culinary medicine components; comparable peer for the German medical-education thesis though operating in a different geography and through professional certification rather than direct teaching.
• Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Teaching Kitchen: Hosts the Teaching Kitchen Research Conference (TKRC) and is a global thought-leader in culinary medicine research; larger and more established academic peer with significantly more resources.
• Stanford University Teaching Kitchen: TKC member with established teaching kitchen for medical students and employees; comparable methodological approach but embedded within a top-tier US institution with larger funding base.

Others

• Deutsche Gesellschaft für Ernährung (DGE): Germany's primary nutrition science society; partners with Culinary Medicine for training and awarded its 2025 Poster Prize. Acts as an enabling professional society rather than a direct competitor, shaping the regulatory and educational standards CMG operates within.
• VFED e.V. (Verband für Ernährung und Diätetik): Channel and distribution partner through which Culinary Medicine sells professional certification; comparable in serving nutrition professionals but does not operate a teaching kitchen of its own.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/DeCulinary
• Facebookfacebook.com/CulinaryMedicineDE
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/culinarymedicine

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Culinary Medicine