DR. DEB
DR. DEB’S MISSION
Dr. Deb is a passionate advocate for food’s healing power, believing nutritious eating is a basic right—not a luxury. Her mission is to ensure culinary skill-building becomes a core element of Food as Medicine, because it empowers individuals to take control of their health when the prescribed food goes away. Through education and advocacy, she bridges nutrition science and everyday cooking, fueling the movement with practical, sustainable change.
The Connector
In the Food is Medicine (FIM) movement, a critical missing link has emerged through a year-long unmet needs analysis: the need for a connector—someone who can bridge the gap between healthcare recommendations and what actually makes it onto an individual’s plate. Without this role, clinical advice often fails to result in sustainable change. This is where Food Coaches come in. Trained specifically to serve as connectors, Food Coaches translate nutrition guidance into culturally relevant, palate-pleasing, and budget-friendly choices that align with a person’s real life. They support individuals in making lasting dietary changes by honoring their food traditions, preferences, and resources—ensuring that the promise of Food is Medicine becomes both practical and accessible for all.
MEET DR. DEB
Dr. Deborah Kennedy, PhD, and chef, brings nutrition science and the culinary arts together to heal people, communities, and our planet, one delicious bite at a time while honoring each individual’s food-story and palate. She recently completed a year-long unmet needs analysis on Food as Medicine in Vermont, which revealed a critical gap in the referral system: the absence of a connector—a key role that bridges the clinic and the community. The findings also highlighted the need for a systems flow that supports continuity between healthcare settings and everyday food access..
As the CEO of The Food Coach Academy™, Build Healthy Kids® and Culinary Rehab®; Adjunct Professor at the University of New England, and consultant in Food is Medicine, Dr. Kennedy (or Dr. Deb as she prefers) is at the forefront of integrating food and health by focusing on flavor. She has published five books in the Culinary Medicine Textbook series, collaborating with a dozen chefs and over 40 nutrition experts from the United States, Canada, and Europe. Together with the international expert panel, Dr. Deb has developed culinary competencies for nutrition recommendations and various diseases. She has built culinary medicine courses for institutions such as The New England Culinary Institute. She also developed the fully online Culinary Medicine training—The Food Coach Academy certificate program—and continues to expand offerings as needs emerge, including specialized programs like Culinary Medicine for Produce Prescriptions.
Dr. Deb holds a PhD in Nutritional Biochemistry from Tufts University, and she specializes in value-based medicine. Her lifelong passion for food began at age 4, learning to cook in her parents' kitchen. Notably, she was the first Chair of Best Practices with the Teaching Kitchen Collaborative and serves as a subject matter expert in Food is Medicine for large companies. She knows academically and personally that food can heal and prevent disease. Her mission is to help individuals, communities, businesses, and the healthcare sector to support culinary skill building in order to strengthen individuals in their capacity to heal. In today's world, many people are paralyzed with confusion and need clarification about what to eat. Her mission is to help people discover that they can choose to walk on a path toward health by focusing on just one delicious bite at a time.
Professional Highlights:
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Conducted a Statewide Needs Analysis on FAM in VT
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President Food Coach Academy (present)
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CEO Culinary Rehab LLC (present)
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Adjunct Professor in Applied Nutrition at UNE (present)
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Tufts Human Nutrition Research Center for Aging
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Yale’s Prevention Research Center
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Babies and Children’s Hospital at NY Presbyterian
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Cornell University
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Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center
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First Chair of Best Practices with the Teaching Kitchen Collaborative (a CIA/Harvard initiative)
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Creator of Weight & Wellness Center at DHMC
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Educator of Culinary Medicine at The New England Culinary Institute
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Collaborator with the CIA to build a teaching kitchen at the San Antonio, Texas, Children’s Hospital
WORK WITH DR. DEB
FOOD IS MEDICINE: Work with Dr. Deb
For over 35 years, Dr. Deb has dedicated her life to one mission: making healthy food accessible, delicious, and healing for everyone. Through education, innovation, and hands-on guidance, she bridges the gap between nutrition science and everyday cooking—empowering individuals, professionals, and communities to transform their relationship with food.
Whether you're seeking personal transformation, professional training, or organizational support, Dr. Deb offers five distinct pathways designed to meet you where you are:
✓ Comprehensive Food Coach training and certification
✓ Customized culinary medicine programs for organizations
✓ Self-directed learning through the acclaimed textbook series
✓ Dynamic speaking engagements and workshops
✓ Personalized one-on-one trauma-informed coaching
Each pathway honors your unique food story, cultural background, and health goals—because healing through food should never be one-size-fits-all.
Ready to discover which path is right for you?
