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CHOP Kitchen at Albany Medical Center

Medical Students and Patients Helping Each Other

The CHOP kitchen is an effort between Albany Medical College, Albany Medical Center's Department of Bariatrics and Nutrition, and the Culinary Institutes of America (CIA). Medical students participate in a course and live cooking demonstrations to gain the knowledge and skill sets in nutrition and meal preparation that they then use to teach patients.

The students work closely with the dieticians, surgeons, and other staff in bariatric surgery to create monthly curriculum for bariatric surgery patients.

Students also gain insight into the post-bariatric surgery lifestyle and needs of patients, and practice the art of discussing nutrition and healthy lifestyle interventions with their future patients.

Benefits of Healthy Cooking

  1. Great hobby and source of stress relief
  2. Sharing a healthy lifestyle with friends and family
  3. Puts you in control of ingredients going into your body
  4. Does not have to be complicated
  5. Helps establish a more mindful relationship with food
  6. Increases energy and improves mood
  7. Takes less time than eating out
  8. Budget friendly
  9. Puts you in better control of your weight management
  10. Tastes good!
It's taught me how to really listen to patients—a skill I know will be very important as a physician. There’s something very equalizing about cooking. It’s allowed for some very powerful conversations. The more we understand our patients, the better we can tailor treatment approaches that fit their lives.”
Dr. Megan Freiburg'22 Graduate, Albany Medical College

Contact Us

For more information about bariatric surgery and the CHOP Kitchen, call 518-262-0942.