On May 29, 2026, NYU’s Department of Nutrition and Food Studies and the Brownsville Community Culinary Center co-hosted Rooted in Health: Cardiovascular Disease (CVD), an interdisciplinary workshop on nutrition, culinary practice, and CVD care.
The event was supported by IHDSC’s Partnership Development Seed Award Program, which invests in the cultivation of new and existing research-practice-partnerships (RPPs) and supports partnerships that are mutually beneficial, equitable, and sustainable and that center the voices of community stakeholders. The event was organized by Brownsville Community Culinary Center (BCCC) in partnership with Dr. Andrea J. Glenn, Assistant Professor in the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies at NYU Steinhardt, who received a 2024-2025 IHDSC Partnership Development Seed Award.
Taking place virtually and in-person at the NYU Food Lab on NYU’s Washington Square campus, Rooted in Health offered a dynamic, half-day workshop designed for physicians, registered dietitians, and other healthcare providers seeking to translate nutrition science into practical, patient-centered care. The program included academic lectures, interactive discussions, culinary demonstrations, take-home resources, and networking opportunities for attendees to connect with colleagues and community partners. Speakers included physicians Mauricio Gonzalez (Metropolitan Hospital) and Revathi Balakrishnan (NYU Langone) and the culinary demonstration was led by registered dietitian Lourdes Castro (NYU Steinhardt) and Chef Alexis Aquino (BCCC). Blending evidence-based teaching with real-world culinary experience, participants learned alongside physicians, dietitians, and chefs as they explore heart-healthy dietary patterns, food selection, and simple preparation techniques that could promote cardiovascular health.
Attendees walked away with a better understanding of the current evidence behind dietary approaches for preventing and managing CVD, as well as approaches to implementing practical, patient-centered strategies that support lifestyle adoption of heart-healthy eating.
All proceeds from conference registration fees will support BCCC’s key focus areas to “drive social change and to combat poverty through initiatives related to food, education, and hospitality” and “use education in food and culinary craft as instruments to inspire people in struggling communities to increase their overall quality of life.”
What’s especially meaningful is that the partnership has continued beyond the event: all registration proceeds went directly to support BCCC’s community-driven work, and the relationships and shared priorities developed through the award are now shaping our ongoing work together to improve cardiovascular health in the Brownsville community."