Present
INAUGURAL SUMMIT
food is life
food is health
May 6 - 8, 2026 | Culinary Institute of America at Copia | Napa, California
in collaboration with
A Dynamic Learning Community
Food is Life, Food is Health is an annual gathering of chefs, physicians and allied healthcare professionals, nutrition scientists, and sustainability experts learning and working together—side-by-side—across disciplines to transform the future of personal and planetary health.
An Immersive Program in Food, Health, and Medicine
This summit, a groundbreaking collaboration between the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) and Stanford Medicine, will:
Reimagine the intersection of culinary arts, nutrition, healthcare, medicine, and sustainability to generate tangible, evidence-informed solutions that advance clinical practice, transform foodservice, and improve public health.
Offer a unique, impactful—and experiential—learning opportunity designed to facilitate next-generation approaches to healthcare and wellness/performance programs that measurably improve outcomes for individuals and communities.
Deepen our collective understanding of culinary strategies, techniques, and global food cultures that make evidence-based nutrition and preventive care more accessible, appealing, and actionable.
Facilitate a future where cross-trained culinarians and clinicians drive measurable improvements in patient health, system performance, and environmental sustainability.
Continuing Education Credits
Physicians and allied health professionals: Continuing Medical Education (CME)/Continuing Education (CE) credits and certificates will be managed by the Stanford Center for Continuing Medical Education who will review the finalized agenda and determine which sessions are eligible for continuing education credit for healthcare professionals. Details will be posted once available.
Chefs and food/culinary professionals: CEU credits and course completion certificates issued by the Culinary Institute of America. Culinary professionals will also have the opportunity to gain a Food is Life, Food is Health micro-credential.
World-Class Setting:
Culinary Institute of America, Napa Valley
The summit will be held at the Napa Valley, California Copia campus of the Culinary Institute of America with its 9,000 square-foot teaching kitchen, conference theaters and culinary demonstration spaces, and expansive culinary gardens. The program will include plenary sessions, seminars and workshops, farm-to-table tastings, flavor discovery immersions, hands-on culinary experiences, field trips, and memorable meals that foster collegial exchange across disciplines.