Medical kitchen applications in gastronomy: Developing and evaluating recipes with new approaches for cardiovascular diseases

Cardiovascular diseases present a significant global health challenge, closely linked to key risk factors such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and atherosclerosis. Addressing and effectively managing these diseases necessitates a specialized dietary strategy. Medical chefs, skilled in using diverse ingredients and cooking techniques to meet specific dietary needs, play a crucial role. Their expertise extends beyond crafting healthy meals to creating delicious dishes, contributing to the successful outcome of treatment processes and overall health enhancement. This research endeavors to seamlessly integrate plant-based dietary approaches with medical kitchen practices, aiming to cultivate a healthier lifestyle for individuals with cardiovascular conditions. The core focus involves developing innovative recipe applications that merge a health-conscious approach with gastronomic practices tailored for cardiovascular patients. The objective of these recipe applications for heart patients is twofold: to bolster the main thesis and to enrich the literature in the realm of medical gastronomy. Twenty-five new recipes rooted in Dr. Caldwell Blakeman Esselstyn Jr.'s plant-based diet—a scientifically validated approach for patients—were crafted. Eight trained chefs and academicians rigorously evaluated these recipes using the sensory analysis method. Statistical assessments, employing the mean, standard deviation, normality test, Shapiro-Wilk test, Spearman correlation test, and Kendall's W test, were conducted on the data derived from the sensory analysis. To capture medical chefs' perspectives on "Nutrition in Cardiovascular Diseases," a semi-structured form guided individual interviews, utilizing the snowball sampling method for interviewee selection within the purposeful sample subgroup. Insights from medical chefs were organized into three main thematic categories. In conclusion, the integrated role of gastronomy and medical kitchen practices in the management and prevention of cardiovascular diseases was underscored through recipes crafted within the plant-based diet program. This multidisciplinary approach has ushered in innovative transformations at the intersection of medical and gastronomic disciplines, opening new avenues for exploration. The collaborative efforts of gastronomy, culinary arts, and medical kitchen practices in developing delectable and health-conscious recipes for cardiovascular patients under medical supervision hold the potential to contribute substantively to the literature.