Knowledge of nutrition

Celebrity chef and My Kitchen Rules judge Colin Fassnidge has served up his real-world knowledge to nutrition students at the University of the Sunshine Coast ahead of his Noosa visit in May.
Fassinage, who owns Sydney gastro pub Banksia Bistro, will be a guest at the Noosa Food and Wine Festival, took questions on how chefs and nutritionists could work more cooperatively to create healthier menus.
He joined the class of about 10 USC students by Skype, his face displayed on a huge interactive screen in the university’s Collaboration Studio.
USC academic and nutritionist Tara Leong, who runs the new Food, Nutrition and Menu Design course, which is run outside of standard semesters, would help students find work as consultants to develop new food products, or work with chefs to redesign restaurant menus to focus on more nutritional foods.
“Colin was actually able to inspire students by telling them about the huge role they could play in the food industry,” she said.
“He believes more nutritionists need to work alongside chefs to advise the industry on how to cater for food allergies and intolerances.
“Currently, a lot of the time, chefs do that themselves without the knowledge.”
Ms Leong said the Food, Nutrition and Menu Design subject took a holistic approach to nutrition, even teaching students about food writing, photography and how to create environmentally sustainable menus.
“It teaches them how to pull everything together in a practical way,” Ms Leong said.
“They’re literally in a commercial kitchen at the university cooking almost every day of the course, so it’s really hands on.”
Ms Leong said the subject, which is run outside of standard semesters, would help students find work as consultants to develop new food products, or work with chefs to redesign restaurant menus to focus on more nutritional foods.