Voices of Self Funding: Culinary Medicine and the Future of Preventive Care

Host Ramesh Kumar welcomes Dr. Michael Fenster — better known as
“Chef Dr. Mike” — interventional cardiologist, classically trained
chef, and leading voice in the field of culinary medicine. Chef Dr.
Mike will be familiar to many of our listeners as the keynote
speaker at HCAA’s 2025 Executive Forum. Together, they dive into
what it means to move beyond basic nutrition advice toward a truly
holistic food-health experience — where timing, setting, social
connection, and emotional well-being are all part of the recipe.
They explore how employers can build healthier ecosystems for their
workforce, and why investing in food as medicine could offer
meaningful returns when it comes to preventing chronic disease.
It’s a rich and energizing conversation that rethinks the role of
food in well-being, as well as the role self-funded employers can
play in making it work. This episode was sponsored by WLT Software.
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