The Department of Food, Nutrition and Culinary Science has about 55 employees and each year we educate more than a thousand students for different professions in food, nutrition and culinary science. Our programmes include gastronomy, dietetics, food and nutrition, and teacher training in home and consumer studies.
The Department of Food, Nutrition and Culinary Science has about 55 employees and we annually train more than a thousand students within the food and culinary science professions. Our research focuses on different aspects of food and meals: this is also reflected in our study programmes.
We have campus and distance courses at undergraduate and advanced levels: some are entirely web based and some are in English.
The department and our special facilities are located in the Teacher Education Building on Campus Umeå.
From 1 of January 2020, the School of Restaurant and Culinary Arts and the Department of Food and Nutrition merged into something bigger – the Department of Food, Nutrition and Culinary Science.
Our history
Umeå University was inaugurated in 1965 as Sweden’s fifth university after the universities in Uppsala (founded in 1477), Lund (founded in 1666), Gothenburg (founded in 1954)) and Stockholm (founded in 1960).
The seminar for household education, an early precursor to the Department of Food, Nutrition and Culinary Science, had then existed in Umeå since 1948, albeit in various forms. Furthermore, changing of the name is something that permeates the history of the Department, for example Institutionen för hushålls-, textil- och barnavårdslärarutbildning (department of household, textile and child health teacher education; 1977-1990), Institutionen för slöjd- och hushållsvetenskap (department of crafts and household science; 1990-1992) and Institutionen för hushållsvetenskap (department of household science; 1992-1994) and then the Department of Food and Nutrition. (1995-2019).
In 1985, the therapeutic branch of the food and nutrition economics programme was started.
In 1987, the food economics and food therapy programme was started with branches in food economics and food therapy, 120 credits, replacing the food and nutrition economics programme, which was phased out.
On 1 July 1988, teacher education for compulsory school years 4-9, home economics/other subject and textile handicrafts/other subject, 160 credits, was started.
In the spring semester of 1990, the last child care teachers graduated.
On 1 July 1990, teacher education for compulsory school years 4-9, child studies/other subject and woodworking and metal craft/other subject, 160 credits, was started.
In the spring semester of 1991, the last of the household teachers graduated.
On 1 January 1992, subject teacher studies were started in child and youth education.
On 1 July 1992, a reorganisation of teacher education was carried out at Umeå University. Teacher education for compulsory school years 4-9, child studies/other subject and subject teacher studies in child and youth education were transferred to a newly formed department: the Department of Child and Youth Education, Special Education and Counselling. Textile teacher education, 120 credits, teacher education for compulsory school years 4-9, textile handicraft/other subject and woodworking and metal craft/other subject were transferred to the Department of Creative Subjects in the teacher education.
In 1993, the programme for food economics and food therapy, 120 credits, changed its name and two separate programmes were created: the Bachelor Programme in Food, Nutrition and Dietetics, 120 credits, and Kostekonomprogrammet (food economics programme), 120 credits.
In December 1994, the study plan for doctoral studies in food science was approved.
In January 1995, the department changed its name to the Department of Food and Nutrition and on 1 July 1995, food science became a main subject at Umeå University, with research and doctoral education. At the same time, the Department was transferred from the teacher education programmes to the Faculty of Social Sciences. In the following decade, the number of employees at the Department almost tripled to about 30.
In the autumn semester of 1995, the new Bachelor Programme in Gastronomy was launched, and it was placed under Institutionen för kostvetenskap (department of food science) until the autumn semester of 2001, when it was transferred to the then Gastronomy Programme (now the School of Restaurant and Culinary Arts).
In 2003, Kostekonomprogrammet (food economics programme) changed its name to Kostvetar- Kostekonomprogrammet (food science and economics programme).
In 2007, Kostvetar- Kostekonomprogrammet (food science and economics programme) changed its name to its current name, the Bachelor Programme in Food Service and Nutrition.
In 2013, the School of Restaurant and Culinary Arts closed down all its programmes and started a new one, the Bachelor Programme in Gastronomy with two specialisations. The Bachelor Programme in Gastronomy with specialisation in hospitality and the Bachelor Programme in Gastronomy with specialisation in creative cooking 180 credits, starting in autumn 2014.
In 2020, the School of Restaurant and Culinary Arts and the Department of Food and Nutrition were merged to form the Department of Food, Nutrition and Culinary Science, which includes the activities of both the School of Restaurant and Culinary Arts and the Department of Food and Nutrition. A new third-cycle subject area was formed in connection with this, through the reorganisation of the Department of Food and Nutritions previous research subject into the research subject of nutrition and meal science. More information about the new department can be found here.
Our premises
Our premises are equipped with modern technology, a prerequisite for working with creative processes related to the gastronomic context and hands-on training.
The wine tasting hall
When students are going to try wine, wine and food in combination, as well as other drinks, they do so in the Department’s wine tasting hall. Tasting is conducted under the supervision of the Department’s teachers and professional drinks specialists from industry and the University.
The Training Restaurant
In the Department’s training restaurant, our students practise everything related to creative dining room work in both experimental and live situations, when they open up to the public.
The Research Restaurant
The Department’s new research restaurant has Sweden’s most technologically advanced kitchen, which means that Umeå is advancing its positions as a gastronomic metropolis in the north. The practical work in the Research Restaurant is cross-fertilised in constant interaction with the theoretical elements of the education, and it creates the conditions to work in norm-breaking and innovative ways in relation to societal challenges.
The Methods Kitchen
The Methods Kitchen has a wide range of application areas, and students from all our study programmes spend time here during different phases of their studies. The kitchen can be compared to the kitchens found in many of Sweden’s schools and is used in the teaching of home and consumer knowledge.
The Demonstration Kitchen
In the Department’s Demonstration Kitchen, students can practise showing different cooking techniques and put on presentations to an audience.
Chemistry halls and laboratories
In our chemistry halls and laboratories, students learn about everything from food chemistry to microbiology.
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