John Wins Nutrition Award

John Core, culinary nutrition lead and group business manager with catering and workplace services provider Sodexo Ireland, has won the inaugural Paula Mee Applied Culinary Nutrition Memorial Award from TU Dublin.

It was established earlier this year by the university's School of Culinary Arts and Food Technology in memory of Paula, a well-known author and lecturer at the school, who was one of Ireland's most prominent dieticians and food experts for the past two decades. It is open to graduates of the Master of Culinary Arts Applied Nutrition programme delivered on the university's Tallaght Campus.

Annette Sweeney, senior lecturer in Culinary Arts and the master's programme lead at TU Dublin, presented the Award to John. Annette said:  “The Paula Mee Applied Culinary Nutrition Memorial Award recognises excellence and showcases the application of culinary nutrition by graduates of the MSc in Culinary Arts Applied Nutrition, in their workplace, in their professional activities or research. It honours Paula's passion for nutrition and the importance she placed on learning and sharing knowledge and in making a difference in the nutritional health of others.”

John's winning entry focused on the application of his learnings from the master's programme for Sodexo Ireland clients, colleagues and communities. With a growing desire by employers to support employee's health and wellbeing, John is supporting clients in Ireland, via a mix of workshops, webinars, blogs, and pop-up food concepts, to raise awareness of optimising nutrition in the workplace.

Pictured here is John Core of Sodexo with Finola Mee and Sandra Mee, two of Paula's sisters and Annette Sweeney, Senior lecturer in Culinary Arts at TU Dublin.