The investigators decided not to implement the research but instead to conduct a quality improvement project to focus on the practice of shared medical appointments (SMAs) and how to optimize them for clinical practice.

Culinary medicine has emerged which provides the practical application of nutrition education through experiential learning. Studies have shown that patients with metabolic syndrome who underwent a series of classes that featured nutrition recommendations and cooking classes had weight loss, and improved cardiac health and blood sugar management.

Given the increasing focus on providing remote experiences to minimize contact and risk of infection with Sars-COV2, this pilot study at Boston Medical Center (BMC) will integrate a physician consultation, interactive didactic presentations, nutritious cooking and mind- body exercises. Patients with obesity and metabolic syndrome can attend a virtual shared medical visit series co-taught by a registered dietician and chef and an endocrinologist and weight management specialist. Data will be collected in the form of surveys, phone interviews, chart review, and home monitoring to test both the feasibility of running such an intervention virtually and to explore whether attending this one month program with weekly remote classes/visits improves vitals including weight and blood blood pressure and other small habit changes in patients.

Inclusion Criteria:

• English speaking
• BMI => 30
• Must have documented measured blood pressure, weight, height in the 12 months prior to the intervention
• Enrolled in Boston Medical Center's (BMC's) Food Pantry Program

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients with advanced dementia or uncontrolled psychiatric disease
• Uncontrolled medical illness including severe hypertension, recent acute coronary syndrome, active malignancy or other condition that would make the subject unable to complete the study procedures