Introduction: In Nutrition and Dietetics, professionalization establishes principles that guide professional conduct, sets standards of nutritional care and transforms it into a scientific discipline and profession. Professionalism encompasses knowledge, skills, principles and values and attitudes, which incorporate cultural competencies in health. Objective: To understand the perception that nutritionists of a public health facility in southern Chile have about the contribution that cultural competencies represent for the professionalization of Nutrition and Dietetics. Methodology: Qualitative, interpretative and phenomenological study, based on semi-structured interviews applied to 7 nutritionists. The information was analyzed according to Miles and Huberman's procedures. The scientific rigour criteria of credibility, transferability, dependability and confirmability were applied. The research protocol was approved by the Scientific Ethics Committee of the South Araucania Health Service of Ministry of Health of Chile. Results: Three dimensions of cultural competence were identified. In the cultural knowledge dimension, the importance of professional training is recognized; in the cultural sensitivity dimension, the value of professional ethics stands out; in the cultural skills dimension, the contribution of intercultural communication and professionalization competencies are highlighted. Conclusions: It is observed that nutritionists recognize that skills, sensitivity and cultural knowledge enable equitable and quality nutritional care, contributing significantly in the professionalization of Nutrition and Dietetics.