Hi! I am Jenna. I am a Chef and love helping others embrace wellness through food and healthy lifestyle habits. I believe that food is a tool to connect us to others and ourselves, and that's why I started Jenourish!
Why Nutrition Consulting?
I found a passion for food at a very young age but was diagnosed with Celiac Disease at age seven. I had a hard time accepting the fact that my body was suddenly starting to work against me and wrestled with a lot of questions like; “was this a punishment?” and “Could I have prevented this?”. That new awareness of ingredients fueled my passion for food even more, and I pursued a career in cooking. After years 5 years of working as a cook in the commercial food industry, my mental and physical health were at their worst, which pushed me to learn about how food affects my body. I decided to pivot my career and in 2021, I completed the
Canadian School Of Natural Nutrition (CSNN) program.
Finally, I got some answers to many questions about repairing my gut after my Celiac diagnosis and how to nourish myself out of burnout. I was fascinated to learn about targeted nutrients and lifestyle adjustments that could support common symptoms like; headaches, food cravings, PMS, joint inflammation, poor sleep, and others that are generally brushed off as "normal". I strive to give others the tools to address their symptoms through nutrients and lifestyle adjustments so they can get back all of their energy and be pain-free!
Why Personal Chef Work?
Food is such a powerful tool to build community and health. My passion for food started around my family dinner table as a kid. My Celiac diagnosis could make me feel very isolated from my family at meal times, and during social events I had to grieve the loss of many favorite foods. This grew my passion to purse a culinary career so I could mend my relationship with food. While working in the food industry I found that community and health were lost in the process of mass production. The quality of food served was alarming with a focus on using cheap processed products whenever possible to save on kitchen food costs. Navigating allergies, sensitivities and dietary restrictions were completely underinvested in staff training. After completing the
Red Seal apprenticeship Program and becoming a Chef, I decided that if people like me with strict food restrictions couldn't enjoy eating out, I wanted to bring restaurant food to them with a nourishing twist! Now I enjoy bringing back lost favorite foods like baked bread, birthday cake, Chinese takeout, pizza, and restaurant experiences like Korean BBQ, hot pot, and hibachi grills into your own kitchen! I LOVE cooking for busy caregivers or chronically sick individuals so they can continue pouring their energy back into connecting with others.
Why Nannying?
Throughout the years I have spent a lot of time in childcare settings including working at a maternity clinic, working as a private nanny, and volunteering time as a childcare provider at charity events. Caring for kids is such a rewarding pursuit and building healthy eating and lifestyle practices early can help set up kids for a healthy and successful life. I love supporting parents to navigate new diagnoses, food allergies, and sensitivities that their kids might have to help them ensure proper growth, sleep, and balanced nourishment. I also enjoy helping parents with chronic illnesses who are not always able to keep up with the care they would like to provide for their kids.
If you would like to learn more about how I can support your needs best, please
book a call!
