About me

I was raised in the kitchen and that's where I feel most at home.

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I spent the first half of my life in London, Ontario with my parents and sister. The main floor of the big old house where I grew up is mostly kitchen. It has a fireplace, a centre island with lots of space for cooking, and a comfortable wooden table where we ate lots of meals together. The kitchen was always the room where my family spent the most time.

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When I was young my mom would take my sister and I with her to u-pick farms and local markets. I'm sure my family stopped at every single farm stand we ever drove by. We would bring home piles of berries, cherries, peppers, tomatoes, corn, apples, whatever was ripe at the time. I grew up eating local food when it was in season because that’s when it was the best price and the most delicious. What we couldn't enjoy fresh we would preserve.

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We froze fruit and made pies, jams, sauces, salsas and chutneys; we always had a pantry filled with our own preserves. In the summer we would eat from our own vegetable garden, every fall we'd go out and pick bushels of apples and store them down in our cool basement with our own squash that we had grown. In the winter a lot of the food we ate came out of our own freezers.

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I moved to Vancouver Island to attend the University of Victoria in 2006 and I graduated with a B.A. in Philosophy and Applied Ethics in 2009. At that point I wasn't exactly sure what I wanted to do with my life. Health and happiness had both been hot topics throughout my university career and I knew I wanted to spend my life doing something that I love, something worthwhile... Finally I realized I was already doing exactly that.

 

I've always been engaged in learning about food and nutrition and I believe in the great value of sharing this information with others.

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Empowering people to improve their health brings me immense    satisfaction. Feeding people brings me joy and happiness.

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Since deciding to pursue a career in food and nutrition I haven't looked back.

I attended the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition in Nanaimo, BC and I graduated and became a Registered Holistic Nutritionist in 2016. Since graduating, in addition to consulting and teaching privately, I’ve had some wonderful opportunities to work with CSNN at their newly opened branch in Victoria, BC. In 2017 I coordinated the development of a new culinary certification program at CSNN Victoria as well as creating and teaching several classes for that program. In 2018 I was hired as a sessional instructor, and I currently teach nutrition curriculum as well as culinary classes at CSNN in Victoria.  

 

Like many people, I've dealt with health struggles. To name just a few, allergies, eczema, digestive problems and weight issues plagued me throughout my younger years and teens. It was only once I embraced nutrition and took control of my diet and lifestyle that I was able to shake most of my health issues for good. I feel very fortunate that I had a head start because of all the valuable skills I learned in the kitchen growing up.

 

What I want to accomplish the most in my own nutrition practice is to help people build their own practical food skills so they can learn to improve their health with nutrition. When people are happy and confident in their own kitchens, they'll spend more time cooking and can enjoy more wholesome food on a regular basis. This is a career I truly believe has value.

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In addition to my education in holistic nutrition I am proud to be able to offer a lifetime of hands-on whole foods experience in my own kitchen and garden in combination with nearly two decades working in the hospitality industry; cooking, catering, serving and bar-tending. I do believe in occasionally indulging, don't take it all too seriously. Eat the food, drink the wine and enjoy life's pleasures!

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The main floor of the big old house I live in now in Mill Bay is mostly kitchen.

It has a fireplace, lots of counter space for cooking, and a comfortable wooden table and it's the room where friends and family spend the most time.

 

We eat seasonal and local and homemade food as much as possible because it is the most economical and the most delicious and the most nutritious. We grow food; we eat our fill in season, we share with friends and family, and preserve it in every way we can. We eat from the garden in the summer and from the pantry and freezer in the winter. Yes it is a lot of work, but it is a labor of love and I can't think of anything more worthwhile if the units of measurement are health and happiness. 

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In addition to my passion for all things food and nutrition I also love philosophy, reading, writing and learning about the natural world. I am an animal lover, and a plant lover. I compulsively plant gardens and propagate houseplants. I love being in nature and am happiest when I get the opportunity to travel. Sometimes I may surf, ski, scuba dive or practice yoga. But most of all food is my passion. I am an epicurean. A whole foodie. My interest and inspiration and appetite for all things food and nutrition never fades.

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Bon appétit

Renée

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I invite you to check out some of my Instagram posts - see what I’ve been growing, drying, making, baking, fermenting, or smiling about lately...