Meet Our Chef
Health is something that we often take for granted, until we lose it. It is something that I don't take lightly and is the reason I became a Vegetarian in 1988. For me, choosing to become vegetarian was easy and authentic to me. Being that I am a long-time career Holistic Health Advocate & Practitioner, and a Yoga Instructor & Former Yoga Studio owner, vegetarianism is something that is in alignment with my personal values & health goals, as well as with my philosophical & ethical teachings and studies. My love for cooking and living a healthy lifestyle is what inspired me to become a Vegetarian Chef in 2019.
Food can make you happy! Increasing evidence shows that good food (leafy greens, veggies, unsaturated fats, fruits, etc.) improves long-term mental health outcomes on top of physical health indicators. We can see that hormones and neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine are being released in the body to reward ourselves for enjoying a healthy meal, and even the trillions of microorganisms living in your gut microbiome communicate with your brain through neural, inflammatory, and hormonal signals to let you know that you made a healthy food choice. So what is good food? Our diets change across cultures, age, and even fluctuate periodically depending on health, access, and finances, so understanding what diet is good for one person at one point in time, might not be the same good for another person. This is why variety, food diversity and moderation are always key, and thinking about foods that are going to make you happier & healthier in the long-run, rather than stressing too much about having the perfect diet.
In 2022, I discovered that I suffer from Celiac Disease, so food became even more personal to me. But finding both plant-based & gluten-free offerings was a different story, as nearly everything contains gluten from certain grains that we eat, to baked goods, pizzas & pastas, and so much more, including hidden glutens within the ingredients. I struggled every time we dined out or met with family or friends for dinner. I just could not find foods or meals that were safe for me to eat. So, I began experimenting on my own at home. What started out as a culinary trial and error system of exploring safe eating (free of pathogens & cross contamination), food diversity and an explosion of unique flavor profiles..... became this compassionate career of helping & serving others who might be going through the same health issues as me or that just want to eat a more balanced & healthier diet.
I have been a Vegetarian Caterer and Personal Chef for several years now, and have had the privilege of creating & cooking plant-based vegetarian meals for professional athletes, organizations & celebrities, and for my local community, helping them add more plant forward options to their diet.
Health is not about eating perfectly at every meal of every day. It’s about sticking to those seemingly small habits that pay big dividends: surrounding ourselves with uplifting people, exercising regularly, sleeping well, choosing positive thoughts, and living in a supportive environment. It’s about living your best life! That means taking the time and effort to assess and focus on those important aspects of our lives on a regular basis. When we bring awareness and effort into our daily lives, that’s when transformation occurs, and we start to see big changes in our health and life.
Chef Sharon Ballenger