Hi, I'm Susan.
Retreat chef and naturopath specialising in gut health and wholefood cooking.
I love creating memorable food experiences
using organic, locally sourced, seasonal wholefoods.
As someone who has been obsessed with food my whole life, I understand that eating is more than just a tool for health. I had to transform my whole relationship with food to get to where I am today - true joy and love for cooking and eating using real, nutrient-dense ingredients and hoping to inspire others to do the same.
I had a complicated relationship with food as a kid and teen (and in hindsight terrible digestion!) Through my study and self-exploration, I connected with food in a way that brought such joy to my life that all the negative shit disappeared. Things I'd always accepted as normal in my life - bloating, constipation, cravings, food restriction disappeared. I'm now working with others to find their happy place in the kitchen and learn to love the food that loves them back.
I began my career as a personal chef while studying to become a Naturopath, cooking for families in Sydney and using food as medicine to overcome health challenges. Years later while living in America I trained to become a qualified chef through the Natural Gourmet Institute in New York, a culinary school specialising in using sustainable ingredients, plant-forward cooking and food as medicine principles. Juggling mum life and chef life in one of the most exciting cities in the world is still one of my favourite experiences to date. It also taught me how to cook and eat according to the seasons and opened my world to a diverse range of plant-based ingredients and produce.
While working as a Chef at Billabong Retreat, a beautiful yoga retreat in the outer suburbs of Sydney I was given the opportunity to be truly creative with food and interact with guests throughout their retreat journey. I love hearing stories from guests inspired to cook more plant based foods at home, or use a simple food-as-medicine tip to support gut health.
For me, being a retreat chef and naturopath with the knowledge to be able to talk to participants about how each ingredient supports their health, then see the joy on their face from eating the meal - that genuine connection that health-supportive food can be truly delicious and satisfying, is the most rewarding aspect.
In my view food should never be dogmatic or exclusive, I don't follow rules or preach a particular dietary pattern. I cook the way I eat - real food, mostly plants, not too much (Micheal Pollan wisdom), the way food has been eaten for thousands of years. I am inspired by food producers preserving and celebrating traditional food practices and love to use these ingredients in my cooking.
Through retreat catering, personalised chef services, cooking classes and 1:1 consultations, I hope to inspire people to cook more vegetables, discover nutrient rich whole food ingredients and connect with how powerful food can be in their health journey.
Meet my personal trainer, Alfie.
He also likes to be well fed and in return, keeps me healthy with morning walks.
Qualifications
Advanced Diploma in Hospitality Management, International College of Tourism + Hotel Management, Sydney
Advanced Diploma Naturopathy, Nature Care College, Sydney
Diploma of Culinary Arts, Natural Gourmet Institute, New York City
Bachelor of Medicine Management with Professional Honors in Complementary Medicine, University of Tasmania
Graduate Certificate in Human Nutrition, Deakin University
Association Membership
Full practising Member of the Naturopath's and Herbalist Association of Australia (NHAA)
“How we eat is how we live.”
- Alice Waters