048: From Junk Food Vegan to Gourmet Vegan Chef (Chef Suzi Gerber)

On a decades long journey to discover the healthiest, most sustainable, and compassionate way of living, Chef Suzi went from a self-described "junk food vegan" to a gourmet chef. With a few bumps in the road along the way, Chef Suzi Gerber has found her place in the world of plant-based and vegan nutrition. Discovering the healthiest way to be a vegan, that fully supports the ethics of living this way, Chef Suzi is passionate about sharing her message of the health benefits of veganism.    Chef Suzi is an executive chef, food product developer, author, and food and diet medical research specialist, with a passion for plant-based cuisine. A firm believer and staunch advocate of a completely plant-based diet, Chef Suzi's mission is to show others how easy it can be to make a plant-based diet sustainable, healthy and an absolutely delicious reality. Chef Suzi teaches chefs, food educators and food developers how to incorporate plant foods into standard menus and recipes without removing flavor or compromising product texture. As a consultant, Suzi is a food and beverage innovations expert, a thought leader in food and ingredient trends, nutritional trends, and allergen (free-from) category solutions to meet modern development needs. She offers culinary, brand, product and business development services, from bench formulation to package and placement, including PR/marketing and market analysis, events and sales optimization, and cost analysis. Chef Suzi is an invaluable resource for food-service companies, distribution, restaurant, and CPG food manufacturing companies looking to expand their plant-based offerings. She has worked with Whole Foods, Sysco, BGood, Pressed, Prestige Hospitality, Roots, Scotland Food and Beverage, the ACLU, and Divine Diets to name a few. She has been seen on NBC News and in Shape, WSJ, Girl's Life, Men's Fitness, Chowhound, Livestrong, Veg News, Edible Arrangements, Prepared Foods, QSR, Supply Chain, Restaurant Management, and Eat This, Not That! During our conversation we talked about a wide array of topics specific to a healthy plant-based diet. A few of the areas we touched on were: Getting started on a plant-based diet Setting yourself up for success Understanding the difference between a healthy plant-based diet and a junk food vegan diet How to develop social support through friends, social media platforms and groups, meet ups, etc. The importance of garnering support from friends and family How to get your kitchen set up to support your plant-based goals What happens to your taste buds on a plant based diet Neuro excitability compounds What food addictions are and how to break them The importance of exercise and when to increase what you are doing The difference between sugar in fruits and processed sugars The best kind of fruits to eat for digestion How long it takes to reverse diabetes on a fully plant based/vegan diet Chef Suzi Contact Details https://plantbasedgourmet.com/ https://www.instagram.com/chefsuzigerber/ https://www.facebook.com/ChefSuziGerber https://twitter.com/chefsuzigerber   https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzannahgerber/