Making Sense of COVID-19: Staying Calm

EAT BY ROXIE is a love letter to food, and our relationship to it. My commitment to holistic living through sustainable cuisine and nutritional meals has been my passion for over twenty years. As a chef, it is not only my expertise, but my personal experience and understanding of today’s dietary challenges, that make my services unique.

My love affair with food began when my parents emigrated from Italy to Toronto, where they opened a fish market. It was my first job. Since then I have continued to develop my career as a holistic chef, nutritional consultant, and in hospitality. I’ve owned my own hostel, Airbnb, taught classes, and trained all over the world to gain a better understanding of local food. My mission is to show others how they can benefit from the emotional and physical healing power of healthy food. I do this through cooking classes, culinary travel adventures, and personal services.

But my road to becoming a chef was fraught with challenges. At an early age I became gluten-intolerant and developed other allergies and food sensitivities. Due to these obstacles, I began to identify with others limited by dietary restrictions. Now my courses, accommodations, and foodie destinations are designed to accommodate people with alimentary needs. My mission is to serve a growing community of food sensitives, where people can feel safe and still experience the best a first-rate culinary experience can offer.

My road to wellness began in the healing arts - through aromatherapy, colonics, and Reiki – which led to my desire to become a holistic chef. I began at the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition with a diploma in Holistic Nutrition (2004), then onto the Chef Training Program and Basic Health Supportive Cooking at the Natural Gourmet Cookery School in New York City (2004). I went on to study Culinary Management at George Brown (2005) and then at the Regional Italian Cooking School in Jesi, Italy (2007). I received my diploma from the IIN in 2015 and certified with the ICIF - Italian Culinary Institute for Foreigners - in 2017.
Despite my formal training, I think of myself as a farm-to-table chef. I come from generations of fishermen and farmers - knowing where my food comes from is important to me. As a result, everything I do, and everything I buy revolves around sustainability. I believe this to be a necessity to stay grounded in a society teeming with overly-processed, “dead” food (both spiritually and literally). Reality dictates that acquiring a food base through ethical and sustainable means is the only direction we can go to honor not only the declining health of our gut, but a planet whose delicate balance is continually compromised by over-production and factory farming.
On a final note, never underestimate the power food has, to change your life. It has mine. Communal eating lies at the heart of things that matter most to us; connecting with others, comforting woes, healing what ails us, celebrating life, and making memories. Nothing was better than my mother’s sauce when I had a broken heart or cooking breakfast for the people I love. Whether you want cooking classes, a consultation, or a culinary adventure, it is this spiritual understanding of the nature of food, that I wish to bring to your table and your life. Buon appetito!