Lisa Roukin

A healthy relationship with food involves eating delicious nutritional meals that feed your mind, body and soul. I have learnt that changing your eating habits can change your life. My passion To say that I have a passion for food is an understatement; this is just the very start of it. Food is my work, my pleasure and my life. My journey with food has paved the way to a place of equilibrium; it’s been a rollercoaster, but I now believe that anything is possible, and this feeling exceeds any expectations I could have ever imagined. In theory it’s quite straightforward, eat well and every area of your life will benefit, from your increased energy in day-to-day activities, to your productivity at work. In practise, it may seem unreachable, but through acceptance and realisation that something needs to change, it can be achieved, and when this transpires, it’s a complete life-changer. Through many ups and downs, I eventually turned my own relationship with food around. I have adopted a gluten-free diet, limiting dairy products and refined sugars. For me, food is a ritual and I relish the entire process, from the exhilaration of creating new wholesome recipes, to the joy in sharing them through my work, and with my family and friends. The pleasure is immeasurable. I am now fulfilling a lifelong ambition, sharing my passion and spreading the word, inspiring people to see food as a friend, not as an enemy. My business As a chef, teacher and writer, my passion for food has become my business. I have recently self-published my first cookery book, My Relationship with Food, which features 100 delicious, nourishing and seasonal recipes; all gluten-free and with minimal use of dairy and refined sugar. I hope to inspire, encourage and support those who are struggling with eating issues, to change their habits with inspiring and achievable recipes. I absolutely love sharing my knowledge and take immense pleasure in teaching. This begins with educating children to understand the importance of good nutrition; involving them in cooking from an early age is so important, to instill good habits for their future. I also teach cooking to a number of private clients in their homes, and regularly visit employees of leading blue chip companies, including Google and Facebook, running interactive cookery workshops, and advising on the benefits of mindful eating. A partnership with an established contract caterer, involves offering healthy options to a number of city banks, encouraging nutritional eating in the workplace. My story Food has always played a significant role in my life. As a child, I loved watching my mother and grandmother cook; every dish created with enthusiasm, passion and pride. The transformation of raw ingredients, into a beautifully aesthetic and tasty dish, completely transfixed me, and it wasn’t long before I was making my own cakes from scratch. But the pleasure in eating my good work soon equalled its creation, and I relied on food to give me comfort. I became overweight and was teased at school, which only fuelled my over-eating, in search of happiness. As a teenager my mindset switched, I realised that food wasn’t making me happy. I understood how I gained weight and in turn how to lose it, which I did, to the extreme. The newfound confidence in my svelte physique made me feel in control; I became obsessed with my image, and this developed into an eating disorder. This became a threat to my health and I was still desperately unhappy. Eventually, I admitted that something was terribly wrong. My wise grandmother led me back towards a healthy path, by encouraging me to cook and regain my passion for food. I trained at Le Cordon Bleu cookery school and whilst learning invaluable skills, I became educated in preparing foods that would nourish and satisfy me, without gaining weight. Through time and sheer determination, it was here, that my healthy relationship with food reignited which in turn, gave me back my freedom.