Barb Sheldon, MA, CHNC
Barb's extensive professional background is deeply rooted in her dedication to scholarship and her profound belief in the therapeutic power of food.
Throughout her notable career, Canadian author, podcaster and food expert Barb Sheldon has harbored an unwavering passion for forging connections between food and people of all genders and backgrounds. During her graduate research, Barb diligently concentrated on identifying and overcoming obstacles impeding food literacy within marginalized communities. Over 25 years, she has embarked on various roles as a culinary and nutrition educator and researcher, food writer, recipe developer, curriculum creator, caterer, lecturer, and food advocate. She has cooked and taught everywhere from intimate home kitchens and food trucks to inner-city schools all the way to prestigious global restaurants and post-secondary institutions.
Barb's work has consistently revolved around promoting food justice, food literacy education, and propelling the local food and regenerative agriculture movement. Driven by her pragmatic and fundamental objective of fostering a connection to food for all, Barb's mission encapsulates simplicity and joy in food and the people we share it with.
Barb has been a committee member for The Culinary Trust (founded by Julia Child), contributes to national magazine publications and cookbooks, and is a frequent guest podcast expert.
Her graduate work centered on leadership within food literacy education for the LGBTQ2S+ youth community. Barb was a pioneer in the teaching kitchen movement in Canada and opened two of them before she was 35. During her 15 years of clinical nutrition practice, she focused mainly on nutrition and culinary education that supported people of all genders and cultures. As an educator, she has taught nutrition and holistic culinary education at the college level, and countless hours of food literacy to children and youth. She is the recipient of the Alexander Cahoon Leadership Scholarship from Royal Roads University.
A note from Barb: I am proud to be an ally for the LGBTQ2S+ community and a member of the Trans Affirming Network, providing a safe space for all trans and gender-diverse people. I am grateful to live, work, and play on the Treaty 7 Regions of Southern Alberta, and to the people of the traditional territories of the Blackfoot Confederacy, The Tsuut'ina and Stoney Nakoda Nations, and The Metis Nation (Region 3).
There are some people in this world that just get it, and you always will choose to be on your team. Barb without a doubt is one of those powerhouse educators that is driven by compassion, service, and passion for the work she does. Having her knowledge of nutrition paired with her ninja skills in the kitchen makes Barb such an asset to the world of health and culinary education.
Kind Words From Lovely People
Chef Chad Sarno NY Times Best Selling Author, The Wicked Healthy Cookbook
Barb is among the most effective and intuitive nutrition educators I know. She understands and provides real-world solutions to get you in the kitchen and on a road to improved health and vitality. Barb can help make it happen for you.
Ken Rubin, VP Culinary, Rouxbe Cooking School
I have the great pleasure of meeting Barb and attending one of her retreats where she presented her expertise on food and nutrition. What an incredible wealth of information Barb provides in an interesting, motivating manner. So much so, in fact, that I am excited that Barb will be sharing her expert advice with us in future issues of our magazine. Barb’s passion for cooking and eating healthy is contagious.
Elaine Kupser, Publisher, IMPACT Magazine
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