About
Nutrition has become confusing, cooking skills are diminishing, and we live in a food environment that puts unhealthy and ultra-processed foods in the forefront.
We recognized these problems and felt a calling to do something about them.
This is our story.
In 2015, Lindsey and Vahista were sitting in the audience of the Culinary Institute of America’s Healthy Kitchens, Healthy Lives conference when the discussion turned to a strong need for experts who had both nutrition and culinary knowledge. Attendees acknowledged the clear gap between medical and/or nutritional advice and food. It’s one thing for your healthcare provider to tell you to eat healthy. It’s a whole other thing to turn that advice into action. Lindsey and Vahista looked at each other and said, “we are those experts!” And with that, To Taste was born.
Years before that conference, Vahista and Lindsey met at Dallas Independent School District working for the Food and Child Nutrition Services department. They quickly realized they had strikingly similar views on nutrition and a shared love of cooking. As they moved on to different jobs in the field of child nutrition, they stayed in touch, sharing ideas and brainstorming ways to improve school meals.
As Lindsey and Vahista continued to work in school nutrition, they realized that to truly improve our children’s health and the health of all Americans, it would take more than just improving school food; they had to reach families, organizations, restaurants, and communities. They felt called to do more.
Fast forward to February 2018. Vahista was presenting to the Student Nutrition and Dietetics Association at TCU. Lexi was in that audience. Impacted and inspired by the presentation, she reached out and requested an internship with To Taste. Vahista immediately recognized Lexi’s similar values, passion, and knowledge that would help complete the To Taste team. Since that day, Lexi has become a full time team member, bringing a Certified Culinary Medicine Specialist credential with her.
We truly believe we can change the world for the better, and we need your help. Become a part of our community, share our work, and together, we can drive the movement of using cooking as the best way to take control of your health! We promise to make it simple, quick, delicious, and fun, while providing nutrition education along the way.
Mission
To enhance the health of individuals through nutrition education and culinary experience.
Vision
Healthy Americans equipped with the knowledge to create flavorful, artistic, and nourishing meals.
Philosophy
We believe that anyone can cook to take control of their health.
Teaching Methodology
As Registered Dietitians, we are committed to teaching culinary skills using evidence-based nutrition information and real-world advice.
We are dedicated to presenting information in an understandable and non-threatening manner so that you, your clients, your patients, or your employees walk away with applicable knowledge and skills.
We will work to tailor our message so that it best suits the unique needs of your business.
We strive to create materials and presentations that are relevant, realistic, and timeless.
Our Values
Sustainable Eating Patterns
Longevity of People and the Environment
Plant-forward Recipes
Ingredient Affordability and Accessibility
Natural and Whole Foods
Culinary Simplicity and Creativity
Evidence-based Research
Approach to Recipes
Our goal is to teach culinary techniques through dozens of base recipes that allow you to customize each recipe to YOUR taste.
We believe that cooking should be enjoyable, stress-free, and rewarding.
We believe that recipes should be viewed as guides rather than strict rules.
We believe that learning fundamental culinary skills can increase your confidence in the kitchen.
Meet The Team
Chef Vahista Ussery,
MS, MBA, RDN
Founder + Culinary
Nutrition Expert
Chef Lindsey
Schoenfeld, RDN
Founder + Culinary
Nutrition Expert
Lexi Cole,
RD, CCMS
Community Engagement Strategist + Culinary Nutrition Specialist
Chef Kelsey Anderson
RD, LD, CNSC, RYT-200
Clinical Nutrition
Consultant
To Taste is a culinary nutrition consulting and education company founded by two Registered Dietitian Nutritionists/Chefs.
The goal of To Taste is to help bridge the gap between medical advice and food, and we believe that the best way to gain control of your health is through cooking.
To Taste offers the best of both worlds: evidence-based nutrition education and hands-on culinary instruction. We are committed to teaching groups and individuals the essential culinary skills that can help them take control of their health right from the kitchen!
As Registered Dietitians and chefs, we are truly experts in culinary nutrition. In order to become a registered dietitian, we each had to earn an undergraduate degree in nutritional sciences, complete a 1200-hour supervised internship, and pass a national exam.
And because the science of nutrition is ever-evolving, we are also required to earn continuing education credits – 75 units every 5 years.
Registered Dietitians are truly the experts in nutrition.