my story
Growing up in the kitchen, cooking Persian dishes with my mom and grandma and watching the Barefoot Contessa on repeat, inspired my love for food and desire to share my cultural traditions with others.
Fast-forward to senior year of high school, I struggled with orthorexia nervosa aka an unhealthy, consuming obsession with perfect “healthy” eating aka disordered eating. In the years filled with uncertainty and change, I gradually began my process of unlearning and relearning - trading in “unhealthy controls” for “healthy controls,” throwing out food rules for food freedom and reigniting the connection to my inner wisdom. My lived experiences are a testament to the fact that our health encompasses not only physical health but also mental and spiritual health. These pillars of health are deeply connected with one another and they work synergistically to make us who we are.
I decided to pursue a career in nutrition to help people develop a fulfilling and dynamic relationship between themselves and food by unlearning and relearning, quieting the external noise and reclaiming confidence around food. My food philosophy is simple - food is meant to be enjoyed. It should bring us joy, pleasure, and satisfaction. But, the truth is, the act of eating has become overly complicated for so many of us. For something that is so innate and seemingly simple, I am amazed by how confusing it has become for us to decide what we want to eat. I believe we’ve lost touch with what really matters - food being a source of nourishment and an opportunity to pause and connect with others. It’s my goal to make nourishing plant-forward eating approachable and to bring pleasure back to eating.
Sydney is a Registered Dietitian based out of New York City. She received her undergraduate degree in Human Health and Nutrition Science from Emory University. She has her Master’s degree in Nutrition and Exercise Physiology from Teachers College, Columbia University and completed her clinical dietetic internship at New York Presbyterian Hospital.
