Rosa Rodriguez: Where Private Cheffing Meets Holistic Wellness

II grew up watching my grandmother grow and prepare food that brought our family together. Her cooking taught me that a meal could offer nourishment, comfort, and connection. I carried that belief into my work as a chef, then came to IIN to better understand how food fits into a person’s overall well-being.

Through The Health Coach Training Program^™, I learned to consider the whole person—their lifestyle, relationships, stress, and needs—alongside what’s on their plate. Today, I bring that perspective to my work as a private chef and health coach, creating personalized meals and experiences that help people feel cared for.

Q&A: The Beginning

WHAT FIRST SPARKED YOUR PASSION FOR FOOD, WELLNESS, AND HELPING OTHERS FEEL THEIR BEST?

A: My love for food began with my grandmother. I grew up watching her on her small farm, where she cultivated many of the foods she prepared for our family. But what stayed with me most was the way she used food to bring people together. She didn’t just grow and cook food—she created connection through it.

I also come from a matriarchal family where all the women cooked. I grew up surrounded by my mother, aunts, and grandmothers, watching them cook over traditional stoves and large pots. From an early age, I learned that food could be an expression of love, care, culture, and community.

WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN YOUR LIFE OR CAREER WHEN YOU FIRST BEGAN EXPLORING HEALTH COACHING, AND WHAT LED YOU TO IIN?

A: I was already working as a chef, but I felt there was another piece of my work that I wanted to understand more deeply. I wanted to connect my culinary career with wellness and learn how food could support people beyond simply creating delicious meals.

My grandmother had already taught me that food has the power to nourish and support the body, so studying health coaching felt like a natural extension of what I had learned through my family and my career.

I chose IIN because I wanted to bring those two worlds together: my training and experience as a chef and a deeper understanding of wellness and holistic health.

BEFORE IIN, WHAT DID YOU BELIEVE FOOD COULD DO FOR OUR HEALTH—AND HOW HAS THAT PERSPECTIVE EVOLVED OVER TIME?

A: Before IIN, I already believed that food was deeply connected to how we feel and function. My grandmother planted that belief in me from an early age.

IIN helped me expand that perspective. I began to see nourishment as something more holistic. Food is incredibly important, but wellness also involves our relationships, lifestyle, environment, stress, movement, rest, and the way we care for ourselves.

Today, when I create a meal, I think not only about flavor but also about the whole person who will be enjoying it.

Q&A: Your IIN Journey

WAS THERE A PARTICULAR CONCEPT OR LESSON FROM IIN THAT CHANGED THE WAY YOU THINK ABOUT NOURISHMENT AND WELLNESS? WHAT ABOUT IT RESONATED WITH YOU, AND HOW HAS IT INFLUENCED THE WAY YOU LIVE AND WORK TODAY?

A: One concept that stayed with me was the idea of creating a “rainbow” on the plate by incorporating a variety of colorful, whole foods.

It resonated with me because it made nutrition feel vibrant, beautiful, and approachable. Each color represents different nutrients and compounds that can support different functions in the body, from immune health and digestion to energy, heart health, and overall well-being. It reminded me that nourishing ourselves doesn’t have to feel restrictive or complicated. We can think about variety, color, freshness, and the natural foods available to us.

That perspective has become part of the way I cook today. I love creating plates that are colorful and abundant with real ingredients, fresh herbs, vegetables, fruits, and different textures—not only because they look beautiful, but because they offer the body a wider range of nutrients.

HOW DID IIN GIVE YOU NEW TOOLS OR CONFIDENCE TO BUILD ON THE WORK YOU WERE ALREADY DOING AS A CHEF?

A: IIN gave me another lens through which to look at the food I was already creating. As a chef, I understood flavor, technique, ingredients, and presentation. As a health coach, I learned to think more deeply about the individual and their overall lifestyle.

That combination gave me the confidence to create meals and experiences that are not only delicious but also intentional and personalized.

Q&A: Chef & Health Coach 

YOUR WORK BRINGS TOGETHER PRIVATE CHEF SERVICES, NUTRITION, AND HEALTH COACHING. HOW DID THOSE DIFFERENT PIECES OF YOUR JOURNEY COME TOGETHER?

A: They came together very naturally.

Cooking was my first language of caring for people. Health coaching gave me a deeper understanding of wellness. Today, my work as a private chef allows me to bring both together.

When I create a menu for a client, I think about their preferences, lifestyle, needs, and goals, and how I can make nourishing food enjoyable and sustainable for them.

I don’t want to simply provide a meal. I want to create an experience that makes people feel cared for.

WHAT DO YOU THINK FOOD CAN OFFER PEOPLE BEYOND SIMPLY NOURISHMENT?

A: Food can offer connection.

It can bring families together, preserve traditions, create memories, provide comfort, and communicate love without words.

For me, food is also a way to connect people with their culture and with themselves. A meal can tell a story about where we come from and who we are.

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO FOCUS ON REAL FOOD, FRESH HERBS, ANTI-INFLAMMATORY CUISINE, AND INTENTIONAL LIVING?

A: It started with the way I was raised. My grandmother grew food, cooked with what was available, and understood the connection between the earth and the table long before I had the language to describe it.

As I continued my culinary and wellness education, that philosophy became even stronger.

I love using real, seasonal ingredients, fresh herbs, natural flavors, and vibrant colors. I believe food can be both beautiful and nourishing without needing to be complicated.

HOW DO YOU BRING A HOLISTIC PERSPECTIVE INTO THE MEALS AND EXPERIENCES YOU CREATE FOR YOUR CLIENTS?

A: I start with the person, not just the recipe.

I consider their lifestyle, preferences, routines, relationship with food, and what would make their experience easier and more enjoyable. I think about flavor, nourishment, presentation, seasonality, and how the meal fits into their life.

For me, holistic cooking is about creating food with intention and recognizing that the experience around the food matters, too.

Q&A: Nourishing Yourself & Others

WHAT HAS YOUR JOURNEY TAUGHT YOU ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CARING FOR YOURSELF AND CARING FOR OTHERS?

A: I’ve learned that you cannot continually pour into others without also making space to replenish yourself.

As someone who naturally expresses love by caring for others, this has been an important lesson for me. Self-care isn’t selfish. It allows us to show up with more presence, energy, and intention for the people we care about.

FOR SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO NOURISH THEMSELVES BUT FEELS OVERWHELMED BY WHERE TO BEGIN, WHAT IS ONE SIMPLE PLACE YOU WOULD ENCOURAGE THEM TO START?

A: Start simple and start with real food.

Add one more colorful whole food to your plate. Add fresh herbs. Drink more water. Cook one meal at home.

You don’t have to change everything overnight. Small, consistent choices can become meaningful habits over time.

WHAT IS ONE WELLNESS PRACTICE OR MINDSET THAT HAS MADE A MEANINGFUL DIFFERENCE IN YOUR OWN LIFE?

A: Learning to slow down and reconnect with nature.

I love walking barefoot in the forest, being near the ocean, breathing in the sea air, and swimming in the water. Those moments remind me to pause, be present, and reconnect with myself.

Q&A: Reflections & Insights

WHAT HAS YOUR IIN TRAINING MADE POSSIBLE FOR YOU THAT YOU MAY NOT HAVE IMAGINED WHEN YOU ENROLLED?

A: It gave me permission to see my different passions as connected rather than separate.

I didn’t have to choose between being a chef and being passionate about wellness. I could bring both identities into my work and create something that feels uniquely mine.

IIN also gave me a deeper understanding of wellness beyond nutrition and food. It taught me to consider the connection between the body, mind, emotions, lifestyle, and environment. That broader perspective has helped me see my culinary background as a powerful foundation for a truly holistic wellness-focused career.

CAN YOU SHARE A MOMENT IN YOUR WORK THAT REMINDED YOU WHY YOU CHOSE THIS PATH?

A: One moment that has stayed with me is seeing how much trust some of my clients place in the food I prepare for them.

I have a male client who, when he’s not feeling his best, reaches out to me looking for nourishing meals, herbal teas, or comforting soups. It reminds me that what I do goes beyond preparing food.

There is something very meaningful about knowing that someone associates your cooking with comfort, care, and feeling supported.

Those moments remind me why I chose this path.

WHAT DO YOU HOPE PEOPLE TAKE AWAY FROM WORKING WITH YOU, WHETHER THEY EXPERIENCE YOUR FOOD, YOUR COACHING, OR BOTH?

A: I hope they leave feeling cared for, nourished, and inspired.

I want people to understand that healthy food doesn’t have to be boring, restrictive, or complicated. It can be colorful, flavorful, culturally meaningful, and joyful.

Most importantly, I want people to understand that food can be part of the body’s healing and restoration process, and that nourishment is the foundation for maintaining a healthy, vibrant life over time. I hope they feel empowered to take better care of themselves through small, intentional choices and to see food as an essential part of their long-term well-being.

Q&A: Fun Favorites

WHAT’S A HOBBY OR INTEREST PEOPLE MIGHT BE SURPRISED TO LEARN YOU HAVE?

A: I have a strong interest in aesthetics, skincare, facials, and the wellness experience surrounding self-care. I’m fascinated by the ways beauty and well-being can come together, and I naturally connect that interest back to nutrition because I believe beauty and wellness can also be supported from within. I also love to travel and discover new places and cultures.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE WAY TO RECHARGE AFTER A BUSY WEEK?

A: Nature is my reset button.

I love being near the ocean, breathing in the sea air, swimming, and walking barefoot in the forest. There is something about being connected to nature that helps me slow down and come back to myself.

IF YOU WEREN’T A CHEF OR HEALTH COACH, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’D BE DOING?

A: I think I would be creating wellness retreats for women.

I love the idea of creating a space where women can pause, reconnect with themselves, take care of their well-being, feel beautiful, and simply breathe. I would want to bring together the things I’m passionate about—nature, nourishing food, self-care, beauty, connection, and holistic wellness—to create an experience where women can step away from their busy lives and truly recharge.

And knowing me, there would definitely be good food involved!