Stefanie Sacks MS CNS CDN

I hold a Master of Science in Nutrition from Teachers College, Columbia University, I’m a Certified Nutrition Specialist®, a Board-Certified Dietitian Nutritionist, and a graduate of the Chef’s Training Program at the Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts. My academic and professional training is grounded in a deeply personal journey of recovery from Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), chronic illness, and disordered eating—experiences that continue to shape how I approach nourishment and healing.

I work with individuals, families, and communities through hands-on, trauma-informed culinary nutrition experiences that educate, empower, and transform. My work bridges the gap between science and the kitchen, offering sustainable solutions that foster health, resilience, and connection. I’ve collaborated with top integrative and functional medicine practitioners, advised cultural icons such as Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and partnered with organizations including Teachers College, Columbia University, the Environmental Working Group, and Luv Michael/US Autism Homes. In 2022, I authored The Health Benefits of a Plant-Forward Diet for the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health.

I’m a seasoned media contributor, appearing across broadcast, radio, print, and digital outlets. I’m an inductee of Les Dames d’Escoffier, serve on the advisory board of A Greener World, and am a member of the American Nutrition Association and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. I also serve on the NYC Council for Pilot Light Chefs, contribute as an expert to the Center for Nutritional Psychology, and am part of the Founders Circle of Hidden Water, supporting the dignity and healing of those impacted by childhood sexual abuse.

I live on the East End of Long Island with my husband, two sons, and our rescue pup, Faith. I love cooking with my family, open water swimming, hiking, reading, and writing.

To be effective in my work, I must be honest about my life. As a survivor of Adverse Childhood Experiences, my teenage years into my twenties were marked by severe asthma, paralytic allergies, anorexia, and bulimia. Reading, learning, and cooking became my lifeline — ways to calm my nervous system, build the foundations of self-care and nourishment, and begin to heal the physical pain I carried. The emotional pain I faced was equally profound. Through this lived experience, I discovered that food and cooking was far more than sustenance — it became a path to healing, resilience, and purpose.

Onion is a slam poem that carries that journey. It traces the layers of pain, grief, struggle, and discovery, showing how cooking became a conduit for transformation and connection — and ultimately, why I do the work I do today.