Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristen Loudermilk.
Hi Kristen, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My name is Kristen Loudermilk, Bronx native, vegan chef and nutrition coach, I began my journey in the kitchen from a young age – following throughout my teens, twenties and now into thirties, I have reignited a flame and passion that followed me and had laid dormant for a very long time.
I recall the first time making fried chicken from mimicking my NY-bred grandmother’s fried chicken recipe. A recipe that I’ve kept with me throughout my years before becoming vegetarian and then vegan. Continuing to various recipes from cooking shows I’d watched; I’d recreate foods such as carrot cake, crusted chicken, blueberry muffins, etc. My curiosity to create and watch my family member’s eyes light up as they enjoyed what I cooked was what I loved most; yet, this was a passion unrealized at such an early age.
I went on to pursue a BA at the University of Virginia in French and Linguistics and continued to work in the airline industry becoming a French interpreter. My breadth of cultural knowledge, exposure to other cultures via travel and linguistic ability has greatly contributed to my wide range of food tastes.
To add, I have always been a health advocate. From my father’s interests in bodybuilding and athleticism and my mother’s thyroid cancer diagnosis, health and wellness has never been far from me. My father inspired the fitness yet my mother’s diagnosis and procedure, thyroidectomy – removal of the thyroid gland inspired my interest in nutrition, hormones, and the endocrine system. Not only did she get her thyroid removed the doctors also wrongfully removed her parathyroid causing a domino effect of health issues. Because of this my knowledge and research to help my mom deepened. I also used this knowledge as a preventive measure – more than one member of my family had thyroid cancer for me this was a necessity.
It wasn’t until the beginning of the pandemic that I had integrated my love for cooking and creation with health advocacy and wellness and turned it into a business. I knew of my mother’s illness and how it affected her and their family which ultimately guided my choices in becoming vegetarian and vegan. My thought was that food was the answer to healing and a functional way to lead a fulfilling and fueled life.
The pandemic heightened the need for nutrition information and education in my community – the Bronx. I noticed the lack in her community of food awareness, resources to healthy food choices, and nutrition education. So, I created krisdabronxvegan to fill in that gap. I saw how behind the Bronx was in having resources or even food options such as those in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens.
It is my goal to educate the Bronx community on health and wellness, provide more food resources and healthy food access and educated women on chronic illnesses like thyroid cancer.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Most of the struggles I faced (and still face) along the way were related to lessons I’ve learned as an entrepreneur. Lack of funds to start the business – pay for operational costs, not having the confidence to put myself out there – dealing with fear, imposter syndrome, high anxiety, and fear that what I was teaching people was useless, to the art of collaborations – creating equitable partnerships, networking, and overall putting my personal story and my family’s story out there without fear of judgment were things I faced as an entrepreneur.
I will be just about the second entrepreneur in my family; though the second, I didn’t receive coaching about entrepreneurship until after I started my business. So it felt very much like I was doing it on my own – setting the foundation and stage for my family for wealth, independence and autonomy. Though everyone in my family was very encouraging the knowledge surrounding starting, maintaining and excelling my own business was unknown. Lack of business and financial knowledge for me was definitely a struggle and something I realized would be the key to my success as a black-owned, woman-owned business working to make an impact in my community. Seeing as resources in my community were seemingly limited or at the least unknown – it made starting my business even harder.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a vegan chef and nutrition coach. I use my social media platform (primarily Instagram) to educate the Bronx community specifically and other communities about plant-based eating, living and I provide nutrition tips for them to live a healthful and fueled life. As a vegan chef I provide free resources like recipes and how to’s in regards to food; going further, I provide the New York community with tailored and individualized meal prep services (deliverable, onsite or written pdf meal plans) – these are meal plans catered to the specific needs of the customer whether allergies, specific diet or undergoing chronic disease- I curate that menu.
Nutritionally I give tips on how to live a holistic life by my following sayings: “Every BODY is different” & “Eat Food for Fuel, Eat Food For Joy.” This follows with the services I provide, as a nutritionist I understand the pervasiveness of food trends and diet cultures and how people fall into these traps and never achieve their goals. They are following what everyone else does while not knowing what works best for their bodies. I also give tips on meal prepping to stay in alignment with their goals – meal preps that are nonrestrictive, delicious and diverse. I also uphold the mind body soul connection to food which is why I don’t subscribe to diet culture or food trends – the sayings that carbs are bad for you or having food guilt are topics I talk to my audience about.
I believe this sets me apart from the rest. I meet too many nutritionists, dietitians and the like who give generic advice on very complex issues. I take the time to evaluate my clients before following through with my services to really understand what it is they what and what goal they are trying to achieve.
I believe food is communal, food brings us together and also can give us joy. I help my community find beauty in that by providing the education, helping to increase their awareness, personalize and preparing their programs and helping them in all this to live a simple life.
I am most proud of representing for the Bronx and standing up and filling in that gap to say we need this – we need food education, educators, resources, chefs and nutritionists who are not just going to feed us pills but provide us with the education to really live. I am proud of my business. I’m proud every day I serve a client and see their results.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
I will be conducting my free masterclass soon on how to “Overcome the Overwhelm and Combat Food Guilt” – how you can eat to your individualized needs, not be overwhelmed by all the fad diets, food trends and complex recipes seen on the internet and how to combat food guilt by “eating for fuel” and “eating for joy.” No one should feel guilty for having ice cream, or digressing from their supposed “diets.” There is a very important component in this masterclass of shedding “ideals” perpetuated by the media, celebrities, and what we think is correct about our bodies. It’s welcome to all and will be a great resource to all. Please have readers look out for this masterclass and register for it this coming fall.
If interested in other services please forward them to my Instagram!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: instagram.com/krisdabronxvegan
