SD Voyager Feature!
Today we’d like to introduce you to Kaitlyn Kinder.
“So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I was born and raised in San Diego, in a household where my dad was a self-employed entrepreneur and my mother was a stay at home mom. My mother loved to cook, and my family and I got to enjoy home-cooked meals together on a daily basis. When I was a kid, I remember coming straight home from school wanting to bake and help her in the kitchen. Although most of our meals were home cooked, we did eat a Standard American Diet which involved animal products and processed food. I grew up extremely active, always involved in sports but also ate a big amount of fast food and ice cream.
My passion for plant-based nutrition really began when I was 16. This was right when I got home from studying abroad for a semester in Berlin, Germany. I was in a place in my life of independence and wanting to change old habits. I heard about a vegan diet and was so fascinated by this way of eating and wanted to give it a try. I began food shopping for myself and reading food labels. I was blown away by the harmful ingredients I was learning that companies put in processed foods, as well as learning about the horror involved in the animal agriculture industry.
A couple of years later, my dad suddenly passed from a heart attack. Growing up, I remember him not having healthy eating habits and he struggled with type 2 diabetes from being overweight. The loss of my dad really kick-started my passion for plant-based nutrition. I believed then and still do now, that a whole food plant-based diet could have reversed his diabetes and would have allowed him to live his life longer. I will always struggle with not having him in my life but my experience of losing him has given me so much heart and passion to put into my work.
After going to community college for a couple of years and living abroad as an Au Pair in Munich, Germany, I knew a traditional college degree wasn’t for me. So, for the past five years, I have been traveling and diving into certificates and programs that I’m interested in.
I first completed my 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training at Corepower Yoga. I then became a “Certified Nutrition Consultant” through the Natural Healing Institute in Encinitas. From there, I completed a Raw Food Chef Certification training at the Seeds of Life in Bali, Indonesia and studied Plant-Based Nutrition through E-Cornell University.
For the last year, I had the opportunity to work in the kitchen at Peace Pies, a local Raw Vegan Restaurant in San Diego, where I, fortunately, was able to learn next to some amazing chefs and take my passion for raw food cooking a step further. In January of this year, I traveled solo to Goa, India for five weeks and completed my 300 Hour Yoga Teacher Training through Trimurti Yoga. I’m now teaching at my favorite yoga studio, Evolve Yoga in Encinitas.
I’ve hosted multiple community raw food dinners in my home for anywhere from to 10-14 people. My raw food dinners compose of a full course meal, which every component of a dish is homemade from whole food ingredients. This has been an incredible experience for me and has allowed me to take my passion one step further and cook for intimate private dinners, events and intimate health and wellness retreats.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Attending community college and working towards a college degree was something I always struggled with. It wasn’t easy for me to decide not to go to a traditional 4-year school. There is a lot of pressure in society to have a bachelor’s degree and I know it’s a blessing to be able to get this “traditional” type of education but I don’t believe this type of schooling is for everyone. I feel very lucky that I was able to find alternative programs I’m passionate about because they have all been incredible life-changing experiences.
I’ve always struggled with finding which direction I want to go in with my work. I first started working with clients as a nutrition consultant specializing in plant-based nutrition but felt like there was more I could be doing by bringing people and food together. After working at Peace Pies for a year and hosting my raw food dinners, I learned how connected I am to working with food and creating a memorable experience for people. I’ve learned by trying different paths and saying yes to opportunities that come my way, I’m able to learn to follow what lights me up because I know this is how I will light up the world.
I also often struggle using social media as a platform for my business. I believe in this day and age, anybody can have an “Instagram based business.” It’s been a great avenue to connect with people and to promote my food but out of all the work I do, being active on social media is my least favorite. I find it time-consuming and at times discouraging but overall I try to find a balance between using it for its positives and taking a step away when I’m feeling drained from its negatives.
Rooted in Raw – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I am a Raw Food Chef, Certified Nutrition Consultant and Registered Yoga Teacher (500 hours). My business “Rooted in Raw” offers raw food chef services and cooks for intimate health and wellness retreats, events and private dinners.
I’m known for being a vegan chef that specializes in raw food. Raw food is composed of pure whole food ingredients which are unprocessed and unrefined, just like nature designed them. This type of cooking is naturally gluten-free, soy-free, refined sugar-free, grain-free and preservative-free which is pretty incredible because this style of cooking is available to people with most common food allergies.
Raw food cooking is unique because nothing is cooked over 115F. I use a dehydrator every day in the kitchen which allows me to make bread, crackers, pizza crusts, burger patties, etc. out of whole vegetables, herbs, nuts and seeds. I prepare each dish sole by hand chopping, blending, slicing, shredding, dehydrating or juicing without any help from the oven or stove tops.
I’m extremely proud of this style of cooking because it promotes passion to all beings and it is an extremely “low waste” style of cooking. Low waste meaning the majority of my ingredients come package (or plastic) free. Reducing waste and keeping our planet clean is a huge value of mine. Cooking with the intention to heal, cleanse and nourish is another big value of mine
What were you like growing up? Personality wise, interest wise, etc.
Growing up in La Jolla, I was a happy kid. A little shy but always curious, imagining, wanting to create and be with friends. I looked up to people easily especially my parents and my grandparents for their kindness and hard work ethics.
My whole upbringing my parents gave me freedom and independence which allowed me to take on all my experiences with a clear lens. School wasn’t my favorite but I loved my friends and having a social life. I was always involved in sports and was on a competitive cheerleading team for six years called Champion Cheer Outlaws.
My family and I would take the opportunity to travel during our summer and school breaks. We would drive down to Baja for weeks at a time. I loved being outside, camping and being barefoot outdoors in nature.
I’m fortunate to have had parents who liked to travel because I was introduced to different lifestyles at a young age. My parents allowed me to travel to Europe with my best friend for a month when I was 14, which was my first trip solo. Having the support and trust of my parents at a young age allowed me to trust myself and my intuition. I learned at a young age I’m able to make decisions for myself as long as it helps me grow, is in alignment with what I believe in and it betters the world around me.”
http://sdvoyager.com/interview/meet-kaitlyn-kinder-rooted-raw-encinitas/
Grateful for the opportunity to be featured in the SD Voyager and to be apart of a supportive community.
Thanks for reading :)
- Kaitlyn