“Healthy food doesn’t have to taste like shit”

Chad Sarno is co-founder of Wicked Healthy Foods, a thriving, mission-driven online community that focuses on culinary education, consulting, innovation, training, and product development for manufacturers, retailers, and food service outlets.

Chad is also the co-founder and VP of Culinary for the plant-based seafood company, Good Catch Foods which offers a line of ‘seafood without sacrifice’.

Chad formally held the position of VP of Plant-Based Education at the world’s largest online culinary school. Internationally, Chad has launched a boutique plant-based restaurant brand throughout Europe in Istanbul, London, and Munich, and has consulted on restaurant launches globally. Chad joined the global team at Whole Foods Market as the company’s Global RnD Chef and culinary media spokesperson for the Whole Foods healthy eating program.

Chad’s celebrated recipes have also allowed him to publish, together with his brother Derek, The Wicked Healthy Cookbook. He has served as contributing author to more than 10 health-related books, including New York Times bestselling cookbook The Conscious Cook, and to co-author the bestseller Crazy Sexy Kitchen with Kris Carr. Chad has been featured and quoted in numerous media outlets ranging from CNN, NBC, Bloomberg, The New York Times, and The Guardian, and has been a contributing author publications such as VegNews, Men’s Health, Self, Shape, and Prevention magazines.

In this episode Chad and I discuss the rapid rise of alternatives to animal-based foods and the massive amounts of investments going into developing these alternatives, the "aha moment" that makes people care so much more of just about everything - which is required for people to decide to change behaviour. Chad also hands out some advise for aspiring founders aiming to disrupt the food and ag industries. My personal favourite part of the episode is Chad sharing his view on kids and food; how we as parents should proactively prepare our kids to become ambassadors for the future of food, being mindful of which traditions and habits we pass on to them, and how we involve them to make it easy, fun and rewarding. Make sure to view the great series Healthy Kids Plant-Based Cooking Class on youtube!