HEALTH & WELLBEING
A TASTE OF WELLNESS:
HEATHER’S KITCHEN
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ASHTON ALLERT
For Heather Cuthbert, eating once felt like a ‘chore’ as a toddler. Now she is a renowned nutritionist, cookbook author, and owner of the eponymous Heather’s Kitchen at Village Market.
Heather invited us to her residence for a quick lunch as she explained how deeply intertwined her journey into nutrition is with her personal life. As she made courgetti from her famous The Nuts About Nutrition Cookbook, she carefully peeled back the layers of how she grew from a fussy eater into a proud member of both the British Association for Applied Nutrition and Nutritional Therapy (BANT) and the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC).
Everything changed when she had children of her own, particularly while weaning her firstborn. Heather explained, “I took the vegetable-led approach. By combining baby-led weaning and spoon-feeding. This way my kids could see the food and taste it in two different forms. I introduced flavours like spinach, broccoli, and cauliflower.
This experience inspired me to help other families create positive eating habits.”
Through her studies and personal experience, Heather firmly believes in fostering a healthy relationship with food early. That includes embracing the fuss. She shared that her daughter didn’t fall far from the tree and soon gave her the same attitude she once had-especially when salmon was served. At this moment, the courgetti is coming together, its aroma filling the air. It’s almost unfathomable that anyone would be fussy about her food. Still, Heather assures, “I took a very laid-back and relaxed approach when it came to the foods my kids didn’t like.”
This is central to Heather’s philosophy. She would never force her daughter to eat salmon, but her long-term strategy was to expose her to it. On salmon night, Heather served her daughter the same plate as everyone else. “She wouldn’t eat it, and I didn’t force her, so she left it on her plate.” Soon, however, her daughter not only tried it but began loving it. Heather shared that children may need up to 15 exposures to a new food before accepting it. She likely was citing a study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association by Betty Ruth Carruth, PhD, RD.
However, Heather noted that exposure isn’t the only way to foster a healthy relationship between children and food. She emphasised using children’s curiosity and love for cooking. A healthy relationship with food at a young age reduces the likelihood of eating disorders later in life and decreases the need for a nutritional therapist. Heather’s philosophy is exposing children to food in different ways while also trying to find a way to occasionally grow your own food.
Heather’s Mealtime Tips
Do:
- Make mealtimes a fun and relaxed environment.
- Expose them to all foods.
- Let them help out in the kitchen/at the shops/at the farmer’s markets etc.
- Eat together as a family
Don’t:
- Force them to eat anything.
- Use food as a reward/bribe.
Cooking was Heather’s way into a love for food. In her high school nutrition class, cooking was essential-leading her to pursue food and nutrition in her A-levels. “They had us create meal plans for people with different dietary needs, like anemia. I fell in love with it and found it fascinating,” Cuthbert explained. From that point, her passion for the human body and nutrition only grew.
At Bristol University, she pursued an undergraduate degree in Anatomical Science. At the time, she admits, she was still unsure which path to take. But once again, her passion for nutrition called to her. She went on to earn a postgraduate degree at the Institute for Optimum Nutrition in London.
“One glove doesn’t fit all in nutritional therapy,” Heather explained. “You have to look at the complete picture, identifying and modifying biochemical imbalances that could be causing dysfunction. “Her passion clearly takes over when she talks about nutrition.
At this stage of her life, she spent time in the kitchen, creating recipes suited to different allergies, intolerances, and imbalances. It was all about developing and expe-rimenting. For those keeping count, this was the mastery stage of learning a craft.
During this time, the idea for Heather’s Kitchen took shape in the back of her mind. All that remained was bringing it to life. Heather considers diet, sleep patterns, lifestyle, and other factors when crafting personalised plans.
“It’s not just us,” she explained. “We work with other healthcare practitioners to uncover the full picture, identify the root cause of symptoms, and optimise health.”
When she finally felt ready to open a café, she chose Village Market. Heather’s Kitchen has now been running for two years. Born and raised in Kenya, Heather always struggled to find restaurants that catered to her dietary needs. Her mission for Heather’s Kitchen-shaped by her own journey-was to create a culinary safe space for everyone.
As she served the courgetti, Heather smirked confidently. “There’s a common misconception that healthy food tastes bland, but at Heather’s Kitchen, we’ve made an effort to prove that myth wrong.” Delicious. The menu reflects that philosophy-not just carefully curated to meet dietary needs and pack in phytonutrients, but also plated beautifully and, most importantly, bursting with flavour.
Heather’s passion is simple-bringing health and taste together. To her, food is a form of healthcare. She shared that some meals from her cookbook even helped nurse her back to health at one point. If only all medicine tasted as good as the menu at Heather’s Kitchen. □
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