Today we’d like to introduce you to Adrienne Falcone Godsell.
Hi Adrienne, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
Holistic Chef Adrienne Falcone Godsell, B.A. Liberal Studies USF, Tampa, Fl., A.S. Culinary Arts Johnson and Wales University, N. Miami, Fl., began her adventures in the culinary field at fourteen, when her parents opened a traditional Italian deli/catering business in Fort Myers, Florida. That little nibble of the hospitality industry had her hooked, taking her on a journey of kitchens that include Moffit Cancer Center Tampa, Fl.; Kamaaina award-winning restaurant Horatio’s Honolulu, hi; Registry Resort Naples, FL; opening Seattle restaurant Palisade; Don CeSar Maritana Grille, St. Pete Beach, Fl; and then fell into the world of natural foods in 1998. It was there that she finally found her culinary calling, taking her years of experience and plugged it into the world of ‘Food For Health.’ Adrienne has taken ‘clean eating’ to new heights, always searching for ways to make healthy eating practical and affordable. As a working mother of three, she knows the challenges of eating healthy and making it flavorful without making a huge mess in the kitchen (‘we don’t get the luxury of having dishwashers at home the way we do in the industry’).
As a Sicilian, food is centric to life- celebrations, trials, family gatherings, last-minute get-togethers. My first brush with food and health came my senior year of high school when I passed out in chorus class and found out I was hypoglycemic. Our family doctor advised me that my body was meant to be heavier (I was obese as a child up to adolescence), that I needed to consider sugar a poison, to eat 5 small meals a day-high protein, high complex carbs. And low and behold, my moods stabilized, my energy was steady, and maintained my weight. At 19 I was diagnosed with a gall bladder full of gall stones. I had no symptoms so the doctors saw no reason for treatment. In my late twenties, what I thought was an ulcer turned out to be my gall bladder acting up. I did not have insurance to have it removed but was working in the natural foods sector where I learned that there were alternatives to treat the gall bladder as well as foods that were gall bladder friendly and those to avoid. Thus began my ‘Food for Health Journey”.
In 2010 I was in a car accident that resulted in a TBI (traumatic brain injury) that completely changed my and my family’s life. While looking fine and the picture of health, that was far from where my head was. After extensive therapy, learning, and accepting that I would be unable to handle the high-stress environment that goes with the hospitality industry, I turned to nutrition, receiving my certification as a clinical nutritionist.
While working under a doctor’s supervision, I was reported to the health department as practicing as a dietician without a license. Although I was following state guidelines working under a doctor, because my website had me as a clinical nutritionist, this claim was brought against me. I was able to make an appeal and have all charges dropped, but had to find a new way to make a living… Being unable to go back to the regular workplace with my TBI, I turned to personal chefing since that was part of my clientele.
In the course as my time as a personal chef, I have branched out having two recipe books published-The Real Language Of Food Constructive Recipes For A Healthier You, 2019 and Clean Eating Made Easy Meals In Minutes; offer corporate lunch and learns (in-person and virtual) partnering with Homeland Wellness, a female-owned Tampa corporate wellness company; make regular appearances on Tampa based Bloom TV -Channel Great 38 WTTA; beginning to restart Cooking For A Cause- cooking class and wine pairing fundraising events for Tampa local nonprofits; and offer public speaking services for events; virtual and in-home cooking lessons.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I have had hiccups along the way.
2010 brought a TBI into my world that I had to relearn an entire new way of living and relating to life.
Then after adapting to the new me, having state charges brought against me on a technicality as practicing as a dietician without a license and then dismissed but nonetheless having to completely change my line of work put a new spin in things.
The self-publisher I had hired for my first book was not a person of integrity and did not fulfill pr obligations, but it was a good lesson to learn and grow from.
The lockdown of 2020 almost put me out of business, but as a Thriver in life, I know if one keeps their faith and knows God’s plan is always in play, there is something good around the corner even better than what was there before.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
The Food Whisperer was a title I earned while cooking in health food stores. My customers would come to me and share their stories of how their health had improved since eating my food. They said I was The Food Whisperer, getting food and their bodies to communicate.
Later branching out as a holistic personal chef, I have honed my culinary skills to specialize in meal prep for those with food allergies as well as practitioner-directed eating protocols; virtual and in-home cooking lessons. I believe cooking can be enjoyable for all and work to create personalized recipes to make clean eating fun and flavorful.
Cooking parties and wine pairings are always fun. I never now who will want to join me while I am preparing the meal or if we will all end up having a dance party halfway through dinner.
I believe my years in the hospitality industry have provided me with the culinary expertise to break rules and empower others to find cooking quick, simple, with minimum clean-up.
I am proud of my books, 2-time nominations for Best Chef in Creative Loafing’s Best of the Bay in 20219 and 2020 (first runner up in 2019), being interviewed on a variety of radio and online shows over the years, and appearing on Bloom TV. I do hope and am actively researching what the commitments are to one day having my own cooking show.
I love to empower others on their journey with how they nourish their bodies. Food is integral to life. What, when, why, where, and how we eat has everything to do with our health and life. If I can help even one more person in their life’s journey, I am happy. While my meal prep services are limited to the Tampa area, I am available for virtual cooking lessons anywhere, as well as for speaking engagements/lunch and learns.
Keep an eye out for me and my next venture. I never know what else is in store for me.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
Clean eating is a lifelong journey. I am not here to judge what you eat or your lifestyle. I have my own hiccups in life and eating as well. I am here to empower you. I am confident that if you truly want to learn a new eating lifestyle, I can assist you in that journey finding flavorful, easy recipes to make that happen. I am a chef not a dietician, so if you have a food protocol in hand and have no clue how to implement it in your life, maybe we can create some recipes together to make that happen for you.
I am starting a new service where you can have me on retainer as a monthly culinary consultant offering up to 25 personalized recipes a month for $150, no contract needed. I will hack recipes for you to personalize them to your needs, create new recipes for you. or set up to 4 appointments a month to work through meal prep that you are struggling with.
Pricing:
- In home cooking lessons starting at $159/hr
- Virtual cooking lesson starting at $75/30 min
- Personal Culinary Consultant $150/mo up to 20 personal recipes
Contact Info:
- Email: iamtfw@gmail.com
- Website: https://www.holisticcheftampa.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamthefoodwhisperer/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8jXZxy1DVpRxuk5U58_JDg
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-food-whisperer-holistic-personal-chef-tampa-bay?osq=the+food+whisperer
Image Credits:
Gabriel Burgos
