Renée Chan is a registered dietitian and the founder of True NOSH
Food. My raison d’etre. My father introduced me to love good food, but there was disappointment whenever he gained weight, had high blood sugars and eventually passed away with diabetes complications, Alzheimer’s disease, and heart failure. I was born into a very blessed Asian immigrant family in Vancouver with lineages in Hong Kong. My mother made sure I sang, danced, swam, figure skated, did gymnastics, painted, and went to the theatre. My parents never asked anything great of me, but I went to the schools with friends who strived to be doctors, lawyers, and more, so I also wanted more. I believed I was born to be great, so everything I did, was NEVER ENOUGH!
I pursued a master’s in clinical nutrition in New York to become a Registered Dietitian, but it was the restaurants that kept me there. Working in restaurants allowed me to express emotions through edible art. Being a dietitian seemed sustainable, but I was missing teaching my patients the significance of disease prevention.
My company merges my culinary passions with the need to invoke change in our food. A kitchen is a place that measures your abilities. You must have thick skin and be courageous to take on roles that may not be ideal for you, but it will help you later. I worked from the bottom up and understood what it takes to run a business, especially what NOT to do!
I don’t want anyone to suffer the pain of losing a father so early. I want to be a warrior and not a worrier, but I was one until I found the reason for my legacy through my business, True NOSH. After a few years running True NOSH, I was still unhappy because it was not growing fast enough. I wanted to be financially free of my family’s help, I needed to pay my family for things that I received with so much guilt. I became more creative than ever as I realized my worth, and I now remember why I chose True NOSH. I wanted to be strong and free! It represents a healthy Canada embracing all ethnicities. The most important thing for me is the network and friends I made along the way; you never know how they can be there for you.
