Meet Rose Reisman, Canada’s Favourite Caterer & Nutrition Expert

Rose is an award-winning entrepreneur, caterer, author and media personality who has taken her passion for healthy living and developed it into a multi-faceted enterprise. She recently published her 19th cookbook, and in 2015 launched a Children’s Lunch Program, providing hot and healthy meals to schools in the GTA. A nutritional consultant armed with an MBA, she’s one of Canada’s leading authorities on the art of eating and living well.

My first job ever was when I was only 14 years old. I took two buses every weekend at 6 am to travel to a perfume and soap company called Rayette Faberge. I was on the production line placing caps over shampoo and perfume bottles!

I entered the health and wellness field because my immediate family suffered from heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and obesity. My father and my aunt died in their 50s from massive heart attacks, and my grandmother died in her 50s from type 2 diabetes—I knew firsthand how devastating these preventable diseases could be.  

I surprise people when I tell them I love waking up at 4:15 am!

My best advice to fellow entrepreneurs is to first find work that you love and is feasible, and then be prepared to live and breathe it. It’s a mix of practicality and passion!

My best advice from a mentor was to always be a role model for everyone around you. You’ve got to not only “talk the talk,” but more importantly, “walk the walk.”

My biggest setback was when the publishing landscape changed and cookbook sales dropped significantly. Everyone was going online to find recipes and I had to expand my ventures.

I overcame it by researching new ways to get my message and philosophy about healthy living out there. I looked at how else I could use my cooking and nutritional skills, and switched over to catering and menu consulting, serving corporate clients, as well as hot lunches to elementary schools.

Work/life balance is key to me. Working out daily, walking my two German Shepherds, seeing my children and twin granddaughters, and fitting in a day of work makes for a schedule, but it’s what keeps me sane!

I stay inspired by seeing the potential of growing my business and brand, and communicating my healthy living philosophy to as many as possible. My true inspiration comes from watching my children grow into mature hard-working adults and having a marriage that has successfully lasted for 40 years!

The future excites me because I never know where my work will take me. I love that my work is constantly evolving and I hope that as I age, I will continue to be a role model for healthy living for all generations. No disappearing into the sunset just yet!

The one health lesson I wish everyone could learn is that eating and living well may not be easy, but once you get into the routine it has a domino effect. Everything starts to fall into place when you take care of yourself.