40 Black Dietitians, Nutritionists, Chefs, and Food Influencers To Know and Love

Food is necessary for survival. That being said, it can be argued that someone’s history and culture may have the largest impact on their food selection.

When it comes to cultures of the African diaspora, foodways have left a deep impression on the definition of health and proper nutrition. For example, while it is true that collard greens provide the body with fiber, collard greens also carry cultural significance. This food is deeply intertwined in black ancestry—offering a sense of warmth, consolation, and lessons for future generations. Simply put, food is more than nutrition, it’s an experience.

This black history month, I want you to meet forty black dietitians, nutritionists, chefs, and food influencers that promote the black culture one bite at a time.

1. Chef Ali Francois (@chefboyali305)

As a Haitian-American chef based in Miami, Florida, Ali specializes in nutrition for athletes and believes in the artistic, creative side of cooking. It’s no wonder why he’s Jimmy Butler’s personal chef. 

2. Johane Filemon, MS, RD (@blacknutritionistmama)

Johane is a Haitian-American registered dietitian who is passionate about food allergies and sensitivities. She helps people reduce chronic inflammation while keeping cultural foods in the diet.  

3. Chef Jennifer Johnson (@shemadeucook)

This San Francisco-based chef offers up sweet and savory options to satisfy your tastebuds. As her website states, you can taste the difference in Jennifer’s culinary creations because it’s “fresh-made home style with love.”

4. Joy Diggs RD (@diggdeepfitness)

Dietitian and fitness trainer Joy believes “there’s always room for chocolate,” as her website states. She assists clients in becoming their best while focusing on proper nutrition, exercise, and making health and fitness fun.

5. Kwayera Simpson, BSc, RD (@dietitianchefk) and Ellouise Simpson BSc, RD (@dietitianellouise)

This husband and wife duo are registered dietitians who focus on creating healthy, tasty meals for health promotion and disease prevention. 

6. Wintana Kiros, RD (@resetlifestyle)

Wintana is an Eritrean/Ethiopian registered dietitian, specializing in women’s health. She’s a former model whose interests include assisting women in discovering their paths to wellness. She does this through nutrition education, health coaching, and, of course, fashion and styling. 

7. Briana Butler, MCN, RDN, LD (@theathletitian)

Briana is a registered dietitian nutritionist and former WNBA player. She is also the co-owner of Power Portions, which is an all-inclusive nutrition service for pro athletes.

8. Dr. Kera Nyemb-Diop (@black.nutritionist)

Kera is a French nutritionist who challenges diet culture. Her social media platforms encourage you to eat without guilt and decolonize your plate. Talk about liberation!

9. Nathalia Rupert, BSc, RD (@trinidietitian)

This Trinidadian dietitian believes nutrition is the cornerstone for good health. Nathalia’s social media presence promotes balance in an entertaining and relatable manner. 

10. Chef Renee Blackman (@chefreneeblackman)

Chef Renee is a personal chef to professional athletes. She is committed to combining bold flavors to create scrumptious dishes in the culinary industry. 

11. Precious Nwokeleme, RDN, LDN (@nri.ndu.nutrition)

Precious is a Nigerian-American dietitian nutritionist whose social media tagline is “cultural food is healthy”. She breaks social food norms and encourages Nigerian-Americans to eat the foods they love (plantains and palm oil included) while focusing on an active lifestyle. 

12. Esther Tambe, MS, RD, CDN, CDCES (@et.the.rd)

Weight-inclusive registered dietitian Esther has spent her career working in underserved communities. On her website, she is focused on providing a non-judgmental and safe space for anyone to learn how to properly nourish themselves—regardless of body size.

13. Sade Meeks MS, RDN (@sademeekss)

RD Meeks is the founder of G.R.I.T.S. (Growing Resilience In The South, @grits_inc), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that has the mission of increasing awareness in nutrition, food history, and culture. She helps to bridge the gap between nutrition and culture, recognizing that social determinants of health play an active role.  

14. Ellen C. Mcknight RDN, MPA, CLC (@ellencmcknight)

Ellen is a registered dietitian and principal at The Maxine Firm (@MaxineFirm). The Maxine Firm is the culmination of Ellen’s hard work. It is a public wellness firm that is powered by a network of healthcare professionals whose primary objective is the prevention of chronic disease in urban and rural communities.  

15. Chef Corrie Lingenfelter (@chef_corriel)

Chef Lingenfelter builds and operates non-profit kitchens and programs. She also penned Feeding The People, a flavor-filled cookbook that showcases easy and delicious recipes for all occasions. 

16. Idil Farah (@idilsworld)

This Canadian nutritionist helps you use the foods in your kitchen as your “farmacy”. More specifically, she is a nutritionist who specializes in women’s health. Idil believes in holistic ways of healing with the use of cultural foods.

17. Carlie Saint-Laurent Beaucejour, MS, RDN (@mindfuleatingdietitian)

Carlie is a registered dietitian, focused on helping women to stop dieting and start living their best lives with personalized nutrition. 

18. Bianca Plant, MPA, RD, LDN (@eating_gods_way)

Bianca is a registered dietitian whose aim is to provide inspiration on how to build balanced meals and snacks that reduce mealtime stress for people with on-the-go lifestyles. 

19. Tanorria Askew (@tanorriastable)

This author, personal chef, and DEI consultant describes herself as a “racial injustice change-maker”. Tanorria has also penned Staples + 5, a cookbook that features 100 simple recipes to make the most of your pantry staples so you can stay on budget.

20. Naudia Jones, RD, CDN (@plantforwarddietitian)

RD Jones is a Brooklyn-based virtual registered dietitian. Her niche is sustainable and culture-focused counseling that honors and nurtures who you are. As stated on her website, Naudia “helps you reach your goals on YOUR terms”.

21. Olive Small, MS, RDN (@olivethedietitian)

Olive is a registered dietitian that focuses on women’s health. She helps women burn fat, manage hormone health and crush their cravings by homing in on balanced eating that does not include restriction.

22. Farah Green (@farahmgreen_)

Body-positive nutritionist and podcaster Farah teaches curvy women how to transform their bodies and achieve wellness through body positivity and sustainable nutrition.

23. Patience Owunwanne, RD (@theposhdiet)

Patience is a registered dietitian focused on mental health advocacy and eating disorders. She helps men and women break the cycle of bingeing and dieting once and for all. 

24. Chantal Tomlinson, RD (@chazdelightsnutrition)

As a UK-based dietitian who provides meal inspiration for a plant-based lifestyle, Chantal helps the veggie-curious transition into a plant-based diet. She does this while focusing on vitamin D, calcium, vitamin B-12, protein, and other nutrients that are usually missing when transitioning. 

25. Agatha Achindu (@agathaachindu)

As the co-founder of Yummy Spoonfuls (@yummyspoonfuls), an organic baby food company, Agatha is also passionate about helping women uncover, unlearn and unleash untruths about their inner health through food. 

26. Lynice Barnes, RDN, LD (@bodybybarnes.rd)

Lynice is a registered dietitian nutritionist and certified personal trainer whose mission is to educate, encourage and empower you to meet your food and fitness goals. Her website states, “nutrition provides the raw materials for building & repairing muscle fibers.” Simply put, she’s ready to customize a workout regimen and diet that will go to work for you.

27. Bettina Applewhite, RD (@biteswithapplewhite)

Bettina is a registered dietitian who is also known for her appearance in season one of Top Chef Amateurs. She also shares her love of food, nutrition, and travel. And her drool-worthy social media will definitely give you ideas on how to spice up your plate. 

28. Rosie Mensah, RDN (@rosiemensah)

Canadian-based registered dietitian Rosie is an advocate for food justice and equity. She is the creator of the CEDAR (Culture, Equity, Diversity, and Race in Dietetics) program, which focuses on anti-oppression, anti-racism, and cultural competency for all nutrition professionals. 

29. Sue-Ellen Anderson-Haynes, MS, RDN, CDCES, CPT (@360girlsandwomen)

Anderson-Haynes promotes wellness through all of a woman’s life cycles—from girlhood to womanhood. 

30. Murielle Banackissa (@mutriellebanackissa)

This Canadian-based vegan food photographer and recipe developer find her passion in the colors, textures, and flavors of food. Murielle lets her love for food shine in her social media presence, as I’m sure it will in her upcoming cookbook.

31. Jerlyn Jones (@thelifestyledietitian_)

Jones is a registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She focuses on the holistic approach to health and healing for total lifestyle transformation.

32. Rhyan Geiger RDN (@phxvegandietitian)

Geiger is a registered dietitian, author, and nutrition writer who inspires new vegans. Her Vegan: Slow Cooking for Two cookbook serves up 85 healthy recipes you can enjoy with a friend.

33. Terence Boateng MHSc, RD, CEP (@terencenutrition)

As a Canadian registered dietitian and exercise physiologist, Terence focuses on gut health, bodybuilding, combat sports nutrition, and performance. He is also the author of the Bodybuilding 30-minute Cookbook, which provides fast and easy recipes to fuel your workouts.  

34. Amber Charles (@theculturaldietitian)

Amber is a public health nutritionist and registered dietitian in the United States, as well as Trinidad and Tobago. She is a “non-diet dietitian” that believes in the power of meal planning and flexible eating. 

35. Stephanie Carter, MS, RDN (@steph_n_carter)

This plant-based registered dietitian and fitness professional is passionate about supporting long-term healthy lifestyle behaviors. Stephanie focuses on functional nutrition, exercise, and general wellness. 

36. Simone Venner RHN (@msholistic)

Simone is a registered holistic nutritionist focused on science and plants. She helps people specifically focus on gut health to understand their issues. She instructs clients on how to feed the gut in a friendly way to feel their best.

37. Russ Powell RDN, CECES (@fatloss.diabetes.dietitian)

As a diabetes-focused registered dietitian, Russ believes diabetes care is simple. She teaches clients how to stop chasing numbers and get the solutions they’re looking for. 

38 & 39. Jasmine Westbrooks MS, LD/RDN and Ashley Carter, LD/RDN of EatWell Exchange (@eatwellexchnage)

These two dietitians run the 501(c)(3) organization, EatWell Exchange, which focuses on creating partnerships, educating communities, and gardening to create sustainable change. 

40. Cordialis Msora-Kasago, MA, RD (@africanpotnutrition)

This registered dietitian is the founder of the AfroDash program. In this program, Cordialis teaches you how to form an eating pattern that includes foods of the African diaspora in order to stop high blood pressure. She helps people of African descent improve their health without sacrificing tradition. 

Where To Go From Here: 

While this is not an exhaustive list, these dietitians, nutritionists, chefs, and food influencers are movers and shakers in their respective industries. The next time you sit down to eat some greens, plantains, or root vegetables and find yourself scrolling your phone, I encourage you to reach out to one of these professionals for personal health inspiration and to support our community.