A few years back, Ilisa Nussbaum, a successful TV producer, came to a fork in her career path. After the Weston resident started a family, she decided it was time for a change.
"I wanted to be either a nurse or a chef," said Nussbaum who is now a clinical dietician at Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital, specializing in pediatric epilepsy.
"It's the perfect matchup of those two interests, but the process was extremely competitive," Nussbaum said.
Describing the requirement of a full-year internship Nussbaum recalled how her need to gain an edge in the 50% matchup rate–half the students were placed in internships and the other half had to wait a year to try again– she took no chances.
The idea for "Cooking Corps" took shape out of a need to differentiate herself from other internship candidates.
"I started this non-profit as a way to get more experience in order to get an internship," said Nussbaum, who ultimately got a match at Yale for her internship.
That was five years ago. These days, Nussbaum is a full-time Clinical Dietitian at Yale but has some flexibility in her schedule to weave in Cooking Corps visits.
Cooking Corps, a non-profit, takes Nussbaum and a team of volunteer instructors who are mostly students at University of New Haven studying to become registered dietitians, on the road to visit organizations like schools, youth sports teams and after-school programs. During their visits they do fun food projects while sneaking in valuable nutrition information.
On Friday Cooking Corps headed to Town & Country Montessori School at 531 Danbury Road in Wilton.
Nussbaum was joined by UNH students Jaimie Roselle, Haley Lemieux and Kelly Palmer, who are all first year Nutrition in Dietetic students who will graduate with BS degrees in Nutrition and Dietetics.
The UNH students worked alongside sisters, Cameron and Avery Langhoff who attend Wilton High School.
Rather than lecture, Nussbaum's lessons allowed young people come to their own happy nutrition conclusions and the formula seems to work.
Invitations to Cooking Corps have multiplied exponentially through simple word of mouth.
"We teach to all ages and abilities," Nussbaum said. "I have a special program to teach the UNH students how to work with special needs kids who may have physical and communication limitations."
By the end of Friday's session State Rep Gail Lavielle (R-143) stopped by for a visit and the aroma of whole wheat pumpkin muffins filled the schoolhouse. At the end of the session each child was provided a copy of the muffin recipe to take home.
Some of the lessons Nussbaum has packaged and ready to hit the road with her team of aspiring registered dietitians include, Food for Energy, Smart Breakfasts, Family Dinner Time, Veggie-Veggie, Make Your Own Dips and Healthy Apple Bake.
Nussbaum can be contacted through the Cooking Corps website or at info@cookingcorps.org
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