Today we’d like to introduce you to Jocelyn Sheff.
Jocelyn, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Food has always been at the center of my life, but it wasn’t until a few years after college that I discovered the science of Ayurveda.
Growing up in a big Jewish family, we spent the majority of our time sitting around a kitchen table. My love of food followed me to the University of Vermont, where I focused on Food Systems and Community Development. I was convinced I would land a job in Food Policy or Law, but it didn’t take long for me to realize that the typical nine-to-five job wasn’t for me.
During my junior year of college, I was diagnosed with a genetic heart condition and the news jolted me to the core of my body. I began having panic attacks that would inhibit me from doing the normal things, like going out with friends on the weekend or just spending time with my roommates. I found myself on a yoga mat around that time, and haven’t looked back since.
After college, I spent a year in New York working for the Brooklyn Food Coalition and took up a serving job at a Tuscan wine bar to supplement my income. I fell in love with the restaurant industry quickly, and after a year, I bought a one-way ticket to Italy to work and travel for a bit.
I came back to Boston, where I grew up, after my travels and enrolled in a yoga teacher training program. I fell back into restaurants at the same time and was convinced this time around that I would end up opening my own spot. It seemed like the perfect way to bring my love of food and my love of people and community building together.
At this point, I felt like I had one foot in each door: one in yoga and one in restaurants, and I was trying to figure out how to connect the two. I realized that Ayurveda was the missing piece once I began learning about it in my yoga training.
In 2015, I enrolled in the Kripalu School of Ayurveda and became a certified Ayurvedic Health Counselor. After several years of working one-on-one with clients, I enrolled in an Ayurvedic Nutrition and Culinary Training in New York. Now, I cook for clients to meet specific needs, which range anywhere from weight loss to how to eat during each trimester throughout pregnancy.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The hardest thing for me has been to strike a balance between my training over the last few years and the work I need to do to generate more income. My time is split between studying and practicing Ayurveda and serving in restaurants several nights a week. Ayurveda is all about self-care and finding a rhythm in your life to keep you balanced. Right now, I don’t have that. I struggle with trying to practice what I preach fully within the time constraints and demands of my day to day life. But finding that balance is the most important, because how else am I supposed to tell other people how to find balance in their own lives?
Sometimes, I can get hard on myself, or feel impatient because I can see so clearly where I want to be and it just takes time to get there. I always remind myself: slowly and slowly. My advice is to make small goals for yourself every day and meet them. Quiet the negative internal dialogue and be soft on yourself. Make lists – lots of lists. Stay organized, stay focused, but do it all from a place of self-love.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with your business – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
I am an Ayurvedic Chef and Health Counselor, so I work with clients to find balance in their body and mind mostly by using diet and self-care practices. Ayurveda originated in India over 5,000 years ago, making it the oldest health system currently being practiced. What’s amazing to me is how relevant it is to modern day life.
Ayurveda is a preventative form of medicine and doesn’t negate western science. All we’re saying is that there are plenty of ways to maintain our health, so hopefully, we don’t need to spend as much time and money fixing problems once they arise.
As an Ayurvedic Chef, I work with clients to teach them about proper ways to eat. This can be anything from how to eat with the seasons, how to eat for your body type, proper food combinations, appropriate times of day to eat to encourage good digestion, how to incorporate more spices and herbs in the diet for added health benefits, or specific foods to avoid.
What sets us apart from others is that Ayurveda is a completely individualized form of medicine. We look at each person and see what their specific needs are at that time. While we’re all made from the same stuff, some of us digest food quickly while some experience a heaviness in their stomach, some are more prone to anxiety or dry skin, while others are prone to heartburn or acid reflux. This means that we all need different foods or lifestyle choices to keep us in balance. Every food can act as medicine for someone. Not everyone should be a raw vegan or follow a paleo diet. It’s about helping each person get to know themselves more and eventually move from an intuitive place to stay healthy.
Who have you been inspired by?
Oh, wow, the list goes on!
Lynne Begier, first and foremost, who owned Back Bay Yoga and Sweat and Soul Yoga. She has been my teacher since my yoga training in 2014, and she is quite a force. Lynne taught me to be my loud, expressive, messy self without reservation or apology.
Divya Alter, who is my teacher and mentor in the world of Ayurveda and nutrition. She lives and breathes Ayurveda from a culinary standpoint and is paving the way for people like me to build this field into a career. I feel very lucky to have her support and encouragement.
All of the incredible women at Kripalu who supported me and so many others to discover the world of Ayurveda: Dr. Rosy Mann, Erin Casperson, and Larissa Hall Carlson, in particular.
Flea Foster, who owned Spoke Wine Bar, for diving head first into the restaurant world without prior experience and making it fully her own. She was a strong, feisty, unfiltered woman with a big heart who took her love of natural wine and created a neighborhood mainstay in the heart of Somerville. Working for her was a true privilege.
Kate Robinson, who teaches yoga in the most beautiful and deep yet hilarious way imaginable. She taught me to listen to myself and move from that place. She is authentic as hell and always reminds me of what is truly important. If you’re in the Boston area, you’d be a fool not to check her out.
I also wouldn’t be who I am without my mom, my two sisters, my aunts and countless cousins who have surrounded me with a strong female tribe my entire life. They’re everything.
Pricing:
- Initial Consultation (90 minutes): $150
- Follow-Up Appointments (45 minutes): $65
- Package Deal: Initial consultation plus two 45-minute follow-ups for $225. Both follow-ups must be scheduled within 6 months of the initial consultation.
- Cooking Classes or Workshops: $40 per person
Contact Info:
- Website: jocelynsheff.com
- Email: jocelyn.sheff@gmail.com
- Instagram: jocelynsheff
Image Credit:
Meghan Ireland
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