Michelle Della Penna has always been interested in the food/mood link; however, her interest became more serious and focused when her father was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Della Penna’s father participated in a study that looked at how cancer genes responded to an extreme lifestyle change, which included a totally vegan diet, daily meditation, yoga and exercise. After the study was concluded, her father’s PSA levels were down and his cancer was so small, it was undetectable during a biopsy. Della Penna says, “The link between what we put in our bodies and how our bodies respond had never been clearer and prompted me to make a life change for myself.”
About nine months ago while Della Penna was working as a sous chef at a catering company, she decided that she wanted to break away to start her own food company. “I decided that it would be advantageous for me to continue my education in order to learn more about holistic nutrition so that I could serve as a viable expert to my clients. My studies at CCNH coincided with the launch of my company, Fork in the Road Foods, in September of 2008,” says Della Penna.
Today, as a result of taking a chance on starting her own company, Della Penna is living her “dream career.” “I get to prepare delicious, planet-friendly food everyday, while educating people about the benefits of mindful eating,” she says. Della Penna also has a line of vegan cookies that are currently being sold in Whole Foods Markets in the Los Angeles area, as well as on her Web site www.forkintheroadfoods.com. Penna explains how her cookies are different. “Not only are they vegan, we also use organic whole wheat flour for extra fiber, organic flaxseed meal for those crucial Omega 3’s, and raw turbinado and cane sugars to sweeten.” Della Penna finds joy in getting to interact with customers and talk about how they can make smarter choices for themselves and their families.
The personal and professional worlds have coincided perfectly for this sous chef turned entrepreneur. On the personal front, Della Penna’s family rejuvenates her soul and helps to keep her sane, and she finds herself very fortunate to be surrounded by loving, kind, and positive people. When it comes to her professional life, she says, “I was always told, if you do what you love, the money will come.” Della Penna has embraced this philosophy in her personal life and in her career. She says, “I love what I do, and get up everyday with such purpose. I love the people I work with, and I love providing food that makes people happy; the fact that I can make a living doing this is really just a bonus.”
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