How I Used Food and Mindfulness to Manage Anxiety (A Chef's Story)

I was having panic attacks at the Four Seasons Hotel, throwing myself into work while my anxiety intensified.

After 30 years teaching cooking to 50,000+ students, I've learned that food and mindfulness can be powerful tools for managing anxiety. 

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Food and mindfulness became my path out of anxiety - not as a cure, but as a way to stay grounded and present in my own life.

Anxiety is something many of us deal with, whether it comes in waves or lingers in the background of daily life. It can show up as restlessness, racing thoughts, or that feeling of being on edge without knowing why. And while there’s no single fix, I’ve learned that the way we nourish ourselves—through food, movement, and mindfulness—can make a big difference.

I remember standing in the pristine kitchen of New York City's Four Seasons Hotel, feeling worlds away from my family's farm in Virginia. The weight of this opportunity—and everything I felt I needed to prove—sat heavy on my shoulders.

My response to the pressure wasn't to turn to alcohol, like many do in professional kitchens. Instead, I threw myself deeper into the work. More hours, less sleep, irregular meals, no breaks. I kept pushing, convinced this was the path forward.

The toll of this relentless pace, combined with the jarring transition from rural Virginia to Manhattan’s intensity, manifested in waves of anxiety and panic attacks. A clear pattern emerged: when I neglected basic self-care—sleep, proper meals, physical movement—my anxiety intensified. For too long, I thought pushing through was the answer, that persistence alone would prove my worth.

The Shift: Connection & Nourishment

My breakthrough came with a simple realization: I didn’t have to face this alone. While anxiety often pushes us to isolate (and I did—I lost friends along the way), I discovered that for me, connection was crucial. Simply being around understanding people who brought calm and steadiness into my life became anchors.

Cooking has always meant more to me than just preparing food. It’s about creating moments where people come together, where nourishment goes beyond the plate. When we feed not just our bodies but our relationships, we remind ourselves that we're part of something larger.

As I learned to prioritize my well-being through nourishment, movement, and mindfulness, things began to shift. The constant bracing for disaster gave way to something new: a sense of security, of feeling at home in my own body, of genuine relaxation rather than waiting for the next anxiety wave.

When I discovered how mindfulness could transform both my cooking and my mental state, it felt like I unlocked a secret that needed to be shared. In professional kitchens, we’re taught countless techniques for handling food, but rarely do we learn techniques for handling ourselves.

The methodical nature of cooking—the focus required to perfectly slice vegetables, the attention needed to detect subtle changes, the patience demanded—naturally lends itself to mindfulness.

This Is What Worked for Me

Managing anxiety is deeply personal. What worked for me won’t be the answer for everyone. Some people find relief through therapy, medication, or other approaches, and there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. What I do know is that small, intentional changes made a big difference in my life, and I share them in case they might help someone else.

If you’ve ever struggled with anxiety, I see you. It’s a journey, and while it may never fully disappear, there are ways to work with it rather than against it. And we don’t have to do it alone.      

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