Chef Lisa Clarke’s love of fresh food began in her childhood in 1980s Ireland. “My mom was a fabulous chef and very ahead of her time,” Clarke recalls. “She always used fresh produce—most of which was grown in our own garden.” For Clarke, a diet rich in fresh, homegrown ingredients has always been second nature.
Driven by her passion for food and entrepreneurship, Clarke’s career evolved from an afternoon tea business to launching a catering company that helped hosts and hostesses create memorable and mouthwatering dinner parties—before she found her true niche in growing a meal delivery service.
CULINARY COLLABORATION
During the pandemic, Clarke’s close friend Dr. Katie Takayasu—a well-known integrative medicine physician and owner of Wellness Insights—was in the early stages of developing a detox meal plan for her patients. The two women decided to collaborate. “We realized how much people were craving comforting nutrition without the added stress of cooking every night,” says Clarke.
While Clarke honed her culinary skills in her mother’s kitchen and numerous culinary classes over the years, she says she’s learned a lot about health from Dr. Katie. “I have benefited so much from her experience, wisdom and expertise. Her approach to health considers the patient as a whole and she digs so deeply into finding out how she can make people feel better,” says Clarke. “She’s an incredible resource to have in our community.”
EFFORTLESS EATING
This fall, Dr. Katie officially handed the reins of the meal program to Clarke and Nourish by Chef Lisa was born—continuing the shared mission of “inspiring people to live and eat well,” says Clarke.
Her five-day programs feature organic, gluten-, and dairy-free meals, always with vegetarian options available. Focused on balanced nutrition, each day’s menu provides around 90 grams of protein, at least 30 grams of fiber and a bounty of plant-forward dishes. The menus evolve with the seasons, highlighting the freshest ingredients.
“My inspiration draws from a little bit of everything—cuisines from different countries and many wonderful meals that I’ve had during my travels,” says Clarke, who believes food should always taste amazing and never compromises on flavor. “I want my clients to feel energized, fulfilled, balanced and happy through simple, nourishing meals.”
The program offers options for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
FOCUS ON FLAVOR
CLARKE’S culinary creations come to life in a bright, spacious, fully equipped commercial kitchen in Darien. Her menus change weekly and include three perfectly balanced meals and a daily snack.
Her creativity in the kitchen is fueled by the joy of introducing clients to new foods, tastes and ideas. She loves giving familiar dishes a fresh twist and says she often receives feedback from clients thanking her for using ingredients they had never tried before.
She values client feedback, especially when it comes to deliveries. “Ensuring that every meal arrives fresh and delivered in a visually appealing way can definitely be a challenge,” says Clarke. “As a team, we’ve really taken feedback into consideration and refined the way we do things. Hard work and paying attention to detail pay off.”
HOME COOKING
Curating meals for her husband Bernard and their four children, Clarke admits, can be a bit more challenging. “It’s definitely convenient to serve them the same menu that I’m cooking for the program—but my kids aren’t always excited to eat dishes like plant-based meatballs,” she jokes. However, she is happy her kids are being exposed to different types of cuisine at a young age.
The biggest reward for Clarke, whether it’s cooking for her family at home or her clients through Nourish, is knowing the meals she is preparing are helping them to live their best, healthiest lives.
Nourish by Chef Lisa meals can be delivered to residences in lower Fairfield County. Visit nourishbycheflisa.com or follow on Instagram @nourishbycheflisa to learn more.