Food Is a Fundamental Connector
Jenny Breen is a Twin Cities Chef and Culinary Nutrition Educator working at the intersection of human, community and planetary health.
Food as a Tool for Justice and Wellbeing
I am a chef, a mom, an activist and a creative. I am drawn to the story behind food, where it begins, how it gets to us, and what it tells us. I believe this is where nourishment begins. As a chef and an educator, I give people the tools, skills, and appetite to use food to promote health and wholeness, to re-invent our food systems, and to create equitable access to sustenance for our bodies, our communities and the larger ecosystem. I am the granddaughter of Jewish immigrants, I grew up with the ethos of ‘Tikkun Olam,’ Hebrew for “Repair of the World.”
As a young adult, seeing unhealthy and habits of over-consumption and privilege led me to seek out the local food movement in Minneapolis. Food as a tool for justice became my life’s passion.
Cooking for Me Is an Art
Cooking and teaching are my art form. I take inspiration from life experiences, my ancestors, places I’ve been, and people I’ve learned from; and translate those into a meal that connects us to joy, place, health and community.
People and the land are inextricably connected, and food is the most fundamental link in that relationship.
I work to develop approaches to cooking that consider not only the food itself, but regeneration of the land, body and soul as fundamental human rights. I try to give people the tools, skills and resources to use food to promote health and wholeness, and to change the system, together, to create equitable access to nourishment for our system, our communities and ourselves.
Embrace Imperfection
In my own journey, I have worked to prioritize a style of eating and living that can contribute to regenerating the planet and also nourish all parts of me. It is not perfect, and I am always learning, but I believe that making informed choices, while also working to challenge and change what is inequitable about our system, are the foundations of building a food system that nourishes all humans, our communities, and the planet. And, sometimes cookies and ice cream are the best choice!
“Jenny is one of the most enthusiastic & well-rounded food educators… we are lucky to have her in our region.”
