- Story by Darcy Nybo Photography by Don Denton

Red Seal Chef, Todd Rozell, has always loved to cook.

鈥淚 was raised by a single mom,鈥� he said. 鈥淪he taught my brother and I to make Shake 鈥橬 Bake. I liked helping out in the evening because that meant we had more time to spend together.鈥�

When Chef Todd graduated high school, he took a job as a dishwasher to earn some money until he knew what he wanted to be.

鈥淎fter being in the restaurant environment I realized I wanted to become a Chef. I washed dishes for a year and I鈥檝e now been cooking for 27 years,鈥� he said. 鈥淢y first job, at Il Terrazzo, where I washed dishes, is also where I got my start in culinary and learned the basics. From there I worked with Troy Ashdown at the My Chosen Caf茅. It鈥檚 one of the busiest kitchens I鈥檝e ever been a part of. It was amazing watching him float through the busyness with ease. Nothing could shake him.鈥�

Chef Todd has worked in various establishments throughout his career including: Laurel Point Inn, Parrot House, Cecconi鈥檚, Fifth Street, and Lakeside Resort. 鈥淚 feel my work experience has given me a well-rounded look at food; what works, and what doesn鈥檛.鈥�

Looking back, he appreciates what he learned from his instructors. 鈥淐hef Gilbert Noussitou at Camosun had a very direct and honest approach to cooking and learning. At Okanagan College, Chef Kathryn Nielsen made learning fun. She also challenged us by asking us to set a goal the first day. I set mine and qualified for the Provincial Cook off that year.鈥�

Chef Todd, and his wife, Melissa, a fitness trainer, started Balanced Meal Prep, in 2016. As a nutritionist and a chef, he creates balanced, nutritious meals that are nut and gluten free and without added sodium. 鈥淎ll our products are fresh, not frozen,鈥� Chef said. 鈥淲e even have plant based protein options.鈥�

Balanced Meal Prep鈥檚 menu varies from week to week so customers get the variety the need. 鈥淲e want to help busy families eat healthy,鈥� Chef said. 鈥淲e also want to show people what a properly portioned meals look like and help them eat better. Our meals give them the fuel they (and we) need to chase after kids and still be healthy. We also wanted to deal with the amount of food waste people deal with on a monthly and weekly basis.鈥�

Being a chef and creating meals for other families is something Todd looks forward to every day. 鈥淚 get to create new dishes each day,鈥� he said. 鈥淎n added bonus is that we get to work around our kids鈥� schedule.鈥�

One of the ironies of cooking for a living, is that he rarely gets a chance to cook at home. 鈥淲e are so busy,鈥� Chef said. 鈥淲hen I do have the time, I love to make Potato Crusted Salmon. It was the first meal I cooked for my wife.鈥�

As for his clientele, they love the lettuce wraps, banana protein muffins and healthy cookies. To see some of their delicious premade meals and to find out more about Balanced Meal Prep visit their website at .

Story from West Shore Life + Style magazine