Services:Speaking on Food and Nutrition

Are you looking for an enthusiastic and dynamic nutrition speaker? Michelle Dudash, RD, owner of Chef Dudash Nutrition, is a highly regarded speaker in the field of food and nutrition and is a member of Toastmasters International. She has delivered unique presentations for groups like the American Dietetic Association, Triwest Healthcare Alliance, JP Morgan Chase, American Express, Child & Adult Care Food Program National Professional Association, and Arizona State University. All of Michelle’s presentations are tailored to fit your organization’s needs.

Chef Dudash Nutrition also offers live webinars for groups spread apart geographically or looking for a more economical option.

Click the sections below for more information.

  • Worksite Wellness
    Lunch and Learn Workshop Topics

    Know Your Numbers and Make it Work!

    Many individuals do not consider their risk factors for diseases until they are diagnosed with a condition, putting a strain on health care costs for both the employee and employer. This innovative seminar takes a proactive approach to disease prevention and allows participants to discover their individual risk factors for chronic diseases such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer. The following objectives will be covered in this one and a half hour seminar:

    • Review the recommendations for important labs and biometric numbers.
    • Discuss the risk factors for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer.
    • Understand how to translate the recommendations into real terms...the food one eats and the lifestyle lived.
    • Design a personalized action plan addressing dietary and lifestyle factors for disease prevention.

    Weight Management Series

    The prevalence of adults in the U.S. who are overweight or obese continues to increase at alarming rates. As a result, many individuals continue to try fad diets and purchase weight loss supplements that are unsuccessful and leave them feeling discouraged.

    This refreshing 8-week series will provide you with successful weight management strategies that are healthy for your mind and body. The following objectives will be covered during this series:

    • Define “healthy weight” according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
    • Understand energy balance and its role in weight management.
    • Differentiate between diet myths and facts and understand the dangers of weight cycling.
    • Determine your individual calorie needs to maintain your “healthy weight.”
    • Learn about lifestyle and dietary modification factors.
    • Learn successful menu-planning techniques and how to interpret food labels
    • Jump-start your metabolism: how exercise makes a difference
    • Learn how to prepare quick and healthy snacks that won’t pack on the pounds.

    Eating for a Healthy Heart

    Heart disease is currently the leading cause of death in the United States. Unlike many diseases where signs and symptoms are apparent, heart disease often cannot be seen or felt until it is too late. In this one-hour seminar the following objectives will be covered:

    • Learn about dietary factors that play a major role in heart disease, including consumption of saturated fat, trans fat, and dietary cholesterol.
    • Understand what lifestyle factors play a role in heart disease, such as smoking, physical inactivity and obesity.
    • Learn how to implement heart healthy dietary strategies based on the most current research.

    Eating On-the-Go

    As a professional, parent, or spouse, your life is busy and filled with many activities that compete for your time, which can make it difficult to prepare healthy meals for you or your family. In this one-hour seminar Michelle will help take the stress out of meal preparation and healthful eating. The following objectives will be covered during this seminar:

    • Clarify the USDA’s MyPyramid.
    • Learn how to keep your kitchen stocked to set you up for success.
    • Learn how to read food labels.
    • Interpret menus and learn how to order healthfully at quick-service and fast food restaurants.
    • Establish a grocery shopping strategy and learn menu-planning techniques.
    • Learn how to make healthy meals in minutes and meals that travel with you.
  • Continuing Professional Education for Dietitians
    Suggested Topics for Dietitians:

    Become a TV RD

    Michelle has completed over 100 media interviews in television, print, and radio, being the go-to Registered Dietitian nationwide. Learn the skills needed to be an effective communicator in the media and keep the press coming back for more. Michelle will unravel the mystery and magic of working successfully with the media. The following objectives will be covered in this seminar:

    • Understand how to make media contacts and build lasting relationships.
    • Learn how to pitch, prepare and perform for a television interview.
    • Discover the ins and outs of communicating with the media.
    • Become TV style savvy in wearing the right clothing, makeup, hairstyle, and accessories.
    • Gain creativity in the props and food styling techniques to use in your interview.

    How to Perform Unforgettable Cooking Demonstrations

    Spice up your culinary skills by learning successful cooking demonstration techniques. Cooking demos are a great tool for dietetics professionals to effectively communicate nutrition messages in an interactive way. The following objectives will be covered in this seminar:

    • How to sharpen up your presentation skills
    • Equipment and food prep checklist: what you will need for a successful demonstration.
    • Learn how to select and prepare memorable recipes.
    • Discuss importance of how to plan and organize for proper set-up and food safety.

    Marketing 101: Promoting YOU, the product

    Marketing yourself is essential when starting or maintaining a successful business. Whether you are a dietitian who is starting a private practice or consulting on the side, this class will teach you how to promote yourself and grow your business. The following objectives will be covered in this seminar:

    • Define marketing mix: product, positioning, place, price and promotion.
    • Learn how to grow your business through innovative marketing techniques.
    • Identify the tools needed to promote your business?
    • Discuss effective networking.

    Combining the Chef RD Credentials

    As a dietetics professional, understanding how to make tasty healthy meals can enhance your practice. Gaining the knowledge of a Chef RD allows you to integrate the importance of nutrition with the art of food to provide your clients with a total wellness solution. The following objectives will be covered in this seminar:

    • Discuss the educational options for becoming a chef, how long it takes and the costs involved.
    • Discuss what the core competencies.
    • Learn about creative career opportunities for the Chef RD.
    • Discuss how being a Chef RD puts you ahead of the competition and increases your earning potential.

    Alternative Careers in Dietetics

    Until recent times, careers for dietitians have been focused in food service, hospitals and in the community. However, with developments in technology, evolving trends in consumer behavior, the obesity epidemic and changes in the food industry, new doors are being opened for dietetics professionals. This seminar will uncover some of the hot new careers in dietetics. The following objectives will be covered in this seminar:

    • Learn about the hot new careers in dietetics.
    • Discuss the educational requirements and experience needed for each.
    • Discuss the salary ranges and salary potential for these new careers in dietetics.
    • Develop educational and career goals to help prepare you for your future dream job.
  • Continuing Professional Education for other Health Professionals
    Suggested Topics:

    Nutrition 101

    Each day people make food choices that influence their health for better or worse. This seminar will help you understand what foods are recommended to promote good health. In addition, you will learn about the six main nutrients that food delivers and how they affect the body. The following objectives will be covered in this seminar:

    • Discuss the personalized MyPyramid recommendations.
    • Learn about portion control and how to read food labels.
    • Learn about the six nutrients that foods deliver: carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals and water.
    • Discuss each nutrient’s role in the body.

    Become Kitchen Savvy to Help Your Patients Manage Cardiovascular Disease

    As a health care professional, you understand the importance of nutrition in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease, but how do you effectively communicate the dietary recommendations to your patients? In this seminar, Michelle will translate these complex recommendations into simple how-to’s in the kitchen. The following objectives will be covered in this seminar:

    • Discuss the current evidence-based guidelines for the prevention and treatment of elevated cholesterol, blood pressure, and triglycerides.
    • Learn about dietary factors that play a major role in cardiovascular disease.
    • Learn how to shop for and prepare quick and easy heart healthy meals.
    • Discover additional foods that help to control important lab values.

    Dietary Recommendations to Manage Diabetes

    Nutrition is a key component in the treatment and management of diabetes. Unfortunately, dietary recommendations are often unclear when it comes to treating this population. In this seminar, Michelle will clarify and interpret these complicated recommendations into easy-to-understand tips for your patients. The following objectives will be covered in this seminar:

    • Discuss the current evidence-based guidelines for the management of diabetes.
    • Learn about dietary factors that play a major role in the onset and complication of diabetes.
    • Learn how to shop for and prepare quick and easy meals for the management of diabetes.
    • Discover tips that help to improve glucose levels.