Emily Peck · Chef + nutritionist · New York City
Plant-forward food for real life.
Food that nourishes. Meals you look forward to.
About Emily
My path has never fit neatly into one box.
A chef’s creativity. A nutritionist’s perspective.
I’m Emily Peck, a Brooklyn-based chef and nutritionist formally trained in dietetics, and the founder of PlantPalate.
My nutrition training informs every part of my cooking, from the ingredients I choose to the way I build a meal. Working with private clients and research participants has taught me that nourishing food needs to fit the person: their needs, preferences, routines, and what they love to eat.
Plants are at the heart of my cooking, but my approach to eating well leaves room for variety and individual preferences. I care more about helping people enjoy balanced, nourishing meals than whether their diet fits a particular label. My focus is on making more room for vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, and seeds, with less reliance on ultra-processed foods.
Recipe development is at the heart of my work, including the meals I create for CookUnity. Drawing inspiration from cuisines around the world, I develop recipes that bring together thoughtful nutrition, vibrant color, bold flavors, and satisfying textures, then test and refine them to deliver consistent results.
In a world of wellness extremes and conflicting food advice, I believe eating well should feel grounded, flexible, and enjoyable. Whether I’m developing my CookUnity menu, cooking for private clients, or contributing to nutrition research, my goal is the same: to make food that supports your health and gives you something to look forward to.
Eat my food · CookUnity
PlantPalate at your table.
My CookUnity menu brings my recipes to your home, with freshly prepared meals delivered ready to heat and eat.
For seven years, I’ve developed recipes and worked with my kitchen team to bring them to life for customers throughout the New York market. Each dish starts with an idea, followed by testing and refining the ingredients, seasoning, texture, and balance.
The result is a menu of globally inspired, plant-forward meals, from comforting favorites to fresh combinations that make vegetables, grains, and plant proteins something to get excited about.
Sesame Soba Noodle Salad
Harvest Farro Bowl
Vegan Pasta alla Vodka
Blueberry-Chia Overnight Oats
Almond Butter Energy Bites
“These are some of the best plant based meatballs I've ever had! And the sauce was so creamy and delicious. You'd never know it was vegan.”
“Really love the combination of flavors with this one, I have ordered it several times now!”
Order my CookUnity meals
First order? Use my link and get $50 off. CookUnity delivers across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.
Food + health
Where nutrition meets the kitchen.
One
Grounded in nutritional science
My formal studies in dietetics gave me a foundation in the relationship between food and health. Working in the kitchen and with clients has taught me how to put that knowledge into practice.
I consider the whole meal: its nutritional balance, how satisfying it is, how it fits someone’s needs, and whether they’ll enjoy eating it. My approach makes room for individual preferences and the realities of everyday life.
Two
Cooking for individual needs
Through my work with private clients, CookUnity, and Weill Cornell Medicine, I’ve developed a deep interest in medically tailored meals.
My experience includes creating personalized meal plans and preparing food for people living with serious illnesses, including various types of cancer. That work calls for attention to dietary needs, personal preferences, and the comfort and familiarity food can offer.
I want to bring that experience to collaborations that make meals suited to specific medical and dietary needs flavorful, satisfying, and something to look forward to.
Three
Contributing to nutrition research
I contributed as a chef and nutrition coach to a multicenter clinical trial led by Weill Cornell Medicine, exploring a whole-food, plant-based diet in men receiving hormone therapy for prostate cancer.
My role included curating meals and supporting participants as they incorporated plant-based eating into their daily lives. The experience brought together the parts of my work I care about most: nutrition, practical support, and food people enjoy eating.
I’m also a coauthor of the study’s 2026 ASCO meeting abstract, published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology supplement.
Food, climate + community
Good food has a bigger role to play.
My work has made me think about nourishment beyond the individual plate: how we use ingredients, prevent waste, and help good food reach more people.
In the kitchen, that means thoughtful recipe development, careful planning, and a team that understands why those details matter. Beyond the kitchen, it means sharing ideas and working with others to improve food access and make better use of the food we prepare.
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Food Tank · Climate Week NYC
Chef Partnerships to Reduce Food Waste
I joined María Bengochea of CookUnity and Matt Jozwiak of Rethink Food for a conversation moderated by Food Tank’s Danielle Nierenberg. I shared a chef’s perspective on preventing waste through recipe development, kitchen practices, and teamwork, and helping surplus food reach people who can use it.
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CookUnity · Climate Week NYC
Addressing Food Insecurity: From Goal to Action
I shared my experience as a CookUnity chef and reflected on the responsibility that comes with preparing food at scale: using ingredients thoughtfully, supporting food recovery, and keeping the purpose of cooking, to nourish people, at the center of our work.
PlantPalate Pantry
Salty Maple Granola.
The perfect balance of sweet and savory, with crunchy nuts and a generous mix of nutritious seeds. A wholesome treat for yourself and your family, and just addictive enough to make a great gift, too!
$11 · 5.5 oz bag · 3 bags for $30
Ships anywhere in the US. Flat shipping: $8 for 1 or 2 bags, $10 for 3 bags. Tell me the date you need it by at checkout, and I’ll email you when it ships.
Questions? Write to emily@plantpalatechef.com
Ingredients: Gluten-free organic oats, organic maple syrup, almonds, pecans, organic extra virgin olive oil, organic coconut sugar, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, unsweetened coconut flakes, flaxseeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, cinnamon, vanilla paste, sea salt. CONTAINS: TREE NUTS (ALMONDS, PECANS, COCONUT). Produced in a kitchen that also processes wheat, dairy, and peanuts.
Recipes + notes
From my kitchen.
Original recipes, cooking techniques, ingredient discoveries, and practical perspectives from nearly two decades spent thinking about the relationship between food, health, and pleasure. A place to share what I’m making, what I’m learning, and ideas to bring into your own kitchen.
Coming soon on Substack.
Work with me
Let’s create something good.
I bring culinary creativity, a foundation in dietetics, and hands-on experience developing recipes and running a production kitchen.
I welcome collaborations with brands, publications, researchers, and organizations that want to make thoughtful, flavorful food part of people’s lives.
From recipe development and editorial contributions to medically tailored meal projects, I’m interested in work that connects good food with practical purpose.
Have a project in mind? I’d love to hear about it.
Email Emilyemily@plantpalatechef.com
Recipe + product development
Original recipe development, testing, and refinement for menus, food products, and home cooks, with attention to nutrition, flavor, appearance, and consistent execution.
Food + nutrition writing
Practical food and nutrition insights, cooking tips, and original recipes for articles and editorial features. Available for writing assignments, expert commentary, and recipe contributions.
Medically tailored meal collaborations
Culinary and recipe development support for projects serving people with specific medical and dietary needs, drawing on my experience with personalized meal planning and cooking for clients living with serious illnesses.
Research collaborations
Meal curation, recipe development, and practical participant support for nutrition research, informed by my experience contributing to a clinical dietary intervention.
Brand partnerships
Recipe creation, food and nutrition content, and collaborations with brands whose products fit my approach to cooking and eating well.
Consulting
Support with menu development, recipe refinement, and translating nutrition goals into food that works in the kitchen.
Speaking + culinary events
Conversations, panels, and culinary experiences exploring plant-forward cooking, nutrition, food waste, and food access.