We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ashley Perez a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Ashley, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Do you have any key partners or vendors – if so, how’d you find them and start working with them?

All of the brands, referral partners, yoga studios, etc. that I’ve built relationships with have blossomed from showing up authentically and vulnerably in spaces and places that feel aligned whether that’s an in-person event, through a mutual friend, or online. I’ve realized that I don’t fit into any type of box or category, and the most evaluation and self-growth happens when I embrace my uniqueness with unapologetic confidence. When others see the way I show up for myself by nourishing myself on a mind, body and spirit level, I attract the type of people who are on similar paths leading to aligned relationships.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I pivoted from fashion design to culinary arts halfway through college, with the through-line of artistic expression. From painting, to drawing clothes, to writing, to preparing a meal, creating something new has always lit me up.

My first job out of culinary school was at a raw vegan restaurant where I had full-rein over the menu and overall vision. I realized that the long hours and hustle mentality of the industry were not ideal for me but my passion for recipe creation truly flourished. My passion for health and wellness grew, and I loved connecting with coworkers and customers who held this same value. My mission was making raw plant foods taste amazing and I felt a lot of meaning and success in doing so.

After moving on to other restaurants, I realized that without creative autonomy the kitchen no longer felt like an aligned work place. I grew my food blog in the background while working as a personal chef, and doing recipe development for a few restaurants. I also started offering Kitchen Coaching for clients to teach them how to make a plant-based lifestyle fun, flexible, fulfilling and non-restrictive.

During this time I struggled with mysterious health issues that were becoming progressively worse despite my best efforts. I realized that although food was helpful and supportive in feeling better, it certainly wasn’t a cure to any of life’s issues, but one of many tools that I could use to enrich my life. I dove into the world of essential oils, yoga (I completely my 200 hours teacher training in 2018), spirituality, astrology, human design, and more to find a deeper sense of self.

This led to creating a 3 month coaching program, Restore, Expand + Ignite: 3 months to letting go of obsession, living with intention, + reclaiming your health from the inside out. This experience supports women in their evolution through various support and modalities, with tools on nourishing mind, body and spirit daily. I love sharing content on Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok to serve a large audience as well.

I continue to focus on creating nourishing recipes with partners and brands that feel aligned and I’m always grateful for the opportunity to make preparing food creative, delicious and approachable, without sacrificing health.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

I spent a long time comparing myself to other people’s timelines, life goals, careers, etc. Before discovering yoga and human design I often saw my unique qualities and quirks as an obstacle, but in my mid-late 20s I began to embrace them and see them as my superpower.

I want others to know that wherever they are on their path, it’s never too late to decondition, shed limit beliefs and redefine your definition of success.

What truly brings you joy? How can you nourish yourself so you can fully show up for those around you? What boundaries need to be set and honored? How would you live if only your own opinion mattered? How can you show more love and compassion for yourself?

Getting clear on these questions/answers will truly redirect your life in a more meaningful, aligned direction!

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

This summer I had a health issue surface seemingly “out of nowhere” which limited my physical abilities. I had to make quite a few shifts rapidly, which included disappointing people and pondering a lot of unknowns about the future. My identity as a “yoga teacher,” “wife,” and all my societal roles felt like it was fading so I found a new level of compassion for myself. This also taught me to trust the resilience of my body in a way I wasn’t challenged with in the past.

Contact Info:

• Website: thenakedfoodlife.com
• Instagram: @nourishwithashley @nourishing_brands
• Facebook: Ashley Nicole Perez, The Naked Food Life
• Other: TikTok: @nourishwithashley