Tahini & Food Entrepreneurship with Rachel Simons of Seed + Mill

Rachel Simons is the founder of Seed + Mill, a woman-owned company bringing the ancient ingredients of tahini and halva to modern kitchens. Inspired by her passion for food and community, Rachel transitioned from a successful legal career to the culinary world, where she now celebrates the beauty and versatility of sesame. Through Seed + Mill, she’s built a brand rooted in quality, sustainability, and creativity — sourcing the finest sesame seeds and crafting products that elevate both savory and sweet dishes. Rachel is also the author of SESAME, a cookbook that celebrates the flavor, history, and health benefits of this ancient seed through inspired, nourishing recipes. As Rachel beautifully puts it, “Cooking can be a meditative and creative process.” We discuss: Rachel Simons’ journey from a legal career to becoming a food entrepreneur. The cultural significance and rich history of tahini and halva. How sourcing high-quality sesame seeds impacts flavor, nutrition, and tradition. The challenges and rewards of building a food business centered on community and connection. Mindful cooking practices, from the health benefits of tahini to finding meditation in the kitchen. Follow Rachel Simons on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/commonelements/?hl=en Follow Seed+Mill on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seedandmill/?hl=en  Get Sesame: Global Recipes and Stories from an Ancient Seed: https://www.seedandmill.com/products/cookbook Visit the Seed + Mill website: https://www.seedandmill.com/ where you can order tahini and halvah  Learn more about High Vibration Living with Chef Whitney Aronoff on www.StarseedKitchen.com  Get 10% off your order of Chef Whitney’s organic spices with code STARSEED on www.starseedkitchen.com  Follow Chef Whitney Aronoff on Instagram at @whitneyaronoff and @starseedkitchen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nicki Sizemore is the leading voice bridging together mindfulness and cooking. As a trained chef, she’s spent over two decades in the food industry working as a recipe developer, educator and cookbook author. She publishes the MIND, BODY, SPIRIT, FOOD newsletter and podcast, where she shares mindfulness practices, rituals, weekly recipes, and more to bring presence, connection, ease and joy into the process of cooking and eating. She also publishes the From Scratch Fast blog and is the author of three cookbooks. Her fourth book, "MIND, BODY, SPIRIT, FOOD: Adaptable Recipes and Grounding Meditations for Preparing Meals with Joy and Intention," will be released in January 2026!  Find her at nickisizemore.com  and @nickisizemore. We discuss: How food can be a powerful tool for self-discovery and overall nourishment of the mind, body, and spirit. The role of intuitive and mindful eating in transforming your relationship with meals. Why small, intentional steps can lead to lasting changes in eating habits and wellness. The joy and empowerment that comes from cooking seasonally and understanding your ingredients. How creating a supportive, nourishing kitchen environment fosters connection, creativity, and well-being. Mind, Body, Spirit, Food Newsletter: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/ Mind, Body, Spirit, Food Cookbook (now available for pre-order): https://a.co/d/duCQsiN  Learn more at Nicki’s website: https://nickisizemore.com Follow Nicki on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickisizemore  Learn more about High Vibration Living with Chef Whitney Aronoff on www.StarseedKitchen.com  Get 10% off your order of Chef Whitney’s organic spices with code STARSEED on www.starseedkitchen.com  Follow Chef Whitney Aronoff on Instagram at @whitneyaronoff and @starseedkitchen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kristin Coates is the CEO of Regenerative California, where she leads efforts to reimagine how communities, economies, and ecosystems can thrive together. With more than 20 years of experience across the private, nonprofit, and public sectors, Kristin brings funders, industries, and local leaders together to co-create regenerative solutions. Through Regenerative California’s pilot in Monterey County, she is pioneering a model for resilient, equitable, and sustainable regional economies that can be scaled across the state and beyond. We discuss: Why California is uniquely positioned to lead the way in building regenerative economies. The critical need for affordable housing in Monterey County and its impact on communities. How regenerative organic farming restores soil health, supports farmers, and strengthens local food systems. The economic realities farmers face, and why living wages and fair supply chains are essential for sustainable agriculture. The power of collaboration, community engagement, and individual choices in scaling regenerative practices and supporting local farmers. Learn more about Regenerative California here: https://www.regenerativecalifornia.org/ Connect with Kristien on Linkedin here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristincoates/  Learn more about High Vibration Living with Chef Whitney Aronoff on www.StarseedKitchen.com  Get 10% off your order of Chef Whitney’s organic spices with code STARSEED on www.starseedkitchen.com  Follow Chef Whitney Aronoff on Instagram at @whitneyaronoff and @starseedkitchen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chef Whitney Aronoff is host of the High Vibration Living Podcast and founder of Starseed Kitchen organic spices.    Chef Whitney works as a Holistic Chef in Laguna Beach, California. She shares her healthy recipes and wellness insights on her website, Starseed Kitchen.  Passionate about empowering people to cook health supportive nourishing meals, because the healthiest meal you can eat is the one you make at home. Chef Whitney shares insights on all the ways to nourish your physical, emotional, spiritual and mental bodies.  Starseed Kitchen organic spice blends combine Chef Whitney’s culinary and spiritual knowledge. These products bring more flavor, color and nourishment into your daily cooking routine. Each jar is charged with kundalini mantras and quartz Giza crystals to raise the vibration of every meal.  We discuss: What are high vibration foods 3 ways to source high vibe foods How to look at food and know the vibration How to cook the food for vibration How to create a high vibration kitchen space Become the vessel to create high vibe food Learn more about High Vibration Living with Chef Whitney Aronoff on www.starseedkitchen.com Get 10% off your order of Chef Whitney’s organic spices with code STARSEED on www.starseedkitchen.com Follow Chef Whitney Aronoff on Instagram at @whitneyaronoff and @starseedkitchen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jennifer Sherman is the Culinary Director at the Alice Waters Institute, where she helps advance edible education and advocate for better food in schools. She spent much of her culinary career alongside Alice Waters at Chez Panisse as a cook, co-chef, and General Manager, while also supporting Alice’s global projects in food and education. Jennifer spent a decade in Japan developing large-scale food product lines for Rock Field, Ltd., and later served as Culinary Director at The Ecology Center, a 30-acre educational farm and culinary program in San Juan Capistrano. She currently serves on the board of Chez Panisse Restaurant. In her work, Jennifer champions local organic farming, community engagement, and nutritious school food as essential to children’s learning, health, and behavior. She continues to inspire individuals to support local food systems and embrace simple, healthy eating. We discuss: Jennifer’s unconventional culinary journey and the influence of Alice Waters, the godmother of farm-to-table How the Edible Schoolyard Project and School Supported Agriculture connect kids with gardening, cooking, and local farmers The impact of good school food on children’s behavior, learning, and overall well-being The power of parents, volunteers, and communities in shaping better school food systems Why food education and simple, healthy snacks are essential for nutrition and sustainability Learn more about The Edible Schoolyard Project and The Alice Waters Institute here: https://edibleschoolyard.org/alice-waters-institute Learn more about High Vibration Living with Chef Whitney Aronoff on www.StarseedKitchen.com  Get 10% off your order of Chef Whitney’s organic spices with code STARSEED on www.starseedkitchen.com  Follow Chef Whitney Aronoff on Instagram at @whitneyaronoff and @starseedkitchen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Judi has spent the last 28 years of her life spearheading grassroots community projects. The dearth of answers around Marin County’s high cancer rates led Judi to found the nonprofit Search for the Cause, now Turning Green, a global student-led movement advocating for healthy food, safer products, and ethical businesses. She is also the force behind The Conscious Kitchen, a paradigm shifting model for school food service, transitioning school meals from pre-packaged, processed, heat-and-serve to chef-prepared, scratch cooked local, organic food, cooked in on-site zero waste kitchens. Believing that access to healthy food is a right, not a privilege, she began this work on a campus where 95% of children live below the poverty line, qualifying for free-and-reduced government-subsidized school meals. Moving to the Bay Area in 1989 and becoming a mother to daughter Erin changed the course of Judi’s life. Prior to this, she was an Emmy Award-winning television producer for 25 years with ABC Sports, FOX and Oxygen, founded The Diary Project forum for youth at the onset of the internet, and ran a successful student art exhibition, Celebrate Arts. Judi has been a consultant with the California Coastal Commission around public education for the past two decades. We discuss: The Conscious Kitchen’s mission to bring 100% organic food into California schools How food connects people, cultures, and the environment The crucial role of parents and communities in advocating for better school food systems Rebuilding trust in school lunches through education, collaboration, and USDA influence Why organic farming and individual action matter for health and sustainability Learn more about Conscious Kitchen: https://www.consciouskitchen.org/ Follow Conscious Kitchen on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/consciouskitchn/ Learn more about High Vibration Living with Chef Whitney Aronoff on www.StarseedKitchen.com  Get 10% off your order of Chef Whitney’s organic spices with code STARSEED on www.starseedkitchen.com  Follow Chef Whitney Aronoff on Instagram at @whitneyaronoff and @starseedkitchen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sylvia Mizokami is a massage therapist and founder of MACSL, Mizokami Advanced Circulatory Sports Lymphatic. Her extensive knowledge of the human body is the product of 40+ years in the health and massage therapy fields.  Her technique increases lymph flow, improves circulation and eliminate toxins from the body. MACSL aids the lymphatic system by breaking up calcification caused by stagnation of lymph fluid, thereby increasing lymph fluid flow.  Increasing lymph flow improves blood circulation and, as a result, inflammation is often ‘brought up’ through the body. The MACSL Technique helps the lymph system flush out excess fluids and toxins, reducing and preventing further inflammation. We discuss: What is the lymphatic system Signs to look for that our lymph needs support What toxins are we really draining in a massage How to support our lymphatic system at home Learn more about Lymphatic Massage with Sylvia Mizokami https://www.mizokamitherapy.com Learn more about High Vibration Living with Chef Whitney Aronoff on www.StarseedKitchen.com  Get 10% off your order of Chef Whitney’s organic spices with code STARSEED on www.starseedkitchen.com  Follow Chef Whitney Aronoff on Instagram at @whitneyaronoff and @starseedkitchen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Josh Leibowitz is the chef and restaurateur behind Vibe Organic Kitchen, a health-focused restaurant concept dedicated to rethinking food for longer, healthier lives. Passionate about clean eating without sacrificing flavor, Josh has created a menu that is organic, seed oil-free, gluten-free, and free of refined sugars. With three thriving Orange County locations in Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, and Dana Point, Vibe Organic Kitchen is poised to expand into Los Angeles and San Diego counties, bringing Josh’s wellness-forward approach to even more communities. We discuss: Why Josh founded Vibe Organic Kitchen to make healthy, flavorful food accessible. How transparency and quality ingredients build trust and enhance the dining experience. The role of innovative cooking techniques, like fire cooking, in flavor and authenticity. Mushrooms and other versatile ingredients for nutritious, delicious meals. How food can be both pleasurable and medicinal, creating joy and community around the table. Order from Vibe Organic Kitchen: https://www.eatdrinkvibe.com/ Learn more about High Vibration Living with Chef Whitney Aronoff on www.StarseedKitchen.com  Get 10% off your order of Chef Whitney’s organic spices with code STARSEED on www.starseedkitchen.com  Follow Chef Whitney Aronoff on Instagram at @whitneyaronoff and @starseedkitchen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Silvy Khoucasian is a Relationship Coach and a Writer. Her heart mission is to support people in being deeply and soulfully self-connected and to use their self-awareness to create relationships that feel nourishing and supportive. Silvy guides others to get to know themselves in a collaborative and empowering way and teaches people ways to strengthen their communication skills, their capacity to be vulnerable, and their ability to create healthy and compassionate boundaries. She has been deeply invested in her own personal healing journey over the last decade and highly values being an eternal student. Silvy has been featured in various publications such as Women’s Health, Buzzfeed, Vogue, Playboy, Allure, and Cosmopolitan magazine. Silvy eagerly looks forward to contributing to the global conversation on intimate relationships for many years to come. We discuss:  Exploring why therapy is more accepted than ever and how self-awareness can transform the way we love. Why focusing only on yourself isn’t enough without learning key relationship skills like vulnerability and communication. How understanding your attachment style can help you navigate dating and deepen connections. The importance of defining what you want and building a strong foundation before rushing into intimacy. How to move past social media’s unrealistic dating ideals and prioritize kindness, openness, and real conversation. Follow Silvy Khoucasian on Instagram: @silvykhoucasian Follow Silvy Khoucasian on Facebook: @Silvy Khoucasian  Work with Silvy in 1:1 Coaching here Start Silvy’s course, Attachment 101: https://silvy.teachable.com/p/attachment-101  Learn more about High Vibration Living with Chef Whitney Aronoff on www.StarseedKitchen.com  Get 10% off your order of Chef Whitney’s organic spices with code STARSEED on www.starseedkitchen.com  Follow Chef Whitney Aronoff on Instagram at @whitneyaronoff and @starseedkitchen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Courtney Miller is the Director of Harmonyum Education and Co-founder of Naam International and Naam Education. A seasoned wellness expert, Courtney is devoted to sharing the transformative power of Divine Spiritual Wisdom, Naam, and the healing arts. With a deep belief in the power of self-awareness, she guides others toward healing and lasting positive change through the sacred path of self-knowledge. We discuss:  The three branches of divine spiritual wisdom - harmonium, yoga, and spiritual insight - can guide a fulfilling path. Breath work, sound vibration, and energy management are essential tools for maintaining your light and vitality. Understanding your natal chart and spiritual symbols can offer deeper clarity and direction. Embracing imperfection and releasing perfectionism is key to true spiritual growth. Building a spiritual career often means forging your own path, but partnerships can amplify the journey. Follow Courtney Miller on Instagram: @courtneynaamlife Book a session with Courntey Miller: https://calendly.com/solcourtney/nyc-sessions?month=2025-07 Learn more about Harmonyum healing: https://harmonyumhealing.com/ Learn more about Naam Education: https://edu.naamyoga.com/ Learn more about High Vibration Living with Chef Whitney Aronoff on www.StarseedKitchen.com  Get 10% off your order of Chef Whitney’s organic spices with code STARSEED on www.starseedkitchen.com  Follow Chef Whitney Aronoff on Instagram at @whitneyaronoff and @starseedkitchen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices