I’ve spent over 35 years in the hospitality industry as both a chef and a teacher, dedicating my life to the joy of food and the art of service. But it wasn’t until I faced my own battle with an autoimmune disease and Lyme disease that I truly discovered the power of healing. Through deep struggle came transformation. My journey has taught me that food is more than nourishment; it’s medicine, connection, and a pathway to wellness. Now, I combine decades of culinary expertise with hard-earned healing wisdom to help others reclaim their health—one nourishing bite at a time.
A CHEF’S JOURNEY TO HEALING
About Courtney
Welcome!
I’m Courtney Contos. I am a Chef, TV and Radio personality, National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach, Functional Medicine Certified Health Coach, Journey Of Intrinsic Health Coach with Zach Bush, and Certified GAPS coach .
I bring 30 year of culinary excellence to the table. I was raised and mentored in downtown Chicago under the expertise of my acclaimed restauranteur father, Bill Contos. He was the owner of Chez Paul - an ultra-elegant French restaurant and known in popular culture as the fancy restaurant from the iconic classic films Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and The Blue Brothers. Chez Paul is where my love of food and appreciation for quality was born.
I carried on my father’s vision by working in restaurants, Martha Stewart’s test kitchen, and cooking schools until ultimately attaining my degree in culinary arts from Kendall Culinary School in Chicago. I opened my charming cooking school Chef Contos Kitchen & Store in 2013 up in the village of Shelburne Vermont. After one year of being open I was featured by Food & Wine Magazine as one of the best cooking schools in the world - focused on culinary education and chef-curated retail. For 8 years I taught 100 cooking classes a year and never repeated a class. Cooking classes sold out overnight, we built a community around real cooking and had a blast doing it!
Amidst my successes, I struggled and still suffer with chronic pain due to a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis/lyme disease. My rheumatologist declared on numerous occasions that my condition would never change and that I would be wheelchair-bound for the rest of my life. Unwilling to accept this fate, I persevered to find a solution, and everyday I commit to pushing forward with healthy decisions and nourishment from scratch cooking.
Having been so positively impacted by my healing journey - I merged my rich experience as a culinary leader and educator with my health journey and became a Wellness Coach. My mission is to help others transform their health by guiding people in the right direction when they find themselves stuck without wellness support. Currently supporting private clients.
My heart is in the kitchen! In my cooking classes, I'm passionate about empowering home cooks like you to elevate your culinary skills and enthusiasm by using quality kitchen tools and courage to branch out. I believe that having the right tools can make a significant difference in your cooking experience, allowing you to unleash your creativity and confidence in the kitchen.
