Brenda Thompson-Wattles is a Culinary Chef and Registered Dietitian who consults for child nutrition programs. As an advocate for CN professionals around the country, her mission is to empower them to embrace nutrition, influence greatness within each other, and craft culinary cultures in their kitchens — ultimately inspiring children to make healthy choices.

Brenda first studied to become a Registered Dietitian at the University of Idaho. Later, she received her culinary degree at the Le Cordon Blue College of Culinary Arts in Austin, Texas. Chef Brenda worked as a state employee and District Area Manager. In addition, she has been a consultant recipe standardizer for the USDA and has published several child nutrition standardized cookbooks/resources.

Today, Chef Brenda is celebrating her fifteenth year working as a professional in child nutrition programs. She shares her expertise through her Level Up with Chef Brenda social media platform, which focuses on sharing standardized recipes and culinary tips.