Zach Breeding, formerly known as Mr. Cook-it, is a Registered Dietitian (RD) and professional Chef. Zach started his career in foodservice at the age of twelve working on a crab boat, and has worked in every aspect of the industry since - from waiting tables to managing a private club kitchen.

His culinary education began at Eastern Technical High School's Culinary Arts and Restaurant Management program. In 2006, he earned his BS in Culinary Arts from The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College, where he was class Salutatorian and earned the ‘Spirit of the Industry' award. During his collegiate education, he studied abroad in France and England, learning about various styles of food preparation, wine, and the influence of various cultures on cuisine. Since then, he owned and operated catering business in Philadelphia for five years serving clients such as the International Houses of Philadelphia, New York, Chicago, and London; AirProducts; University of the Sciences in Philadelphia; University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, Philadelphia's Chamber of Commerce, and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Most recently, Zachari was employed with Wegmans Food Markets as Culinary Management where he enhanced the ‘Eat Well Live Well’ program. He has volunteered with City Harvest in New York City and with Montefiore Hospital's South Bronx Health Center, providing nutrition therapy and counseling to a diverse group of patients.

In order to obtain the RD credential, he completed his dietetic internship at New York University Langone Medical Center (NY, NY) and Stamford Hospital (Stamford, CT). He developed his unique presence in nutrition by working in clinical and community settings providing Medical Nutrition Therapy and Nutrition Counseling at Montefiore Hospital’s South Bronx Health Center and City Harvest. In addition to being a Registered Dietitian and practicing Licensed Dietitian in Pennsylvania, he is also completing a Masters of Science in Clinical Nutrition at New York University. He is now a clinical dietitian with Drexel University College of Medicine and a private practice dietitian at Hornstein, Platt, & Associates.

Zachari’s approach to nutrition therapy and counseling is based around the patient, where he provides an integrative approach using current evidence-based research, outcome development, and personal recipe modifications. He utilizes both the RD credential and his background in Culinary Arts to personalize diets, intensify flavor profiles, and make healthful recommendations for long-term compliance. He is able to specialize any diet therapy to cultural, religious, and personal preferences and standards. His guidance and counseling skills have been recognized as thorough, warm, patient-centered, and motivation driven.

As no one patient is alike, Zachari’s culinary and nutritional areas of interest vary and include:

• Nutrition Considerations for the Transgender Community and Gender Affirming Therapies
• Medical Cannabis in Nutrition Practice
• Health Disparities among Spanish-speaking communities
• Cuisines from North/South America, Mexico, Europe, and Asia
• Diseases of the Gastrointestinal Region
• Gastric Bypass and Lap-Band Surgery Patients
• Pulmonary Diseases, such as Cystic Fibrosis
• Conditions affecting the Heart and Kidney
• Diabetes Management, specifically Type 1 Diabetes
• Weight Loss and General Health Maintenance