Who is TheChefDoc?
You may have come across one of his recipes, heard about him on a podcast, or seen him in an interview... But really...who exactly is TheChefDoc?
Dr. Colin Zhu is Board-Certified in Family practice and Lifestyle medicine. He finished osteopathic medicine in West Virginia and received his training in Family Practice afterward in Connecticut. Dr. Zhu is one of the first-class physicians who has been board-certified in Lifestyle Medicine since 2017.
Early Inspirations
You may wonder why Dr. Colin Zhu chose such a circuitous path. His primary inspiration was his mother, a Traditional Chinese Medicine physician, who encouraged him to pursue medical school with the goal of blending Eastern and Western medical philosophies.
However, as he followed the guidance of his mentors, Dr. Zhu realized that many chronic diseases were influenced by lifestyle/diet-related factors that were not adequately addressed in medical school and training at the time. This realization motivated him to seek additional education and training to better understand and address these factors for his future medical practice.
Cooking Up His Career
So, Dr. Colin Zhu took his education into his own hands. After completing his medical training, he pursued additional studies in health-supportive and plant-based culinary arts at the Natural Gourmet Institute and health coaching at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, both in New York City. This unique combination of medical and culinary expertise positioned Dr. Zhu as one of the few physicians specializing in Lifestyle and Culinary Medicine. Later, he began his career as a locum tenens doctor, which is similar to being a “substitute teacher” for doctors.
This allowed Dr. Zhu to embrace a flexible schedule that allowed him to explore his passions beyond medicine without needing to stay in one place to practice medicine. He traveled extensively, experiencing diverse cultures and cuisines while serving patients worldwide. During this time, he honed his culinary skills and developed a deep understanding of the profound impact of food on individual health and its impact on the broader community.
The Birth of TheChefDoc
With Dr. Colin Zhu's unique expertise and experience, he launched TheChefDoc in 2017 to share such knowledge with a wider audience. Dr. Colin recognized that there was no time to educate and teach his patients under the current healthcare system and most physicians were not fully equipped to dispense preventative medicine. So with TheChefDoc, He aimed to create TheChefDoc as a one-stop platform for wellness resources for the public. He focuses on three components: Thrive Medicine, Lifestyle Medicine & Culinary Medicine. Not long afterward, he was able to write and publish his first book “Thrive Medicine: How To Cultivate Your Desires and Elevate Your Life."
Dr. Colin is also an active public speaker and has presented at several conferences and events across the nation and internationally. It has been his mission to empower and teach his audience plant-powered cooking through his workshops and share insights on several wellness topics. To top it off, he shares his knowledge in alleviating the burden of chronic diseases and guiding people to adopt healthier and more fulfilling lifestyles.
Serendipitously, he has continued to share his expertise in informative and entertaining ways through his podcast, Thrive Bites. He interviews other health/wellness experts on topics such as plant-powered living, emotional wellness, and thriving. The podcast provides enriching insights that the audience would love to bring along as a guide. Since the pandemic, he found another calling to continuously inspire and impact others through self-education. In a recent venture, Dr. Colin Zhu launched a masterclass series called The THR5 Formula™. Over 50 experts from the health and wellness industry have gathered to share their expertise in the areas of functional fitness, food as medicine, community, resilience, and relationships to teach you how to thrive right now.
Recently, Dr. Colin Zhu has launched more coaching and consulting options, reaching patients nationwide with plant-based lifestyle medicine. Known as TheChefDoc Lifestyle Medicine, Dr. Zhu is a trailblazer in medicine, culinary arts, and health coaching. His transition from conventional medical practice to a chef-doctor showcases his dedication to combating lifestyle-related diseases wholistically.
Through these initiatives, he educates and motivates individuals toward healthier lifestyles. Dr. Zhu's innovative work plays a vital role in promoting preventative health and overall well-being for the years to come. Come join his mission!
About the author:Dr. Colin Zhu, Board-Certified in Family Practice and Lifestyle Medicine, is a plant-based chef and health coach trained at the Natural Gourmet Institute for Health & Culinary Arts and Institute for Integrative Nutrition. He launched www.thechefdoc.app, an online wellness platform in 2017, authored "Thrive Medicine," and hosts the Thrive Bites podcast. Dr. Zhu enjoys salsa dancing, scuba diving & globetrotting. He resides and works in Southern California and lives with his cat Naruto. 