We recently had the chance to connect with Ryan Perel and have shared our conversation below.
Ryan, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: What is a normal day like for you right now?
A normal day for me consists of going to work, working out, cooking dinner and unwinding at the end of the night on social media or watching tv.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Ryan Perel and I am the face behind Plating with Perel. I am a food blogger and content creator in the gluten free realm, as I have celiac disease. I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease in 2019 and launched my food blog in 2020 after I was furloughed from my job. This journey starting out as sharing photos on Instagram and it has led to a website, tv and media appearances, cookbook features and attending food expos. For me, this is a passion project on the side of my full time job and it’s all about letting my voice be heard for those with celiac disease or food allergies.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
A moment for me that shaped who I am as an individual today is traveling to Israel over ten years ago on a trip with 40+ individuals I did not know. I love to travel and being of Jewish descent Israel is the motherland. I took a risk on going on this Birthright trip, and it was the best decision I ever made cause it forced me to go from introvert to extrovert, get to know people and cultures I’m not normally exposed to and learn about my heritage
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
I almost gave up when I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease in 2019. I had been sick for several months prior to my diagnosis and I was extremely anxious and depressed. My physical, mental and emotional health were not in a good place and all I wanted to do was sit at home and lay in bed. I constantly questioned why this was happening to me and I am so grateful that I had a supportive network of family and friends. I turned to prescription medicine, therapy and cooking itself to get me out of this funk. It took a couple years, but five years later I can say I’m in a much better place in my life and look forward to helping others going through similar struggles.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
My closest friends would say my health and cooking are what really matters to me. If I don’t mention, I am gluten free or have celiac disease the first time I meet someone that comes as a surprise.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. When do you feel most at peace?
I feel most at peace when I’m in the kitchen or traveling. Cooking is like therapy for me and I feel at ease and everything bad going on just fades away. Additionally, I love to travel and that started from my young adult age going to Israel and studying abroad in Paris. It helps that my day job is in the hospitality industry and I’m always going to a new place every few months.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Www.platingwithperel.com
- Instagram: Platingwithperel
- Other: Tik Tok: Platingwithperel
