Tara Thomas is a plant-based chef, model, and food activist who practices the rituals of self-care and self-belief passed down from her mother and grandmothers—and they’ve served her well. From curating a Narnia-themed menu for a fashion event to founding Breaking Bread, a non-profit that delivers healthy meals to food insecure communities, Tara embodies the connection between food, fashion, and wellness.
We talked to Tara about cooking as meditation, why nourishment is a sacred ritual, and the power of intuition.
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What does 'home' mean to you?
"To me, home is a space for all facets of me to be at rest. A home is safe, calm, rejuvenating, nourishing, and grounding. Home is an energy that can be found, transported, and evolved. I identify as a homebody and so building, sustaining, and maintaining my home is high on my priority. My home begins in my body, when I make my body glow I can radiate into the spaces I exist in, the loved ones I pour into, the community I reflect with, and the Earth I reside in." 
Who are the important women or matriarchs in your life?
"Obviously my mother, grandmothers, and incredible women I call friends in my life. My mother taught me everything about being an entrepreneur and self belief/value/exploration -- she's an empowering force of nature. My grandmothers on both sides of my family are/were extremely domesticated ladies. I've found so much inspiration to care with opulence. The women I call friends exist closer in my orbit as chosen matriarchs of the future, I am truly enamored by the tender power of feminine energy."
From life and business to style and intuition, what lessons have these women imparted that you keep with you?
"I love this question so much. There's been a myriad of lessons that have imparted me through life, business, style, and intuition. They can be collaged into a frequency mantra that,
'My body and spirit must be prioritised more than anyone and anything in this world. Listen and trust the divine truth that comes from within. Fuel my body with goodness and I'll radiate that!'
It's quite liberating."
"Coming home to myself is knowing that no matter where I am, I know who I am returning to and that is someone that my inner child is proud of and my highest self feels understood. That is coming home to myself."
What early memories or impactful experiences influenced you to become a chef?
"Typical Gen Z girly loved watching food networks paired with my Boomer mother who would only let me play outside is how I became a chef. I always had an intuition with creating delicious food, it became a mediation, and I decided when I was 19 that I wanted to build a career around that energy."
"Food and wellness define the quality of life as the ritual of nourishment lies in all facets of wellness; mental, emotional, physical, occupational, intellectual, and spiritual. Food is a path to nourishment that allows us to access peace in our selves, community, and collective. Everyone needs to eat, I believe and know that the majority of the suffering that occurs is because of lack of access to food and the sacred ritual of nourishment."
What’s the one piece of advice you’d give to your younger self?
"I would tell myself that I'm a beautiful and intuitive force of nature, that I can lead with love without fear."
Your personal style feels so unique to you. What’s your approach to fashion?
"So funny, I wanted to be a fashion designer from age 6 - 11, fashion has always been something I valued I knew that how I show up makes a difference in my environment. My approach to fashion is functional, cozy, with reason, and tells a story from my past and/or future."
"I cannot skip a shower, I cannot skip a meal, and I cannot skip a bit of sunshine. Those all domino into me using my favorite beauty tools in my cabinets, pantry, and world around me."
Tara's Ritual:
