Our graduates around the world are doing amazing things like opening restaurants and health centers, and we were so thrilled when we came across Tere and Luis Salgado, restaurateurs and chefs at Peruvian-Creole restaurant Rockin’ Raw in New York City.

Rockin’ Raw is an organic, vegan, raw, gluten-free, soy-free restaurant nestled in the heart of Greenwich Village. The warm atmosphere and delicious, nurturing food is a direct reflection of the heart-centered owners.

We got to talk with Tere and Luis about their journey to Integrative Nutrition and how their time at the school transformed their lives and shaped their career, and we’re so excited to inspire you with their story.

Where are you both from and what were you doing before enrolling at Integrative Nutrition?

Luis: I’m a musician from Peru.

Tere: I’m from New Orleans, and have lived in New York City for over 19 years. Before IIN, I was a budding young fashion stylist and happily bartending. Today we are happily married with two beautiful children. 

What led you to enroll in the Health Coach Training Program?

Tere: We both wanted to fill up on nutrition knowledge and help conquer the world’s health problems one fork at a time. We’ve always been curious about nutrition, and when we found IIN our world became so much brighter. 

How did your life change after enrolling in the program?

Tere: Luis enrolled first and after every class, his passion for spreading such great nutrition information grew. He set his sights on learning and mastering all he could to serve our community. I was inspired by him and enrolled the next year. Between the two of us and all our knowledge, Rockin’ Raw was born. The entire menu is designed to be very delicious and nutrient-dense.

What topics and teachers were most beneficial for you?

Luis: David Wolfe was inspiring. Our mission really came into focus when raw, vegan, whole foods were discussed. The idea of eating pure and being able to reverse ailments with proper nutrition was priceless. 

What are you doing now?

Tere: We’re fully dedicated to nurturing our Peruvian-Creole restaurant, Rockin’ Raw. We are 100% organic, vegan, gluten-free, and soy-free.

What makes your restaurant so unique?

Tere: We are practically nut-free and we use so many spices and herbs. 

How do you support your customers to be healthy and happy?

Luis: Besides taking great care in keeping the menu clean, fresh, flavorful, and fun, we offer free health coaching to anyone, anytime. People email us all the time and we are always around to meet and answer questions, or just listen. We love our work. 

Do you want to open a restaurant or launch a healthy food product? What inspires you? What about this story resonates with you?

Leave a comment below and join the conversation!