Introduction

If you’ve picked up this book, it’s probably because you or someone very close to you is going through a difficult time. A cancer diagnosis and the prospect of cancer treatment is scary, even for the most upbeat soul. There are probably a million questions and thoughts running around your head, and while I can’t address them all, I can speak to one: Am I going to enjoy eating during treatment? Heck, am I going to be able to eat at all?

This book is all about enhancing your appetite during treatment, and much more. For me, the key concept is something I think of as “the power of yum,” a phrase I’ve used throughout my career as a “culinary translator,” if you will. I work with oncologists, nutritionists, and cancer wellness professionals to help their patients stay well fed during treatment by translating nutritional recommendations into delicious, nourishing meals. To me, this was always the power of yum in action: showing people that great nutrition and great taste could join together joyously on the same plate. Working with cancer patients for the past decade, I’ve seen heartening results. People who had truly disconnected from food could be brought back to the table and nourished, so long as the food was appealing to all the senses; was presented in a manner that fit their often shifting tastes and appetite (think small, nutrient-dense portions that are easily stored and reheated); and could easily be shopped for, prepped, and cooked by either the patient or their caregivers.

If that was all there was to the power of yum, I’d be eternally grateful. It turns out that this is only half of the story. Over the past five years, t...