A Meal Delivery Kit for Mothers
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Chiyo provides U.S. nationwide shipping for their fertility and postpartum meal plans. These include breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and an herbal broth with tonic regimen specifically curated for nutritional efficacy (Photo courtesy of Jennifer Jolorte Doro).
Chiyo is one such meal delivery kit, but it stands out from the rest because it is made especially for mothers.
“Chiyo provides meal programs and nutrition education for fertility, pregnancy and postpartum through foundational meals, stage specific broth and tonic regimen, curriculum, and coaching,” says Filipino American Jennifer Jolorte Doro, co-founder and Chief Culinary Officer of Chiyo. “We utilize the best of Eastern Food Therapy and Nutritional Science to uplift the standard of care in maternal wellness.”
Jennifer Jolorte Doro is a Clinical Nutritionist and the Co-founder/Chief Culinary Officer of Chiyo. Her life's mission is to improve the standard of maternal care and wellness (Photo courtesy of Jennifer Jolorte Doro).
Asian cultures have versions of postpartum food remedies and are traditionally prepared by mothers and aunts for a new mom’s recovery after childbirth. For Filipinos, it has been customary to serve halaan (clam) soup and dishes with malunggay (moringa) to encourage breastmilk production. The challenge of living far away from home or the lack of helping hands is where Chiyo comes to the rescue. Chiyo is a way of mothering the mother through food and nutrition.
“We started during Covid, so it was a very different time. We knew that people needed this type of support, especially as travel for family was limited but also family dynamics have changed. Many people don’t necessarily live close to their family and still need support,” Jennifer notes.
“In other countries, a lot of this type of care is standard practice and there are programs that help set up the support you need. In the States, you need to seek out this type of care on your own and the village isn’t already built in,” she explains.
The name Chiyo means “a thousand generations,” a definition referencing ancient wisdom and traditions being passed down and built upon. “We wanted to have a name to represent what we do,” adds Jennifer.
A Purpose-Driven Life
While Jennifer was born and raised in California, she is now based in the New York area where Chiyo operations are located. She admits, “I wanted to be a lawyer. I studied Political Science and Public Policy but didn’t want to continue pursuing Law School. Instead, I gravitated toward non-profit work and then eventually small business and start-up environments.”
She met Chiyo’s co-founder and CEO Irene Liu, who is Taiwanese American, on the internet.
Irene Liu (left) and Jennifer Jolorte Doro (right) are the founders of Chiyo, a meal delivery program designed for the momentous season of a woman’s life (Photo courtesy of Jennifer Jolorte Doro).
“As I was already a Private Postpartum Chef, we were able to leverage the existing network, configuration, and recipes. “We started with a pilot during the winter of 2020. We ended up receiving thousands of dollars in pre-orders, so we formalized our operations in January of 2021. In the beginning, it was just Irene and me! Now we have a larger team [predominantly women] to help in all aspects of the business,” she recounts. “Collectively, we are problem solvers and adapt quickly to challenges.”
She explains further: “As founders our responsibilities change all the time. Irene connects with our board, strategic initiatives and more. I oversee marketing, customer experience, and kitchen operations,” says Jennifer. “I love every single minute of it because I’m able to contribute to a mission and purpose driven company that wants to change the standard of care for maternal wellness.”
Jennifer’s career trajectory is validation that even when life plans change, other doors open, and opportunities lead to new ones.
“Chiyo is a culmination of my life’s work in maternal wellness. After my startup life, I pursued wellness full time as a yoga instructor and trained in pre/postpartum yoga. From there, I obtained my M.S. in Clinical Nutrition and additional certifications including birth/postpartum doula and lactation support. I created a practice first as a Private Postpartum Chef and then one-on-one Nutritional Support,” she says. “I love helping people and new families and provide cultural and accessible nutritional education.”
Chiyo is gluten free and dairy free, with options for vegetarians (Photo courtesy of Jennifer Jolorte Doro).
As for future career goals, “I think I would like to add an aspect of psychology to this work, as I like to focus on the root cause of [women’s] relationship with their food foundation,” she adds.
A life dedicated to maternal wellness -- wouldn’t that be beneficial for mothers and families all over the world?
On Being a Mother
Jennifer is a mother of two young boys. As they grow up in the U.S., she makes sure to teach them about their Filipino heritage. “Every summer we spend a significant amount of time with my family in California. Obviously [I introduce them to] the food, but also just sharing stories, the language, and funny anecdotes. I think it’s important because I want my kids to know there is a world beyond their typical four walls and Filipino culture is so rich with love, warmth, and happiness,” she asserts.
Chiyo’s co-founder Jennifer Jolorte Doro and her family: husband Peter Doro and their sons, four-year old John and one-year old JP (Photo courtesy of Jennifer Jolorte Doro).
She wants to remind mothers to also take care of themselves. “Ask for help! Even if it’s not childcare, little things like organizing the groceries or having a partner take care of the bath routine. To have the ability of even five minutes of quiet time makes a world of difference,” she advises.
Chiyo aims to create a community around eating mindfully and sharing knowledge (Photo courtesy of Jennifer Jolorte Doro).
And for anyone who would like to spoil a special mom in their life, she recommends, “Let them do something alone. A massage, lunch, manicure, and pedicure. Once you become a mom, you’re always doing things for everyone else and never get to do things on your own.”
Another thoughtful idea -- treat them to a Chiyo subscription!
For more information, visit wearechiyo.com
Chiyo’s recipe for Kelp Noodle Pancit with Salmon is in our Happy Home Cook section this week:
http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/?category=The+Happy+Home+Cook
Claire Mercado-Obias is a writer, food stylist and pastry chef based in New Jersey.
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