Nutritionist of the Year Scotland 2021/22-2024/25

Evidence-based dietary advice and support informed by my unique blend of experience as a nutritionist, researcher & Michelin-starred chef

Nutritionist

I graduated at the top of my class with a First-Class Honours degree in nutrition from the University of Glasgow in 1997.

I subsequently won the HEBS Postgraduate Research Scholarship to study for a Masters in Public Health, graduating with Distinction and winning the Dr Mackinlay (Anderson College) Prize for the highest academic achievement in my year.

Researcher

For the next 15 years, I worked in the NHS leading research to better understand and improve Scotland’s health around:

  • Diet

  • Alcohol

  • Heart disease

  • Physical activity

  • Mental health and wellbeing.

My world-leading research on alcohol showed that Scots were drinking twice the amount our national surveys suggested, triggering worldwide improvements in survey measurement of alcohol and persuading Scottish Government of the need for the bold new policy measures of the last decade, policy measures adopted in many other countries.

Rose and Ruffle wedding cake, by Sonnda Catto, Nutritionist, Glasgow, Scotland

Chef

Award-winning, Le Cordon Bleu-trained, Michelin-star experienced chef

Always passionate about food, I then immersed myself in the culinary arts for five years, learning from the best in the industry.

I moved to London and retrained as a professional chef at Le Cordon Bleu, the world’s top culinary school.

I went on to work at the then 2-Michelin-starred Sketch in Mayfair, learning from an all-French brigade led by renowned French master chef, Pierre Gagnaire.

Eager to soak up as much knowledge as I could, I staged (cheffy term for interned) with William Curley, four-time winner of Britain’s Best Chocolatier, and Damian Allsop, creator of water-based ganache chocolate.

Jetting off to Washington DC, I studied under Maggie Austin, celebrated US cake designer and sugar flower artist.

Returning home to Scotland, I won two national baking awards:

  • Scotland’s Best Baker from Home 2014

  • Scottish Baking Award 2014.

Sugar flower detail on Rose and Ruffle wedding cake, by Sonnda Catto, Nutritionist, Glasgow, Scotland
David Austin rose sugar flower detail on sage ombré wedding cake, by Sonnda Catto, Nutritionist, Glasgow, Scotland

Living my best life with ME

The 360 Personalised Nutrition Programme was born out of my own journey to improve my health.

In 2010, my health started to decline. In 2011, I was signed off work for 6 months, but no one knew what was wrong. Struggling with severe fatigue, brain fog, anxiety, low mood, weird and not so wonderful gastrointestinal symptoms, food intolerances, muscle and joint pain, I remember lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, wondering, What will become of me?Not knowing the cause, I felt scared and extremely anxious about my future.

It took until 2016 to get a diagnosis: ME/CFS. Despite affecting over 250,000 people in the UK and around 17 million worldwide, little research into the condition means it’s poorly understood and there is currently no treatment.

Taking matters into my own hands, I fused my expertise in nutrition, research and food to optimise my own diet and health.

Today, I’m living my best life with ME.

I’m here to help you do the same.

Sonnda at Blackthorn Salt, Sonnda Catto, Nutritionist, Glasgow, Scotland

Fusing all three skillsets
– nutritionist, researcher, and chef –
alongside my personal experience of
living with a chronic condition,
I’m here to help you optimise your diet so that
you too can live your best, healthiest, happiest life.