Sydney Webb brings her concept of food as medicine to Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars

Although Gordon Ramsay took a big plunge to kick off the first episode of Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars, Sydney Webb took her own leap of faith when she started her brand Toto Foods. While many people may crave a guilt free indulgence, Sydney is driven to show that ingredients matter. Finding the positive path on any food journey can be the most flavorful one.

While some people focus on balanced eating, others choose a particular food path because they must. Sydney Webb understands that food can and does impact how a person feels. As a cancer survivor and a person living with Crohn’s disease, food is more than just nourishment. It is a careful choice of ingredients.

Through her personal struggles, she learned that certain foods had a positive impact. Even though she might have craved a cookie, that sweet treat could be satisfied as long as she picked a cookie with better ingredients. Toto Foods was born.

Toto Foods is a food brand that focuses on superfoods, specifically adaptogens, while still making a delicious cookie. When a cookie can have better ingredients yet taste like that classic treat that everyone remembers, the offering can, and will, be a hit.

As a contestant on the FOX show, Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars, Sydney Webb is hoping for more than just backing from one of the biggest food business entities. It is an opportunity to learn and grow from other successful entrepreneurs.

During a recent conversation with Syndey, the appearance on the FOX television show is more than her personal story and business evolution. It comes down to one simple concept that everyone can appreciate.

Sydney Webb says yes you can have the cookie, just make sure it is a good one.

That simple concept drives the Toto Foods brands. The idea that certain foods must be taken off the table is gone. By focusing on better food choices, any recipe can be adapted for a broad audience.

Specifically, Sydney said, “I think more people are starting to better appreciate how food impacts our body, how we feel.” While she is serving up some great cookies, it is about educating the consumer.

For her, she wants to debunk the idea that if something is healthy, then it cannot taste good. That idea is going away. She said, “the most powerful way to open the door to the conversation is when people try the cookie because they appreciate that it tastes amazing.”

Taste will always drive people’s choices, but Sydney wants people to read labels. It is about understanding the ingredients that a person puts in their body. Once people appreciate how food makes them truly feel, the choice becomes an easy one.

With Toto Foods, the concept grew out of Sydney’s own journey. She learned how and why adaptogens helped to lessen inflammation with her digestive issues. Those ingredients combined with a whole food plant-based diet makes her feel better. Although she is not vegan, she looks to food to help her balance her overall health and lifestyle choices.

Even though she appreciates that these food choices have helped her, Toto Foods is a cookie brand. Sydney said, “I wanted to create something that was delicious for the five year old.” That concept is important. If a wide breath of people do not want to try the cookie, the brand will never be able to grow beyond its niche. To capture that concept of everyone can and should have that good cookie, there is a broad appeal.

Appearing on Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars opens the door to a bigger conversation. From the person who may never had heard of adaptogens or the healthy eating family who wants to try a new product, the exposure is huge. Still, Sydney understands that the opportunity is just one aspect.

She said, it all goes back to people enjoying a delicious cookie. They can read the ingredients and appreciate that it is a better choice. But, the cookie must satisfy just like the other options the shelf. She believes that Toto Foods delivers on that promise.

Although the final outcome will be revealed at the end of Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars, Sydney Webb believes that the experience was profound. Being able to interact with other food entrepreneurs and understanding their journey was inspirational. The journey has just begun, and she is ready to race into the next leg.

Toto Foods can be found at The Vitamin Shoppe and Amazon. It is looking to expand into more businesses.

Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars airs Wednesday nights at 9 p.m. ET and can be streamed the next day on Hulu.