Who are you?

I’m Rosie Dhaliwal, a Registered Dietitian. I like to think I was born to do what I do since my initials are the same as my designation! RDRD! I’m not your typical dietitian though, I eat chips and chocolate (in moderation of course) and I’m extremely laid back. And yes, Rosie is my real name. Roselene actually, you can ask my parent’s about that one. I guess they were feeling rather Canadian in 1978.

What do you do for fun?

Lately, I have rediscovered my love for Bollywood movies and the cheesy love songs that go along with them. What else can you listen to with high pitched female singers and repetitive lines that wreak such emotion?

What is your favourite community and why?

My favourite community is the South Asian community which often gets a bad rep in the media. As a first generation Indo-Canadian I really value the sacrifice my parents made (leaving their families behind and starting life in a new country, not knowing the language with $7 in their pocket – this is a story my dad tells quite often) to give us a better life. I think it is a challenge to assimilate and stay true to your roots but for the most part the South Asians are doing it well. I really value the strong connections to family in my community and often times family isn’t necessarily your blood relatives. It’s anyone and everyone; my “cousin” who I am closest too isn’t really my cousin at all but we grew up together and have a special connection.

What is your superpower?

My superpower is my knowledge of song lyrics. From Bollywood songs I have heard as a kid, to recent Eminem raps I really pride myself on being able to sing along; sometimes it’s to the annoyance of my boyfriend, making my mom laugh or just being alone in my car belting them out at the top of my lungs.

How do you use it to build community?

Well an extension of my superpower is understanding and speaking Punjabi (my native language). I use it to connect. It can be with people in the work environment, for example a nutrition consulting project I did in a Sikh temple in Surrey or with a new immigrant taxi driver late on a Saturday night. In fact, speaking Punjabi comes in handy when ordering Indian take-out and ensuring there are no nuts in the food for my boyfriend who has a serious allergy. Language builds a unique and powerful connection in the South Asian community.

My Three Favourite Things About Rosie Are…

1. She’s Nutritious! As a Dietition, Rosie has given my wife, Michelle – and, indirectly, me – all sorts of amazing advice relating to affordable, nutritious and, most importantly, delicious food. While Rosie’s culinary stylings use approximately 192% less butter than Kurt Heinrich’s, they are equally tasty and for this she should be celebrated.

2. Stage Presence. Her SFU blog, The Dish, is both awesome and in possession of several supercool instructional cooking videos that teach people how to make delightful recipes. Rosie’s delivery is as thoughtful as it is entertaining. Fantastic stuff.

3. Friendly and Fun Chats. I used to work down the hall from Rosie and, let me tell you, it was a pleasure to visit and chat with someone who is such a fantastic ambassador of nutrition, higher education, the South Asian Community, and Bollywood dancing. Rosie, along with my lovely wife, Michelle, showed me what it means to have amazing colleagues with whom you can achieve great things. The nice thing about Rosie is that she does such things all the time!

As told by John Horn…