Nicole Renard, known to many as Nicole the Nomad, has made a home in Nashville, where she can continue to pursue one of her greatest passions: feeding people around the world.
“I felt like a big part of my purpose was to feed people around the world,” Nicole explains.
Nicole the Nomad was born while she was living abroad. It initially started out as a travel blog that showcased her travels and the delicious food she ate. Upon returning home, she became a pastry chef at her university, where several students asked for her recipes. After utilizing Nicole the Nomad to share her recipes, her blog quickly blew up.
“I had a whole section for recipes, a whole section for travel, and it went hand and hand because one of the things I love most about traveling is food and experiencing different cultures through foods,” she says. “I loved trying new restaurants and immersing myself in wherever I am at through the local cuisine.”
People worldwide quickly fell in love with Nicole and her content. Her website, Instagram, and TikTok quickly grew as she continued to share recipes. Her smoothie bowl recipes especially became popular, earning her the nickname of “that smoothie bowl girl.” As her platform grew, she found herself calling Nashville home.
A year into being a Nashville local, E+ROSE reached out to Nicole about creating a collaboration smoothie bowl, resulting in the Nomad Bowl. A chocolate peanut butter-inspired smoothie bowl of strawberries, granola, and puffed rice cacao nibs. Some proceeds from the bowl would go towards Compassion International, a nonprofit close to Nicole’s heart. She currently sponsors two kids through the program: one in Peru and one in Kenya. Through the sales of the Nomad Bowl, E+Rose and her raised over $5,000 dollars for Compassion International. Originally a seasonal item, the Nomad Bowl has since stayed on the menu, and they also now sell Nicole’s coconut smoothie bowls and palm tree spoons in stores.
“That just made my heart so happy,” Nicole gushes. “It goes back to that purpose of feeding people around the world, and I never knew something as random and simple as a smoothie bowl could do that.”
Compassion International is a nonprofit organization that works in over 27 countries. It aids in ending childhood poverty through a church-based program. Nicole and her family have always loved working alongside Compassion International.
“They work with people who live in the community to equip them with the skills, resources, and tools they need to get these families and kids back on their feet, and so they do that through child sponsorship,” Nicole explains. “When someone sponsors a child, that ensures that this child is going to get the medical attention they need, dental, education and food, most importantly.”
Last March, Nicole visited Kenya to witness their work firsthand as well as meet one of her sponsored children.
“We write letters back and forth, and I think that's truly the thing that sets Compassion apart,” she explains. “For some people and some children, you might be the only person in their life who is speaking hope, who is speaking encouragement and telling them God loves you because sometimes they don’t hear that. To know that there is somebody somewhere in the world who is caring for you, and praying for you, and is supporting you, that alone gives them the hope to keep going.”
Following that trip, Nicole competed in season 3 of Gordon Ramsay’s Next Level Chef, finishing seventh place. “Never in a million years did I think that I would end up on something like that, and He (God) keeps putting things into my lap with food and feeding people around the world,” she says.
“(Gordon Ramsay) is so kind and encouraging and is such a good teacher,” she says. “I did get to cook with him for several of the challenges, and he taught me so much in the few cooks I did get from him. He’s a dad, he has six kids and has a soft spot in his heart for mentorship and for helping other chefs grow and learn, and I am just so grateful for that opportunity because it's once in a lifetime.”
Besides sharing her culinary creations, Nicole has been candid about her pregnancy journey. She’s expecting her first child in October and has been emphasizing the importance of self-care and listening to her body since announcing her pregnancy in June.
“I’m definitely more aware of what I’m putting in my body,” she says. “It’s going straight to the baby, so trying to be really conscious about how many nutrients I’m getting and making sure I’m getting enough protein and getting things that are going to make me feel good but also make the baby grow.”
Nicole continues to inspire and connect with her audience through her love for food, travel, and now, her journey into motherhood. She remains committed to her mission of feeding people around the world, one recipe at a time. Whether you’re out and about or staying inside to beat the heat, consider heading to E+ROSE or Nicole’s website to enjoy a delicious smoothie bowl.
nicolethenomad.com
“I felt like a big part of my purpose was to feed people around the world,” Nicole explains.