Research & Publications

Research

My work explores how food systems, hospitality, and public health intersect to shape individual and community well-being. Drawing from over two decades in hospitality operations, nutrition, advocacy, and community organizing, I focus on practical, community-centered approaches to improving health outcomes through food environments and organizational systems.

I am particularly interested in the role restaurants can play as first responders to chronic disease, climate instability, and food insecurity. My research examines how hospitality spaces can function not only as businesses but also as sites of nourishment, education, resilience, and community care.

Current Areas of Research

  • Restaurants and hospitality spaces as public health infrastructure

  • Nutrition accessibility and chronic disease prevention

  • Local food systems and urban agriculture in Louisiana

  • Community-centered business models and sustainability

  • Food insecurity and neighborhood resilience initiatives

  • Operational systems that support healthier communities

Approach

My research combines academic study, field experience, and systems thinking. I am especially interested in bridging the gap between theory and implementation — translating research into operational strategies, community programs, and sustainable business practices that support long-term health outcomes.

My background in climate change advocacy and restaurant operations informs my interest in developing practical, community-centered tools that help people and small businesses navigate the realities of a changing climate in the Gulf South. Through graduate studies in public health nutrition, independent research, and lived experience operating a neighborhood café for twelve years, I bring both analytical and practical perspectives to questions surrounding food, health, and community systems.

Past Publications

Fuster, M., Muñoz, M. M., Faughnan, M., Blanchard, R., & Bilfield, A. (2026). Voices at the Table: Co-developing opportunities for healthier food access through New Orleans restaurants. Tulane University Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine.

Blanchard, R., Gaubert, A., Billiot, J., & Scott, B. (2024). Recipe for Collaboration: Enhancing Medical Students’ Nutrition Training Through a Dietitian-Chef-Led Culinary Medicine Course. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 124(10S), A87. Co-Researcher & Presenting Author; FNCE 2024.Stand.earth & Greenpeace East Asia. (2022). Supply Change. Writer & Researcher, Stand.earth. Contributed research and writing to an international report examining the technology sector's supply-chain emissions and the need for greater corporate accountability and decarbonization.

Blanchard, R. (2022). Focused & Flexible: Strategic Planning for Small Business. Creator, Writer & Editor, Church Alley Café & Grocery. Strategic planning workbook providing small business owners with practical tools for long-term planning, goal setting, prioritization, and implementation.


Drinking Coffee in New Orleans I & II (2015 & 2014), Church Alley Café & Grocery | Creator, Writer & Editor. A printed mini-series of essays, interviews, and original art exploring the unique intersection of New Orleans food, culture, and hospitality.


Media War in the Gulf (2012), Waterkeeper Alliance | Writer & Editor. An analysis of post-BP oil disaster media coverage, greenwashing by fossil fuel companies, and its impact on public trust in Gulf seafood, health, and environmental safety.

State of the Gulf: Status Report from Gulf Waterkeepers (2011), Waterkeeper Alliance | Writer & Editor. A one-year post-disaster report outlining needed environmental reforms, community health impacts, and first-person narratives from seven Gulf Coast communities.


Green Electronics Survey: Getting Greener But Still Not There (2011), Greenpeace International | Writer & Editor. A consumer-facing report assessing the environmental sustainability of 18 tech companies’ flagship products and corporate practices.

School Siting Toolkit (2009), Center for Health, Environment, and Justice | Writer & Editor. A resource designed to support policymakers and communities in creating healthy, equitable school siting policies that prevent toxic exposures.