Susan Allport is a naturalist and the author of The Queen of Fats: Why Omega-3s Were Removed from the Western Diet and What We Can Do to Replace Them (University of California Press, 2006; paperback, 2008) as well as The Primal Feast: Food Sex, Foraging and Love. She has lectured at the American Museum of Natural History and other locations; is a contributor to The New York Times; and has been a guest on NPR's Science Friday, Oprah and Friends, and The Splendid Table. Her website is susanallport.com.

Andrea Beaman is a whole foods chef, television personality, and the author of The Whole Truth, How I Naturally Reclaimed My Health and You Can Too! and The Eating and Recipe Guide --- Better Food, Better Health. Andrea has successfully healed her "incurable" thyroid disease with a healthy diet, exercise and alternative therapies. She has her own heath and wellness show called Wise Up! She studied at the Kushi Institute, Institute for Integrative Nutrition, and in her own healing kitchen. Andrea was also a contestant on Bravo's Top Chef (Season 1).

Peter Berley, former Executive Chef at Angelica Kitchen in NYC, is a private chef, caterer, and previous owner of the Fire Pond Restaurant in Blue Hill, Maine. Peter had been active in the natural foods movement for over 25 years. His food has been featured on the Food Network and Chef du Jour. He is the author of The Flexitarian Table: Flexible Meals for Meat Lovers, Vegetarians, and Everyone In Between (Houghton Mifflin, June 2007); Fresh Food Fast, A Modern Vegetarian Guide to Seasonal Menus in Minutes (Harper Collins, June 2004); and The Modern Vegetarian Kitchen (Harper Collins).

Marcia Berry is a nutritional coach with a private health counseling practice in New York City. A graduate of both the Strengthening Health Institute and The Institute for Integrative Nutrition, she specializes in teaching about the power of whole foods. Marcia writes for consumer and educational publications, and lectures on a variety of topics related to nutrition and health. She teaches vegetarian and macrobiotic cooking classes.

Peter Bongiorno, N.D., L.Ac. completed his medical and acupuncture training at Bastyr University, in Seattle, Washington. Prior to that, he worked as a researcher at Yale University School of Medicine and at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. He currently teaches natural medicine at NYU, has private practices in Manhattan and Staten Island, and is a major contributing writer to the 3rd edition of The Textbook of Natural Medicine. His website is www.innersourcehealth.com.

Alexandra Borgia is a graduate of the New York Restaurant School and the CTP. She is an instructor in the CTP and has many years of restaurant experience, both as a chef and consultant. She is also a personal chef to clients with specific nutritional needs.

Andrea Candee is a certified master herbalist, holistic health counselor, and the author of Gentle Healing for Baby and Child…A Parent's Guide (Simon & Schuster/Pocket Books), 2001. She teaches and lectures at education centers and the New York Botanical Gardens and specializes in Lyme Disease. Andrea has created and hosted the TV and radio shows: The Healing Power of Herbs and Revealing Secrets for Mind and Body. Her website is andreacandee.com.

Korrie Chichester, graduate of the NGIHCA, is a vegan chef and currently heads up the Culinary Department at Lifethyme Market in NYC. She is the former head chef of Organic Heights, an organic vegan restaurant in Park Slope, and has worked for Babycakes NYC as a vegan gluten-free baker. Korrie holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management and Entrepreneurship.

Claudia Caruana is a New York based food and lifestyles writer with more than a decade of freelance writing experience. She is the author of Taste of Malta (Hippocrene Books) and her work has appeared in Saveur, Cooking Light, Chile Pepper, Vegetarian Times, Glamour, and Self. She has taught several courses and workshops in food writing.

Helen Castillo received her Living Foods Lifestyle certification from the Ann Wigmore Natural Health Institute in Puerto Rico, her SunFire Foods certification from Aris LaTham on the island of Jamaica, and her Associate Chef/Instructor certification from the Living Light Culinary Arts Institute in California. Through her company, The Raw Palate, Helen offers individual consultations, group workshops, and culinary classes to educate her clients on the benefits of raw and living foods. Her current projects include managing her 40-acre biodynamic farm in Costa Rica and a forthcoming raw desserts book.

Leslie Cerier is a nutrition expert and consultant, gourmet vegetarian caterer and cooking instructor, author of Going Wild in the Kitchen, The Quick and Easy Organic Gourmet, coauthor of Sea Vegetable Celebrations, and editor of Taste Life! Organic Recipes. Leslie has developed recipes for organic food companies and individuals for the past two decades. She has published dozens of articles on vegetarian cooking, nutrition, and organic lifestyles and has a deep appreciation for sustainable agriculture. Her website is lesliecerier.com.

Wai Chu has recently completed his first cookbook The Dumpling: A Seasonal Guidewhich will be published by HarperCollins in October 2009. The book includes over 130 traditional recipes, many of which are vegetarian or vegan. Previously, he was the owner and chef of El Eden Chocolates, makers of handcrafted chocolates in New York's East Village. He currently teaches a variety of cooking classes in New York City.

Annemarie Colbin, Ph.D., founder and CEO of this institution, is an internationally recognized health educator, author, consultant, and speaker, specializing in food and its effects on health. She is the author of several books including Food and Healing, which has been translated into six languages; The Natural Gourmet (both from Ballantine Books); and Whole Foods for Strong Bones (New Harbinger Publications) due out in late 2008. She writes a regular column for New York Spirit magazine, and lectures widely. Dr Colbin has won awards for her teaching, writing, educational work, and business activities. Her website is foodandhealing.com.

Jennifer Cornbleet is a graduate of Living Light Culinary Arts Institute and a nationally recognized raw food chef, author and instructor. Through her company, Raw-Food Cuisine, she offers lectures, classes, hands-on workshops, and consultations in the Chicago area and nationwide. Her first book, Raw Food Made Easy for 1 or 2 People, was published in September, 2005 and the companion DVD is now available. Her second book Raw For Dessert will be published in the fall of 2009. Her website is www.learnrawfood.com.

Fran Costigan, a veteran teacher, consultant, and recipe developer, is the author of More Great Good Dairy-Free Desserts Naturally. A graduate of the New York Restaurant School, the CTP, and a former pastry chef at several NYC establishments including Angelica Kitchen, Fran's background gives her a unique perspective from which to create absolutely delicious naturally sweetened vegan desserts that have inspired even hardcore sweet seekers to explore more healthful options. Her website is: francostigan.com

Ronald Dushkin, M.D. is a medical doctor practicing holistic medicine in New York City. He is a former physician at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in Lenox, MA., and a charter member of the American Holistic Medical Association.

Vera Eisenberg is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and did her externship at Chez Panisse in Berkeley under the tutelage of Alice Waters. She has worked at Felidia and Verbena in New York. Vera is a native of Budapest and learned to cook and make strudel from her mother using ingredients from the garden. She is working on her forthcoming book The Sensual Strudel. She is also a food stylist for Paula Deen's show on the Food Network. Most recently she was featured in The Journal News of Lower Hudson Valley. Her strudel-making video and article can be viewed at LoHud.com.

Judith Friedman, part-time instructor in the CTP, is the Program Director of the Natural Gourmet Institute for Food & Health and owner and executive chef of Conscious Cuisine, a company offering cooking classes to small groups and individuals. She was a personal chef and caterer for many years and specialized in cooking for people with diabetes. She taught an 11-part baking program to pregnant teens and unwed mothers living in foster care at New York City’s Inwood House.  Judith also taught the Food Class for several months at the Park Slope Food Coop when the Director took a leave of absence. She is a graduate of the Natural Gourmet’s Chef’s Training Program.  

Terry Frishman, M.B.A., is a graduate of Columbia University School of Business and is a food marketing and business consultant. She has won many awards successfully managing businesses and launching products for Kraft General Foods Corporation and Newsweek International as well as small and start-up businesses. Terry has served as a director on various boards and teaches food business classes, seminars, and workshops.

Jacques Gautier is a graduate of NGCTP and owner/executive chef of Palo Santo in Park Slope. Drawing influence from his Caribbean family roots, Jacques’s cooking offers an eclectic take on traditional Latin American cuisine. At age twenty Chef Gautier was invited to cook at the James Beard House (he is the youngest to have received that honor). At age thirty he is listed as one of Starchef’s “Chefs to Know.” Jacques participates in charity events and volunteers his time to teach Brooklyn public school students about the delights of healthy cooking through the Spoons Across America program. His website is palosanto.us.

Geetha Ghai, Ph.D., a native of India with a Ph.D in Biochemistry, recently retired from Rutgers University Center for Advanced Food Technology where she was instrumental in establishing food and health initiatives. She was appointed by the NJ Governor to sit on the NJ Minority and Multicultural Health Advisory Commission. Traditional Indian home cooking is her passion and Geetha works to adapt it to the modern lifestyle.

Archana Gogna C.N.S, M.S., M.B.A., is a nutritionist with more than 10 years of experience in all phases of nutritional counseling. Her nutritional career began as a staff nutritionist at a multidisciplinary clinic where she worked with patients suffering from a range of chronic diseases including cancer, chronic fatigue syndrome, diabetes, arthritis, allergies, and cardiac conditions. She subsequently joined InVite Health, a small but highly regarded chain of nutritional pharmacies in the NYC area, and currently serves as their Director of Nutrition. Archana has hosted numerous radio broadcasts for InVite Health and teaches Human Nutrition at the NGIHCA.

Jill Gusman is the author of Vegetables from the Sea (Harper Collins) and brings over two decades of experience and passion to teaching gourmet natural foods classes, the macrobiotic way of living, healing through whole foods and catering. She is a whole foods chef instructor and lecturer at the NGIHCA, has been a featured guest on several NPR programs across the country, and was interviewed by Gary Null. She has appeared on Discovery Health and has created "Kids in the Kitchen" for Kidzone TV.

Terry-Anya Hayes is a writer, herbalist, and educator who leads wild food, herb and mushroom identification walks wherever the plants and fungi beckon. She teaches popular medicine-making and medicinal mushroom workshops, has been a guest on radio and TV, and created The Feast of Words: Writing About Food for Profit & Delight for the International Women's Writing Guild, where she has been an instructor for more than a decade. Terry-Anya is a prize-winning poet and a past president of the New York Mycological Society. Her website is terryanya.com.

Sarah Khan, Ph.D., born in Pakistan and raised in the US, has studied the intersection of food, healing and culture for nearly 20 years. Her passion for food as medicine began in her mother's kitchen where she learned to create her native South Asian fare. As she completed Masters' degrees in both Public Health and Nutrition, Sarah had the privilege to live with the Bedouins in the Negev and learned about their culinary and herbal traditions. She then pursued her doctorate in ethnobotany and did field work in South Asia and China where she studied Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine, two medical traditions that utilize food as medicine.

Myra Kornfeld is the author of the newly released The Healthy Hedonist Holidays: A Year of Multi-Cultural Vegetarian-Friendly Holiday Feasts (Simon and Schuster, October 2007) as well as The Healthy Hedonist: More Than 200 Delectable Flexitarian Recipes for Relaxed Daily Feasts (Simon and Schuster, September 2005) and The Voluptuous Vegan, (Clarkson N. Potter). She created inventive vegetarian cuisine at New York's Angelica Kitchen for six years, where she was also head pastry chef. A veteran teacher, consultant, and food writer, Myra is a frequent contributor to Vegetarian Times. She is also a graduate of the NGCTP and Peter Kump's Pastry Arts Program.

 

Richard LaMarita has been a chef/instructor since 1986. He has been practicing and studying Ayurveda for 25 years. He holds a Master’s Degree from Maharishi Vedic University and has worked with accomplished Ayurvedic masters such as Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and Dr. B.D. TriGuna. He has led seminars on AyurVeda, Diet and Nutrition, Cooking, Yoga, and Meditation throughout the US, in Europe, and in Asia. Presently, he is a chef instructor at the Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts. He also teaches classes in specialty and ethnic cooking and is a private chef.

 

Russ L'HommeDieu, DPT, is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, life coach and former stand-up comic. He provides guidance and support to those interested in re-claiming health and vitality and specializes in weight loss. He uses humor and compassion to help people see the connection between how their health, physical activity, clarity of mind and the food they eat are all connected to getting the most out of life.

 

Jenny Matthau, President of the NGIHCA and NGIFH and Director of NGIHCA, is a 1985 graduate of the NG double Apprentice and Teacher's Training Programs. She was head chef of the NG's Friday Night Dinners during 1987-1988 and has worked as a private chef. She is responsible for curriculum development for the CTP, which includes the incorporation of current research/theories from the medical and scientific communities concerning food, health, and disease.

Hyacinth Mills, a graduate of the Living Light Culinary Arts Institute and the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, is a raw foods chef, instructor and holistic health counselor. She is the founder of New Life Journeys, a holistic health and wellness company, and is passionate about helping others to live a healthy and balanced lifestyle through her raw foods classes, lectures, products and services. Her website is www.newlifejourneys.com

Mamie Nishide is a graduate of the Institute for Culinary Education and trained at Le Bernardin and Country Living Magazine. She is the sous chef to Annemarie Huste Dining Room and catering chef at Star Boggs restaurant. She teaches Japanese cooking to adults and children privately, in cooking schools and at Sur La Table, and has been making tofu for over 15 years. Mamie also does recipe testing and development as well as food styling for various magazines and corporations.

Stefania Patinella,a graduate of the CTP, is the Director of Food and Nutrition programs at The Children's Aid Society where she creates and runs Seed to Table, a gardening and healthy cooking program for kids and their families. In 2005, she received a Fulbright fellowship to study sustainability on organic family farms from the Italian Alps to the coast of Sicily, cultivating organic vegetables, olives, herbs, and learning to make traditional sourdough breads, artisanal cheeses, handmade pasta and preserves.

Laura Pole is a graduate of the CTP and an Oncology Clinical Nurse Specialist with over 25 years' experience caring for people with cancer and other serious illness. Laura is currently head chef for the Smith Farm Center for the Healing Arts Cancer Help Program and is the Palliative Care Coordinator and Consultant with the Palliative Care Partnership of the Roanoke Valley. Through her business, Eating For ALifetime, she provides consultation and education to patients and professionals in how to translate diet prescriptions into delicious health-supportive meals.

 

Elliott Prag is a graduate of the CTP. In the years following graduation he worked in many natural food restaurants in NYC. During this time he developed a private chef business that grew into a catering company. In 1999, Elliott began teaching at the NG in both the public classes and the CTP. In 2003, he moved to Bulgaria to be chef in The Balkans' first natural food restaurant, Kibea. After 2 years he returned to NYC and resumed teaching at the NG.

Rebecca Reilly is the author of Gluten-Free Baking(Simon and Schuster 2001) and has written articles and recipes for the magazine Living Without. She is a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and received professional training from Le Notre Patisserie, the Tuscan Cooking Workshops in Florence, Italy and a chef's diploma from Madeline Kamman's Modern Gourmet Cooking School in Boston. She is the former owner of the Madd Apple Cafe and Rebecca's Kitchen. For ten years, Rebecca was featured as the on-air chef in cookingsegments on Maine's NBC affiliate, WCSH News Center 6 and hosted the popular television series New England Kitchen.

Barbara Rich graduated from the California Culinary Academy in 1994 after which she worked at the Zuni Café in San Francisco. Since moving to New York in 1997, she has worked for Anne Rosenzweig, Peter Hoffman, and was the executive chef at Danal in the East Village. Barbara teaches in the CTPand at The Art Institute of New York's Culinary School.

Michael Rossoff, L.Ac. studied with Michio Kushi in Boston in the late ‘60s and went on to study acupuncture in England. He has an active counseling and acupuncture practice in Asheville, NC and lectures worldwide. Michael is known for his ability to combine insights into emotional, psychological and physical aspects of healing. His website is michaelrossoff.com.

Sherrill Sellman, N.D., is a Doctor of Naturopathy, psychotherapist, international lecturer, women's health educator and journalist, a radio host, corporate stress management consultant, and the best-selling author of Hormone Heresy: What All Women MUST Know About Their Hormones and What Women MUST Know to Protect Their Daughters from Breast Cancer. Her professional credentials and commitment are to an integrative healing approach, helping to empower women to make informed choices about their health. Her website is whatwomenmustknow.com

Katy Sparks, owner and principal of Katy Sparks Culinary Consulting, is an award-winning chef (formerly of Quilty’s in SoHo) and co-author of Sparks in the Kitchen. Katy has always relied on fresh, seasonal ingredients but recently her cooking has reached a higher expression of the health-supportive nature of whole, unprocessed foods. Her website is katysparks.com.

Leslie Stone is a passionate chef and instructor. Alife-long cook, she was professionally trained at Tante Marie's Cooking School in San Francisco. She then completed an internship at the acclaimed restaurant Jardiniere before joining the line at Insalata's in Marin County. In 2003, she began teaching home cooking to adults and children. Her goal is to combine the integrity of ingredients and kitchen smarts with healthfulness and fun. She believes cooking should never feel like a chore.

Rea Varveris, a native of Cyprus, graduated from the Culinary Arts Program at The New School and went on to teach Cypriot- Greek cooking and baking classes there, at the Culinary Center of New York and the Center for Kosher Culinary Arts. She was the assistant banquet manager at the Pierre Hotel in NYC and at the Golden Sands Hotel in Cyprus. Rea was also the manager of Loumides Foods and Artopolis Bakery in Astoria, Queens.

Stephen Wangen, N.D., graduate of Bastyr University, is a licensed and board certified gluten intolerant naturopathic physician and founder and Medical Director of the Irritable Bowel Syndrome Treatment Center (www.IBSTreatmentCenter.com) in Seattle, WA. He specializes in food allergies and intolerances and is on the Board of Trustees of the Gluten Intolerant Group of North America. Dr. Wangen is the author of The Irritable Bowel Syndrome Solution and Healthier Without Wheat.

Denny Waxman is an internationally known teacher, counselor and writer in the fields of health, natural healing and macrobiotics. In 1982, he gained world-wide recognition for guiding Dr. Anthony Sattilaro, then President of Methodist Hospital in Philadelphia, to a complete recovery from terminal prostate cancer. This experience is documented in Dr. Sattilaro's book, Recalled By Life. In 1997, Denny founded The Strengthening Health Institute and has an active health-counseling practice in Philadelphia and New York. He is also the author of 10 Steps to Strengthening Health (1997), The Great Life Handbook (2002), The Great Life Diet, published in January of 2007 by Pegasus Books, and is currently at work on The Power of Food. Denny was the recipient of the 2005 Aveline Kushi Award for recognition of his long-term service to macrobiotics.

Jay Weinstein is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and the author of The Ethical Gourmet (Broadway/Doubleday, 2006), The Everything Vegetarian Cookbook (Adams Media, 2002) and The Cup of Comfort Cookbook (Adams, 2002). Jay has worked in some of the finest restaurants on the East Coast including Le Bernardin. A contributor to The New York Times, Travel & Leisure, and numerous other publications, Chef Weinstein is passionately serious about culinary ethics, but he is equally serious about the pleasures of eating. Exceptional natural and sustainable ingredients play a central role in Jay's work and his repertoire includes influences from the country's finest chefs and educators, as well as from his own insatiable curiosity about undiscovered cuisines and ingredients.

Galen Zamarra is the owner and executive chef at Mas (farmhouse) in Greenwich Village. He is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, trained in France, and won a James Beard award in 2001 as chef of Bouley Restaurant. At Mas, Galen combines modern French style while honoring classical technique, and draws from regional American foods to create a simple yet elegant New American Cuisine, illustrating that often the most unexpected bedfellows make the most delicious partners. He searches out and supports small local farmers to find the highest quality ingredients all the while being mindful of the environment.