Natural Gourmet Institute - Press Releases

Press Releases

NATURAL GOURMET INSTITUTE FOR HEALTH & CULINARY ARTS PREPARES STUDENTS FOR CAREERS IN THE BURGEONING NATURAL FOODS INDUSTRY

Formerly Known as the Natural Gourmet Cookery School,
NGI Celebrates 30 Years as Leader in Health-Supportive Culinary Arts & Theory

NEW YORK, NY (July 7, 2006)--Founded in 1977 as the Natural Gourmet Cookery School by natural foods pioneer and author Dr. Annemarie Colbin, the Natural Gourmet Institute for Health & Culinary Arts prepares students for careers in one of the fastest growing segments of the food industry – health-supportive, natural foods. Based in New York City, the Natural Gourmet Institute (NGI) has garnered worldwide recognition as the leading authority on health-supportive cuisine.

“Before it was fashionable, the Natural Gourmet was teaching about the relationship between food and health,” states founder Colbin, who used to teach cooking classes out of her New York City apartment in the late 70’s. She adds, “Now we have students coming from all over the world to our Institute to learn about wholesome, healthy cooking using the highest-quality ingredients that not only look beautiful but taste delicious too!”

The Institute’s mission is to provide students with the culinary skills and information necessary for successful culinary careers. Students learn basic culinary techniques and are exposed to a variety of theories and models, including vegetarian, macrobiotic, ayurvedic, vegan and raw “living” food, as well as low-fat, low-carb and high protein diets. The focus of the program is plant based and also provides instruction in preparing seafood, organic chicken and organic eggs.

According to NGI’s President and Director, Jenny Matthau, “Obesity and its related diseases are increasing at an alarming rate. Fortunately, there’s a growing awareness that food affects our health and well-being. As a result, there’s a great demand for culinary professionals who can not only prepare nutritious foods, but also understand the relationship between food and individual health.”

One of the basic tenets of NGI’s philosophy is that no single approach is right for everyone. Students learn that they must be flexible when designing diets for people by taking body type, ethnic background, medical histories, stress levels, age and personal preference into account.

Graduates of NGI’s comprehensive Chef’s Training Program have a variety of innovative career options awaiting them. Placements include health spas, retreat centers, restaurants, bakeries, catering companies and private residences. Some graduates have become private celebrity chefs, some have taken new products to market, and several have even penned their own cook books.

Some of the more notable alumni from NGI include: Chef Instructor Myra Kornfeld, author of The Voluptuous Vegan and The Healthy Hedonist (Simon & Schuster) ; Chef Alex Jamieson, author of The Great American Detox Diet (Rodale) and co-star of the Academy Award® nominated documentary, Super Size Me ; Chef Bryant Terry, a food justice activist, founder of b-healthy and co-author of Grub: Ideas for an Urban Organic Kitchen (Tarcher/Penguin) , and Eric Tucker, Executive Chef of the famed vegan restaurant, Millennium, in San Francisco and author of The Artful Vegan (Ten Speed Press).

The Natural Gourmet Institute for Health & Culinary Arts is licensed by the New York State Department of Education and is accredited by ACCET. The 600+ hour Chef’s Training Program is offered on both a full-time and part-time basis.

The Natural Gourmet Institute for Food & Health (an affiliated school) offers classes to the general public – everything from learning basic knife skills to preparing foods for the prevention and treatment of cancer. The school offers a wide array of approaches to nutrition and affordable, hands-on classes in health-supportive food preparation throughout the year.

Friday Night Dinner at the Natural Gourmet Institute has become a culinary magnet for savvy New Yorkers and visitors alike. Guests can savor a delicious and unique experience when Chef Instructors and students of the Chef’s Training Program pour their expertise and enthusiasm into a four-course vegetarian meal that is both innovative and beautifully presented.

For more information please call (212) 645-5170.

Natural Gourmet Institute to Honor Two at 30th Anniversary Celebration

The Natural Gourmet Institute for Health & Culinary Arts, the premier health-supportive culinary school in New York City, will honor two individuals during its upcoming 30th anniversary celebration. Renowned author and professor, Marion Nestle, Ph.D., M.P.H., and award-winning eco chef-activist Bryant Terry will each receive the Natural Gourmet Institute Award for Excellence in Health-Supportive Food Education. This Award honors outstanding achievement and innovation in the development and personification of the relationship between food and health. It further recognizes exceptional effort, devotion and accomplishment in making a significant, positive difference in society by teaching how to attain optimum health through healthful eating.

Marion Nestle is the Paulette Goddard Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health at New York University, in the department that she chaired from 1988 through 2003. She also holds appointments as Professor of Sociology in NYU's College of Arts and Sciences and as a Visiting Professor of Nutritional Sciences in the College of Agriculture at Cornell University. Nestle’s degrees include a Ph.D. in molecular biology and an M.P.H. in public health nutrition, both from the University of California, Berkeley. She is the author of "Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health" (University of California Press, 2002, revised edition 2007) and "Safe Food: Bacteria, Biotechnology, and Bioterrorism" (University of California Press, 2003), and is co-editor of "Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial Issues in Food and Nutrition" (McGraw-Hill/Dushkin, 2004). Her latest book, “What to Eat,” as published by North Point Press, a division of Farrar, Straus and Giroux in May, 2006.

Nestle says, “This award is particularly welcome because the Natural Gourmet Institute so expresses my philosophy that healthy food ought to be delicious and delicious food should be healthy. And if you want people to eat well and healthfully, teach them about food—where it comes from and how to cook it.”

Bryant Terry, a graduate of Natural Gourmet Institute, is an award-winning eco chef, author and food justice activist. His work and recipes have been featured in Gourmet, Food and Wine, The San Francisco Chronicle, Vibe, Domino,and many other publications. Called “ingenious” by the New York Times Magazine, his critically acclaimed first book, “Grub: Ideas for an Urban Organic Kitchen” (Tarcher/Penguin, 2006) with co-author Anna Lappé, is a winner of the 2007 Nautilus Book Award. He is a host on “The Endless Feast,” a 13-episode PBS series that explores the connection between the earth and the food on our plates. In 2001, Terry founded b-healthy to raise awareness about food justice issues and empower low-income youth. A graduate of Natural Gourmet Institute, he also has an M.A. in History from New York University and a B.A. with honors in English from Xavier University of Louisiana. Bryant’s next book will be published in 2009 by Da Capo/Perseus.

Terry explains, “Since graduating from the Natural Gourmet Institute in 2002, I have manifested all the goals mapped out in my application essay for the Chef’s Training Program plus so much more than I could have ever imagined I would have accomplished in five years. Being surrounded by supportive and progressive staff, teachers and students that year provided sacred time and space for deep learning and transformation. My support of the Natural Gourmet is boundless, and I enjoy giving back to a community that gives so much to me. I am proud to be an Alumnus of the Natural Gourmet.”

About Natural Gourmet Institute
Founded in 1977 as the Natural Gourmet Cookery School by natural foods pioneer and author Annemarie Colbin, Ph.D., the Natural Gourmet Institute for Health & Culinary Arts prepares students for careers in one of the fastest growing segments of the food industry – health-supportive, natural foods. Based in New York City, the Natural Gourmet Institute (NGI) has garnered worldwide recognition as the leading authority on health-supportive cuisine.
“Before it was fashionable, the Natural Gourmet was teaching about the relationship between food and health,” states founder Colbin, who used to teach cooking classes out of her New York City apartment in the late 70’s. She adds, “Now we have students coming from all over the world to our Institute to learn about wholesome, healthy cooking using the highest-quality ingredients that not only look beautiful but taste delicious too!”

According to NGI’s President and Director, Jenny Matthau, “The Institute’s mission is to provide students with the culinary skills and information necessary for successful culinary careers.” She says, “Obesity and its related diseases are increasing at an alarming rate. Fortunately, there’s a growing awareness that food affects our health and well-being. As a result, there’s a great demand for culinary professionals who can not only prepare nutritious foods, but also understand the relationship between food and individual health.”

For more information about Natural Gourmet Institute please call (212) 645-5170 or visit www.naturalgourmetschool.com