If you or someone you know is interested in being a guest chef at Whole Foods Market Sacramento, please email Lynn Gowdy. Include a bio and resume, what kind of class you'd like to teach, along with what days and times are best for you. Please note: most guest chefs are unpaid or receive minimal fees — classes are taught out of passion for healthy, whole foods.

Art by Brian Baker
 

Guest Instructors' Biographies, Past, Present & Future

Executive Chef Kurt Spataro, The Paragary Group

Kurt Spataro is a self-taught cook always searching for new things. He believes that his approach to both classic and modern cooking have many influences, Julia Child (The French Chef) and Graham Kerr (The Galloping Gourmet) are among them. And Kurt’s experience with the food and culture of countries such as Italy, France, Mexico, Japan, Hong Kong, Indonesia, and Thailand is invaluable to the diversity and regional focus of Paragary Restaurant Group food concepts.

“I’ve always been interested in the origin of food, how it is raised, and where it is raised,” says Kurt, “and it seems like the public is now becoming more aware of that school of thought. This adds an exciting element to the dining experience.”

“As chefs, we search for new sources of food and inspiration,” says Kurt, “but we primarily celebrate our local products. Sacramento Valley may not pop into mind as one of the culinary hotbeds in California or the world, but in terms of agriculture, it really is. We grow some of the best produce on the planet and our menu development is inspired by and takes full advantage of native seasonal ingredients.”

Native also applies to Kurt himself. Born and raised in Sacramento, he is a graduate of CSUS. A lifelong musician, Kurt played piano and guitar in numerous local bands and continues to play music today. He is an avid snow skier and surfs along the Northern California coast.

“As Executive Chef,” says Kurt, “I supervise, teach, coach, and develop concepts with my chefs. We focus on the customer experience and how to communicate the uniqueness of our dining concepts to them. And I hope they leave with a positive feeling, and anticipating to come back.”

Kurt is a member of culinary advisory boards for American River College and the Elk Grove School District. In addition, he is a member of the American River College faculty. Kurt remains actively involved in several philanthropic foundations. Kurt and wife Kitty O’Neil live in Sacramento with their four cats, Rudy, Daisy, Sammy and Giorgio.

Laurie Millar, M.S., C.A.S., P.K.S.

Laurie has a master’s degree in Human Nutrition/Communications from Michigan State University and worked part time as a registered dietitian for over 20 years while raising 3 rambunctious children. She is also a graduate of the California College of Ayurveda, the most comprehensive and long standing program in the United States for Ayurvedic medicine, the traditional healing medicine of India. In her work, Laurie tries to speak the language of all medicines, including Native American Cherokee medicine, in an attempt to bridge the gap in various healing modalities and help us to realize "we are all one".

Chef Matt Woolston

Matt Woolston's philosophy on dining is reflected well in Art Buchwald's statement, "Dinner is not what you do in the evening before something else. Dinner is the evening." Matt has been making dinner an event in Sacramento for over 15 years. As the Chef of Sacramento's midtown institution, Pava's, Matt developed his skill for Mediterranean cuisine with a California touch.
Most people know Matt from his twelve years as the innovative Executive Chef for David Berkley's, Purveyor of Fine Foods and Wine. At Berkley's, Matt's culinary style took shape. He was able to indulge his passion for new flavor combinations and international cuisines, and with an abundance of local and exotic ingredients at his disposal Matt's creativity blossomed. Matt also benefited from Berkley's extensive wine cellar, developing his ability to pair his courses with a wine that not only complements the food, but enhances it. From alligator to zarzuela Matt created enticing dishes that earned David Berkley's a Four Star rating.

Matt's love of cooking began early. While still in high school he owned and operated the most popular food booth at the Gilroy Garlic Festival. He's come a long way since those days but he still brings the same boyish enthusiasm and energy to his cooking.

The Supper Club brings people together to celebrate exquisite cuisine. Weekend dinners are a prix-fixe seven-course menu skillfully paired with wine. Guests are delighted with artfully presented courses that combine fresh seasonal ingredients in unusual ways. The menu is often playful, but Matt is serious about food. He designs each course to highlight the essence of the ingredients, deftly blending flavors to achieve a perfectly balanced dish. Matt introduces the menu to his guests with a short description of the courses in a friendly and relaxed way that sets the tone for the evening. His extraordinary culinary skill along with Yvette's gracious sense of hospitality have created a truly unique dining experience.

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Chef Chris Thomas

Chris is a graduate of the California Culinary Academy. One of his early culinary achievements was winning a nationwide dessert contest and having it published in Sunset Magazine. He has done several television appearances throughout his career. He was the Sous Chef at Mustard's Grill in Napa Valley for several years and most recently, the Executive Chef of Sacramento Brewing Company.

Charles Vollmar

Executive Chef / Chef Instructor
The Culinary Center – TempusClinic @ the Los Gatos Athletic Club
Charles Vollmar began working with TempusClinic and its clients in 2003 in response to one of Dr. Nichols’ original goals of his program - to fully integrate the principles of the TempusClinic nutrition plan with its prescribed exercise program. As many clients will attest, knowing not only what to eat, but how to personally and consistently meet the dietary guidelines of the program can be a substantial challenge. Charlie was brought on to work with clients in developing skills and techniques in order to exceed the program’s nutritional objectives. It is Charlie’s belief that this awareness, simply applied, will help individuals define and meet their lifestyle transformation goals.
In addition to his work with TempusClinic and the Los Gatos Athletic Club, Charlie is a popular cooking instructor, consultant, writer and chef/owner of Epicurean Exchange, a company he founded in 1998. His work emphasizes basic skill and technique work, and wellness and lifestyle enrichment topics relating to cooking, nutrition, fitness and special needs. His lifestyle transformation programs are offered at leading culinary schools, and privately with individuals and families looking to improve their well-being by incorporating a consistent nutrient-rich approach to whole food selection, its proper preparation and enjoyment. Additionally, he designs custom wellness programs for corporate clients, health and fitness clubs.

Through his work, he inspires individuals to bring a sense of balance, empowerment, well-being and enjoyment to their lives by providing culinary experiences and educational opportunities. Through his wellness and lifestyle enrichment programs, he strives to impart his philosophy; that embracing the day’s routines and rituals with greater awareness and commitment adds quality to life. The ‘exchange’‚ takes place in the environment he creates; one of optimal learning and understanding between like-minded participants. He believes this environment encourages the commitment individuals have made to more mindful living.

Charlie is a graduate of the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. He trained at Chez Panisse and Wente Vineyards and managed a prominent Bay Area cooking school before starting his business. Charlie lives in Orinda with his wife Doaa and their 5-year-old twins, Aidan and Amelia.

Shankari Easwaran

A food aficionado through and through, Shankari thinks, talks, and dreams about food. She has been cooking since she was 12 with the loving guidance of her mom, who taught her every step of the way. She now focuses on passing her family cooking secrets to yours. She has been giving cooking classes in Sacramento for over a year and has always had a full class with a waiting list. She also gives cooking demos CW31, KCRA3 and News 10 and blogs about her cooking on www.streamofconsciousness.com.

Garrett McCord

The founder of the popular blog Vanilla Garlic, Garrett is known for his wicked sense of humor and his fantastic cupcakes. He likes to cook without the oven too, though, and specializes in working with local produce. You can also find his writing in Edible Sacramento magazine and many of his dessert recipes on SimplyRecipes.com.

Ann Martin Rolke

Ann is a former restaurant cook and the author of Hands-Off Cooking: Low-Supervision, High-Flavor Meals for Busy People. She also blogs about local food and events at Sacatomato.com and writes for Edible Sacramento magazine. She has taught cooking classes for several years and has given cooking demos on Good Day Sacramento and at the State Fair.

Alison Anton

Chef Alison Anton is a part time cooking instructor for the Natural Chef Program at Bauman College of Holistic Nutrition and Healing Arts in Northern California. Her upcoming dessert cookbook, Desserts for Every Body, features healthy desserts for today's diets, including wheat-free, sugar-free, vegan and raw. She is the owner of Whole Gourmet Natural Cooking, a personal chef and catering service, and writes a monthly informative eLetter, called Natural Cooking, which includes food articles, healthy recipes and culinary inspiration.
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Grace Avila

Grace Avila is a seasoned chef with experience at the bay area's Stars and Chez Panisse. She is a certified nutrition educator specializing in whole food nutrition. She is a food and beverage director for a company of health resorts and works as a private chef for individuals recovering from cancer.

Anne Evans

Anne Evans is a certified tea consultant having completed on-line course work with a qualified tea educator. She has also finished level one of the Specialty Tea Institute classes with plans to continue her training, some of which she receives annually from well known tea experts at the World Tea Expo. Anne is a lively, organized, and informative speaker having given numerous presentations to standing room only groups of teachers and more recently to tea enthusiasts. You will find Anne’s talks inspiring and enjoyable.
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Colleen Patrick-Goudreau

Founder of Compassionate Cooks. She has appeared on the Food Network, teaches vegan cooking classes and produces cooking DVDs.

David Hirsch

David Hirsch has been involved with Moosewood since 1976, participating in all aspects of running the restaurant. An avid gardener as well as a cook, David is the author of the Moosewood Restaurant Kitchen Garden, which offers information and instruction on growing, harvesting, and cooking home-grown produce as well as designing gardens. He is also the co-author of all eleven of the Moosewood Collective cookbooks. David helped to launch Moosewood's entry into the realm of food products, with 100% organic salad dressings, refrigerated soups, and frozen main dishes now available nationwide.

David is an informative and entertaining presenter of classes, demos, lectures, and workshops with an emphasis on cooking, but also including gardening. He has been invited back to many cooking schools throughout the country where his extensive knowledge and comfortable personal style have helped to generate interested class participants. David has also appeared on various local and national television programs.

Dianne Jacob

Author of Will Write for Food: The Complete Guide to Writing Cookbooks, Restaurant Reviews, Articles, Memoir, Fiction, and More. She has been an editor and writer for close to 30 years. She teaches food writing in the San Francisco Bay Area and coaches writers across the US, Canada and Europe on how to become book authors and successful freelance writers.

Her introduction to food writing began fresh out of journalism school, when she became a newspaper editor and chose recipes for the Women’s section. She started food writing full-time two years later as editor of a restaurant magazine in Vancouver, Canada, writing profiles of chefs, recipes, and feature articles about restaurants. She moved to the US and continued writing freelance restaurant reviews while heading two international magazines and a city magazine. Ten years ago she became a full-time writer, editor and coach.

David Lawrence

Private chef and caterer David Lawrence knew early on that his enthusiasm for cooking and good food would become his career. He grew up in a house where the kitchen was always abuzz with activity and something great was always cooking. He began his culinary journey at the tender age of 8, with such genius dishes as scrambled eggs and Top Ramen, but soon moved on to much more sophisticated fare. Some of his fondest memories center around big meals with friends and family. He learned early the simple pleasures of setting out big platters of food, family-style with great bottles of wine and plenty of laughs. After assisting for years in his mother's kitchen, a woman he describes as a Martha Stewart incarnate, minus the chic poncho and clunky ankle bracelet, he knew his mission was clear. He wanted to feed and entertain people. So, David introduced himself to Los Angeles and its cultural and culinary melting pot in early 1996.
David cut his teeth in several catering kitchens in what can only be described as a sink or swim environment. He catered private parties on the side and began building a clientele as he honed his skills. That eventually led to a job as a private chef in Beverly Hills.

It's one thing for a chef to make cooking look like fun. David makes it look like play. David is a guy with a tremendous passion for food. His philosophy is simple, use the freshest ingredients and then let the natural flavors speak for themselves.

David's first cookbook, Kidshape Café, (Rutledge Hill Press) is a collection of 150 healthy recipes aimed at helping overweight kids and their parents by developing better eating habits and a healthier lifestyle. His forthcoming book, Boy Eats World! A Private Chef Cooks Simple Gourmet, (Lake Isle Press) is all about having fun in the kitchen and strives to demystify cooking for a generation that grew up playing Atari, not watching Martha whip up homemade marshmallows and then make water from scratch. David's refreshing, often humorous style and easy to follow recipes will help even the most timid cook feel at home in the kitchen. The book will be in stores May 2006.

David lives in Los Angeles with his French bulldogs, Carly and Tucker.

Chat Mingkwan

Unusual Touch — cooking and traveling with Chat Mingkwan
Chat is the author of The Best of Regional Thai Cuisine (Hippocrene Books/New York, 2002), Buddha’s Table (Book Publishing Company/Tennessee, 2004), Home-style Thai Cooking (Periplus Editions/Hong Kong, 2005), and Thai Cakes and Desserts (Periplus Editions/Hong Kong, 2005). His cooking, writing, and recipes have been featured in Bay Area newspapers and national publications, such as Oprah’s "O" Magazine (January 2003).

Jessica Prentice

Jessica is a professional chef, food activist, and author of Full Moon Feast: Food and the Hunger for Connection. She is a cofounder of Locavores and the Eat Local Challenge.
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David Rogers

David C. Rogers is a raw food coach and has catered to groups such as Raw Sacramento. David has been a Special Education teacher for the San Juan Unified School District for the last ten years. He received a Bachelor's degree and four teaching credentials from Sacramento State College. He has been a vegetarian since the 1970's, a vegan for four years, and a 100% raw vegan for nearly two of those four years. He has lived all over the United States, as well as living in Germany for three years. David has experienced cuisine from many cultures and styles. His expertise is evident in his raw food preparation.

Sharon Shipley

As founder and director of Mon Cheri Cooking School and Caterers, Sharon Shipley has created a one-of-a-kind catering style, striking an ideal balance between French, European, regional American, and especially California cuisine. Over the past 20 years, this style, coupled with dramatic presentation, has attracted a diverse clientele, from President Clinton and Vice President Al Gore and their entourage, to top Silicon Valley CEOs. In 1998, Mon Cheri won the coveted 'Caterer of The Year' Award of Excellence' by the International Association of Culinary Professionals. The IACP is the largest association of culinary professionals in the world representing all aspects of the food industry. Mon Cheri remains, to this day, the only American caterer to win this prestigious award.

After two years of extensive recipe development, testing and writing, Sharon has created a cookbook devoted solely to cooking with lavender. The Lavender Cookbook, published by Running Press and debuted in April 2004. Gourmand World Cookbook Award 2004, The Lavender Cookbook, Best Single Subject Food Book in the World.

Pamela Spencer, Nutritionist

CPT, Raw/Living Food Educator
Nutritional Hematology
3829 Watt Ave.
Sacramento CA 95833
916.996.6098
916.488.8466 (fax)
pam@macnexus.org
www.spencer.meta-ehealth.com
I believe that knowledge can be empowering. The more we understand our bodies and the mechanisms that cause injuries, the more committed we become to getting better. My office is devoted to educating you about your body, how it works and how to heal it. I believe in working with our clients as partners, to learn from each other in our journey together to maximize health.

As a Nutritionist I educate and empower my clients to take an active role in managing their weight and health. I accomplish this through nutrition counseling, lifestyle coaching, whole foods, nutritional supplementation and exercise.

I have a private practice in Sacramento. I specialize in weight loss, diabetes, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, and women's health issues. In addition I offer clients the option of phone and email consultations.

Chef Ann Cooper

Chef Ann works to transform cafeterias into culinary classrooms for students - one school lunch at a time.
At The Ross School in East Hampton, NY, Chef Ann served as the executive chef and director of wellness and nutrition, developing an integrated school lunch curriculum centered on regional, organic, seasonal and sustainable meals. The implementation of her pilot wellness program proved successful, and Chef Ann was invited to work with schools across the country. She has transformed public school cafeterias in New York City, Harlem and Bridgehampton, NY, and now in Berkeley, CA, to teach more students why good food choices matter by putting innovative strategies to work and providing fresh, organic lunches to all students.

Currently, Chef Ann is the director of nutrition services for the Berkeley Unified School District (BUSD), improving meals at 16 public schools with a population of over 9,000 students. In her work with public schools, Chef Ann is at the forefront of the movement to transform the National School Lunch Program into one that places greater emphasis on the health of students than the financial health of a select few agribusiness corporations. Chef Ann's lunch menus emphasize regional, organic, fresh foods, and nutritional education, helping students build a connection between their personal health and where their food comes from.

Chef Ann's newest book, Lunch Lessons: Changing the Way We Feed Our Children is overflowing with strategies for parents and school administrators to become engaged with issues around school food - from public policy to corporate interest. It includes successful case studies of school food reform, resources that can help make a difference and healthy, kid-friendly recipes that can be made at home, or by the thousands for a public school cafeteria.

Chef Ann is the former executive chef of the Putney Inn in Vermont. Her commitment to healthy, fresh food drove her to work with school administrators, politicians and parents - the people with the power over school food - to guarantee that wholesome food choices are available to kids today and kids tomorrow. Chef Ann's definition of a healthy school lunch extends beyond the French fries, processed chicken nuggets and syrupy fruit salad found on the average commodity-driven lunch menu approved by the National School Lunch Program. According to Chef Ann, we won't have much hope for future generations of healthy kids unless we begin teaching them what good food really is - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has stated that 35 percent of our children are overweight, which statistically predicts that children born in the year 2000 will be the first in our nation's history to die at a younger age than their parents.

Chef Ann, the past president of The American Culinary Federation of Central Vermont, is a graduate of The Culinary Institute of America, and the former president and current board member for Women's Chefs and Restaurateurs. She also sat on the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Organic Standards Board and Chefs Collaborative - all in an effort to raise awareness about the value of healthful seasonal, organic, and regional foods and nutrition education for America's children.

Chef Ann is the author of In Mother's Kitchen: Celebrated Women Chefs Share Beloved Family Recipes (2005); Bitter Harvest: A Chef's Perspective on the Hidden Dangers in the Foods We Eat and What You Can do About It (2000), a glimpse into food safety and the dangers of every day meals; and A Woman's Place is in the Kitchen: The Evolution of Women Chefs (1998).

David Basile, Rudolf Steiner College

David Basile started fermenting in College in order to aquire his beer before he could legally buy it. He developed his gourmet tastes during the ten years he lived at the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, a Buddhist monastery known for its cooking and spawning of Greens Restaurant in San Francisco. He then lived for three years growing a complete diet for his family in his backyard, by hand, the old fashioned way. He now teaches and is the Gardens and Grounds Supervisor at the Rudolf Steiner College, home to Biodynamic Agriculture on the West Coast.