MEDIA RELATIONS RECAP - The Natural Gourmet Institute

MEDIA 

RELATIONS 

RECAP 

April 8, 2013

Fish in Modern Japanese at 

Natural Gourmet Institute 

Wednesday, May 1 6:00p to 10:00p 

Natural Gourmet Institute New York, NY 

Learn how to make favorite contemporary Japanese fish recipes 

using a variety of wild fish, sea vegetables and fresh produce. 

Learn the nutritional and culinary properties of common 

Japanese ingredients and how to properly clean, cut and cure 

fish. Prepare the dishes and learn how to bring out the unique 

flavors of each type of fish. You’ll also learn special tricks and 

techniques that restaurant chefs use to artistically plate the food, 

so you can feed your eyes as well as your appetite. 

Event website 

PHONE 212-645-5170 

PRICE $115 

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CPM'Value:'$3,011.54' 

This article is available online at: 

http://events.nydailynews.com/new_york_ny/events/show/317792903-fish-in-modern-japanese-atnatural-gourmet-institute

Places & Events 


Month:'562,888' 

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CPM'Value:'$469.07' 

This Article Can Be Seen By Clicking The Following Link: 

http://www.villagevoice.com/search/results/?keyword=Thai+street+food&type=events#type:even 

ts/keyword:Fish+in+Modern+Japanese/

Fish in Modern Japanese 

6:00 PM | Wednesday May 1, 2013 

Learn how to make favorite contemporary Japanese fish recipes 

using a variety of wild fish, sea vegetables and fresh produce. 

Learn the nutritional and culinary properties of common Japanese 

ingredients and how to properly clean, cut and cure fish. Prepare 

the dishes and learn how to bring out the unique flavors of each 

type of fish. You’ll also learn special tricks and techniques that 

restaurant chefs use to artistically plate the food, so you can feed 

your eyes as well as your appetite. 

Admission: $115 


48 W. 21st St., 2nd floor 

New York, NY 10010 

This%article%is%available%online%at:%% 

http://www.gothamgazette.com/events/#/event/972589% 


Month:'17,300'

Thai Street Food at Natural 

Gourmet Institute 

Friday, Apr 26 6:00p to 9:30p 

Natural Gourmet Institute New York, NY 

Enjoy an evening exploring the tastes of Thailand's street food. 

Thai cuisine brilliantly uses the law of opposites: pairing hot 

foods with cool raw vegetables, savory specialties with 

sweet/spicy chile sauces, and rich, smooth coconut milk with 

tangy broths. Make four curry pastes from scratch and, building 

on this foundation, prepare an array of popular Thai street food 

that's in every way comparable to what is sold in the markets of 

Bangkok and Chiang Mai. 

Event website 

PHONE 212-645-5170 

PRICE $115 



http://events.nydailynews.com/new_york_ny/events/show/317791923-thai-street-food-at-naturalgourmet-institute 

natural'gourmet'instituteboot'camp'intensive'at'natural'gourmet'institute 


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CPM'Value:'$3,011.54'

Places & Events 

This Article Can Be Seen By Clicking The Following Link: 

http://www.villagevoice.com/search/results/?keyword=Thai+street+food&type=events 


Month:'562,888' 

' 

CPM'Value:'$469.07'

Thai Street Food 

6:00 PM | Friday April 26, 2013 

Enjoy an evening exploring and creating the tastes of Thailand’s 

street foods. Pair hot foods with cool raw vegetables, savory 

specialties with sweet/spicy chile sauces, and rich, smooth 

coconut milk with tangy broths. Make four curry pastes from 

scratch and, building on this foundation, prepare an array of 

popular Thai street food that's in every way comparable to what is 

sold in the markets of Bangkok and Chiang Mai. 

Admission: $115 


48 W. 21st St., 2nd floor 

New York, NY 10010 

This%article%is%available%online%at:%% 

http://www.gothamgazette.com/events/#/event/972581' 

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FOOD TOURISM 

The knife in the kitchen 

Elliott Prag, Instructor, Chef’s Training Program, 


BY DR. ELINOR GARELY, EDITOR IN CHIEF, 

TOURISMEXECUTIVES.COM (A DIVISION OF ETN PUBLISHING) | 

MAR 24, 2013 

People travel to New York for many reasons, and one of them is to take 

cooking or food-related classes. If you have not taken a course at the 

Natural Gourmet Institute for Food and Health, quickly amend the 

error! Housed on the upper floors of a non-descript building on 

Manhattan’s west side, this small but powerful center for culinary 

development is definitely a hidden treasure. 

The school was started 36 years ago by Dr. Annemarie Colbin who has 

devoted her career to educating chefs, cooks, foodies, and health 

professionals about the relationship between food and wellbeing. The 

institute is the oldest natural foods cooking school in the US and the 

only one licensed by the New York State Education Department and 

accredited to offer a career Chef's Training Program in natural foods 

cooking. 

So Many Choices. So Little Time 

Let us first establish that I do not cook, and I need a GPS system to 

locate my kitchen. Nonetheless, I am intrigued by chefs, kitchen 

equipment, and appliances. I find that cooking/kitchen classes are 

always interesting, and I like to learn – especially when the end of the 

session ends with food. 

I discussed the dozens of available courses with the Institute’s Program 

Director, Judith Friedman, and she suggested I take the 4-hour class in knives. Certainly this was a joke. While I am NOT a cook, 

I certainly know what a knife is and how to use it. What could I possibly need to know that would take up almost 4 hours of my 

precious time? 

Truth Be Told 

She was right, and I was dumb. Not only did I know almost nothing about knives and how to use them, the 4 hours went so 

quickly that the class was over before I noticed the time. 

In the Knife Skills class I quickly learned that: 

- Mastering knife techniques could cut meal preparation in half (yes! Even less time in the kitchen!). 

- Learning how to mince, dice, slice, and shred are the building blocks to a career as a chef (not my objective – but you never 

know). 

Subscribers:'230,000' 

Reach:'Over'1.1'Million' 

Consumers'

- That all knives are not created equal; there is a special technique for selecting and caring for them, as well as methods for 

sharpening and honing (maybe best to get a new one). 

MeMe. Preparing for the Class. 

Since I am so inept in a kitchen, I thought I could make up for the deficiency (and not embarrass myself in front of the chef); I 

thought I would come equipped with knife knowledge. I decided to follow the old adage, “If you cannot dazzle them with 

brilliance, baffle them with BS).” 

Knife Notes 

In the beginning there were knives, but no fire. Hunters and gathers used bones and stones for cutting and shaving. The knife as 

we know it today was not crafted until the Bronze and Iron Age (1000 BC) … it took craftsmen this long to find the way to soften 

and form metal. Finally, bones were out – and the metal knife was in. The folding knife was developed by the Greeks and 

Romans, and their knives of choice for cutting/eating fruit were knives with ivory blades (no metal residue in the mouth). 

During the Crusades (11th–13th century) and the Middle Ages (5th-15th century), people used 2 knives, one to cut food and the 

other to spear and eat it. The functionality of the knife expanded during this period, and now it was also used as a weapon. 

Although the knife remained on the table – the utensil was so expensive that European hosts requested that guests bring their own 

knives – if they wanted to eat. 

Shaped and Sharpened 

The knives of the period were narrow with sharp pointed ends. This practical utensil seemed to work until the 17th century when 

King Louis XIV of France decreed that all pointed knives (weapons and cutlery) to be illegal. From this point on, all knife points 

were blunted. His reasoning: a rounded point would end the violent use of the knife. Stylists rushed in to make design changes 

and knives became wider with rounded blades so that food falling off the tines of a fork could be captured on the knife blade. 

The Chef and His Knives 

Now that I knew about the history of the knife, I was better prepared to enter the Knife Skills class arranged by Elliott Prag. 

When the students entered the classroom, Prag was surrounded by Institute students and lots of pots, pans, and knives. 

Although I not thought about it before, a chef with a barren kitchen cannot cook and is helpless. The knife is the most basic of 

chef tools. It is my understanding that most chefs prefer their own knives. They understand how their knives operate - each one 

has a different balance. Even when chefs chat among themselves, they will review the relative merit of their knives, analyzing 

whether stainless steel is better than carbon, if it matters if they are stained, and if balance is more important than metal quality. 

Chefs are so attached to their knives that they will oil and sharpen their knives, frequently treating them better than their 

significant other. 

There may be relatively little difference between types of knives, the quality of the knife, but the chef’s ability to use it typifies 

and defines the chef’s status. Fights can erupt if one chef borrows the knife of another, without permission. The emphasis on the 

quality of equipment reflects a seriously-defined hierarchy. The only people who do not have their own knives in most 

commercial kitchens are the food preparers and the students. 

Chef Prag 

I was fortunate to have taken the Knife Skills class with Elliott Prag, a full-time instructor with the Natural Gourmet Institute. In 

addition to being a patient and well-informed teacher, Prag’s career includes that of restaurant chef, caterer, and recipe developer 

for Vegetarian Times. He has also been a personal chef for NYC clients. Currently he is the Manager of Social Media for NGI 

and writes for the blog, Blanched and Shocked, as well as Twitter and Facebook pages.

Prag did not start on his career path with the objective of becoming a chef. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Wayne State 

University in Detroit, Michigan, and was a management consultant. It was not until 1995, when he graduated from the Natural 

Gourmet Institute, that he found a career that interested him. 

Knife Wisdom 

Although I learned how to stand, hold the knife correctly, and cut vegetables without destroying them, I also found out that I 

should not begin to prepare a meal without a few essentials including a sturdy cutting board, a (sharp!) chef’s knife, and a (sharp) 

paring knife. Recommendations for the proper attire include an apron and kitchen towel (color matching and design are 

unimportant). 

I also learned the correct way of holding a chef’s knife: grasp the blade between the pad of the thumb and the knuckle of the 

index finger (just in front of the bolster) and curling the remaining fingers around the bottom of the handle. If I do it correctly, I 

can look forward to developing a callous at the base of my index finger, near the palm. It is also important for me to keep my 

thumb of the “guide hand” tucked behind curled finger if I want to keep all my fingers throughout the prepping stage. The 

procedure also allows the knuckles of this hand to guide the edge of the knife to the right position for the next cut. 

Perhaps most importantly, I learned knife safety: 

- Cut away from the body (you would not believe how difficult this is – since my mother told me just the opposite). 

- Always use a cutting board; do not cut anything in your hand. 

- Hold items being cut firmly with one hand. Tuck fingers in/curl them under, so fingers are not sticking out when the blade 

comes down. 

- Drop a knife? Do not try to catch it. 

- Don’t run with a knife in your hand. This should probably include: don’t use your cell phone with a knife in your hand, and 

don’t do the laundry with a knife in your hand, and definitely do not take a shower with a knife in-hand. 

- Don’t throw a knife at someone (unless you are in the entertainment business or a criminal). Someone needs a knife? Hand it to 

them with the handle first. 

- Never point a knife at someone (unless you plan to use it “off-label”). 

- Don’t use knives as a screw driver, a paper cutter, an envelope opener, or to open jars and draws. 

- Use knives in a well-lit area so that you can see what you are doing. 

- Do not use knives on live electrical items or stick them in electrical sockets. 

- Keep knives clean, lubricated, and sharp (safer than dull). 

- If you get cut, seek first aid immediately. 

- Wash knives immediately after use. Leaving knives in a sink of soapy water where they cannot be seen can be dangerous. 

You Should Go 

Taking Prag’s class in knives is highly recommended. I also think that rather than try to do all the slicing and dicing myself (and 

making a mess of the green pepper), it might be easier to have Prag orchestrate my next dinner party. I definitely think that it is 

appropriate to let the experts do what they do best, and leave me to do what I do best, eating and drinking. 

For additional information, contact the NGI www.naturalgourmetinstitute.com . 

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http://www.eturbonews.com/34002/knife-kitchen 

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Larry Olmsted, Contributor 

LIFESTYLE 

3/12/2013 @ 8:04AM 

' 

Delicious & Healthy: 10 Top Wholesome 

U.S. Restaurants 

While the Culinary Institute of America and Le Cordon Bleu have 

turned out some world class chefs serving up decadent and delicious 

dishes, another top culinary school takes a different – and lighter – 

approach 

The Natural Gourmet Institute for Food and Health has been based in 

New York City for more than 35 years, and focuses on what it calls 

“Health-supportive cooking.” NGI believes that “What we eat 

significantly affects our physical, mental and spiritual well-being,” 

which is not exactly a radical or disputed concept. 

For the public NGI offers a lengthy, ongoing slate of cooking classes, 

everything from Basic Knife Skills and Thai Street Food to Fish in 

Modern Japanese cuisine and “Mostly Vegetarian” cooking. 

But for chefs, NGI launched its Culinary Arts Chef’s Training Program 

in 1987, and has since graduated class after class of culinary 

professionals skilled at preparing beautiful, delicious health-supportive 

cuisine. NGI claims that its accredited, comprehensive and mostlyvegetarian 

program is the only one of its kind in the world. As result, 

its alums are at the forefront of the current healthier restaurant dining 

trend, and NGI just released a list of its Top 10 alumni restaurants for 

2013. Personally I still love a great steakhouse or barbecue joint, but I 


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In food crazed New Orleans, Chef 

Dan Esses is putting a lighter spin 

on classic dishes at his Three Muses 

restaurant. 

know that is not everybody’s cup of tea. These days I get press releases weekly touting all sorts of 

restaurant “Best Lists,” from service to cocktail menus, and most of them are as shallow as they are 

useless. This one might actually be good for you. 

(Descriptions are not mine, they are from The Natural Gourmet Institute for Food and Health, but have 

been edited for length. Entries are in alphabetical order). 

Abby’s Table, Portland, OR: “We believe in the power of yum” is the manifesto and describes the 

restaurant’s commitment to food that is nourishing, natural, and absolutely scrumptious. Bi-weekly 

dinners are themed (Peruvian, Thai, Northwest) and require reservations, creating a uniquely cozy and 

communal atmosphere. Cooking classes are also available. Website. 

Arugula Ristorante, Boulder, CO: Elegance is the word for this Italian restaurant. Chandeliers hang 

from the ceiling, slender bottles of olive oil grace each table, and the service is perfection. The menu 

shows a commitment to classic Italian cuisine, local sourcing, and new-world diet demands, with markers 

denoting a variety of vegetarian – try the Pear and Gorgonzola Gnocchi -and gluten free – like the Black 

Seafood Risotto – options. Menu changes seasonally. Website.

Encuentro Café & Wine Bar, Oakland, CA: Casual décor featuring a bamboo bar evokes island 

living with a focus on local food. Menu changes seasonally, but favorites are the vegan Macadamia Nut 

Pate, the nutrient-packed Farro Salad, or any of the bruschetta options, topped with seasonal vegetables 

from local farms. Website. 

Good Karma Café, Red Bank, NJ: Ideal for a casual breakfast and lunch, this cozy cafe is vegan food 

for active people – portions are large and satisfying. Feast on a Tempeh Reuben, the Live Nachos (raw 

nachos with cashew sour cream, guacamole and sunflower crumble), or an Elvis Smoothie (bananas, 

peanut butter and soymilk). They also have a kids’ menu. Website. 

Help Yourself, Key West, FL: This bright and cheerful cafe, with its grass-green walls and abundance 

of plants, is actually a reclaimed gas station. Enjoy the Indian Summer Salad, featuring chickpeas and 

quinoa, or the Maple-soy glazed Wild Salmon with avocado wasabi. On the go? Grab a refreshing 

smoothie. Website. 

Mihoko’s 21 Grams, New York, NY: This elegant, white-tablecloth Franco-Japanese restaurant was 

conceptualized and designed by ballerina and philanthropist Mihoko Kiyokawa. Truly unique, the menu 

combines the fresh and local ethos of French food with Japanese precision, resulting in delights such as a 

Turbot Beigne with yuzu kosho (a chili-based Japanese condiment) and Japanese Pot au Feu with black 

truffle and daikon. Try the tasting menu with sake pairing. Website. 

Brooklyn's Palo Santo focuses on South American 

food and style. 

Palo Santo, New York, NY: Named after a tropical 

evergreen found in South America, this Brooklyn 

restaurant has a Latin American focus in food and décor, 

featuring mosaics, colorful art and centuries-old wooden 

doors. Locally sourced foods are central to their mission, 

so the menu changes daily. In warm months, produce 

and herbs are sourced from the rooftop garden, which 

also doubles as open-air dining space. Website. 

Plant, Asheville, NC: From the houseplants in the 

windows of the dining room to the strings of lights that 

glow in the rafters of the outdoor seating area, Plant is 

designed to make the diner feel at home while enjoying 

some of the finest, freshest, and most sophisticated 

vegan cuisine in the country. Try the Smoked Portobello 

Steak or Raw Enchiladas. Website. 

Pomegranate Café, Phoenix, AZ: This charming mother-daughter restaurant serves lunch (try Greek 

Isle Quesadilla with sunflower ranch dip) and dinner (raw Lasagna with zucchini noodles), but their 

brunch deserves special praise. Start the day under an umbrella at one of the outside tables and feast on 

tempeh bacon, egg or tofu scrambles with fresh veggies and a side of harvest hash. Website. 

The Three Muses, New Orleans, LA: The immediate impression of The Three Muses is of a decade 

gone by: dark wood paneling, black and white photos, maybe a live jazz or blues band. The menu is oldfashioned 

too, featuring classic, stick-to-your-ribs recipes using hand-selected ingredients, like Grilled 

Shrimp and Polenta, served with a tangy Napa slaw. Website. 

2 


http://www.forbes.com/sites/larryolmsted/2013/03/12/delicious-healthy-10-best-wholesome-u-s-restaurants/

5 Strategies to Stop Wasting Food 

There is no free lunch. But well-fed consumers 

often act as if there is 

By GEOFF WILLIAMS 

2 

March26,22013 

Food waste may not be the cause of the hour, but it is 

getting a lot of attention these days. 

… 

If you're worried about food waste and wondering how to 

slow it down in your home, consider these five strategies 

from experts: 

3. Internalize those food storage rules. If you really want to learn to store your food properly 

or better, there are a number of ideas one can commit to memory or write down and tape on 

the refrigerator. 

… 

And when it comes to herbs and leafy greens, "they will keep much longer in the 

refrigerator if wrapped in a damp paper towel," says Elliott Prag, a chef instructor at the 

Natural Gourmet Institute, a New York City-based culinary arts school. But remember, he 

says, to "check the paper towel daily and replace it if it dries out." 

Prag adds that dry grains will remain fresher longer in the refrigerator, especially if 

they're in a place free of condensation. 

4. Embrace leftovers. 

… 

Prag says a lot of food scraps make good ingredients for vegetable, chicken, and meat 

stock: "Save clean skins and clean trimmings of squash, corn cobs, greens from the top of 

leeks, bones from roasted meats, frames from roasted turkeys and chickens, and stems 

from fresh herbs. All are great stock ingredients." 

… 


http://money.usnews.com/money/personal-finance/articles/2013/03/06/5-strategies-to-stop-wasting-food 

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Food 

Eats Beat: Bronx Beer Hall and Sweet Chick debut 

Also: P.J. Clarke's opens East Side burger joint; tickets go on sale for 

Staten Island Brew Festival 

BY PATTY LEE / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS 

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2013, 6:00 AM 

Need a new culinary bucket list? The Daily Meal’s 101 Best Restaurants in 

America is out Wednesday and a whopping 27 are in the Big Apple. Check out the rankings. 

... 

Happening this week... 

“Cupcake Wars” winner Chloe Coscarelli will sign copies of her new book, “Chloe’s 

Vegan Desserts,” at the Natural Gourmet Institute on Wednesday. 

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/eats/eats-beat-101-best-restaurants-u-s-article-1.1268027#ixzz2LvH5sczo 

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4-Day Vegan Baking Boot 

Camp Intensive at Natural 

Gourmet Institute 

Thursday, Feb 14 4:00p 

Natural Gourmet Institute, New York, NY 

2 

Learn to make world-class vegan Creamy and Gelled 

Desserts; Biscuits, Scones, Slumps & Crumbles; Pies and 

Tarts; and the finale is the Perfect Cake without dairy, 

eggs, and refined sugar. Together with Fran Costigan, 

vegan pastry chef-instructor and author of Great Good 

Desserts Naturally and More Great Good Desserts 

Naturally, earn to use ingredients specific to vegan baking 

and gain the confidence to adapt many standard recipes to 

delicious vegan versions. 

Event website 

PHONE 212-645-5170 ext. 4 

PRICE $1895.00 (for four days) 



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http://events.nydailynews.com/new_york_ny/events/show/307012845'4'day'vegan'baking' 

boot'camp'intensive'at'natural'gourmet'institute

VEGAN BAKING BOOT CAMP INTENSIVE 

AT NATURAL GOURMET INSTITUTE 

2 

The Natural Gourmet Institute - New York, NY 

Feb. 14 | Thursday 4 p.m. 

Learn to make world-class vegan without dairy, eggs, and refined sugar. 

The entire operation was developed by Fran Costigan, vegan pastry chefinstructor 

and author of Great Good Desserts Naturally and More Great 

Good Desserts Naturally, the books considered the “bibles” of vegan pastry 

arts. You’ll learn to use ingredients specific to vegan baking and gain the 

confidence to adapt many standard recipes to delicious vegan versions. 

Quality organic, seasonal ingredients will be emphasized, including whole 

grain flours, organic fair-traded sweeteners (both liquid and granulated), 

vegan gelatin (agar-agar), various starches, non-dairy milks, sulfite-free 

dried fruit, chocolate, cocoa, carob, pure extracts, leavening agents and 

much more. Novice and experienced bakers alike will benefit from the 

expert training offered in this unique intensive. Plating of desserts will be 

practiced daily and a dessert buffet party will be our finale. 

TICKETS FOR THIS EVENT: $1,895.00 

CONTACT: 

Website: www.NaturalGourmetInstitute.com 

Email: registrar@naturalgourmetinstitute.com 

SETTING: Indoors 


Month:'2,198,751' 

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CPM'Value:'$6,596.25' 


http://myfoxny.eviesays.com/event/1140506/vegan'baking'boot'camp'intensive'at'natural' 

gourmet'institute.html

Top 6 romantic NYC 

hotel packages for Valentine’s Day 

VALENTINE'S DAY FEBRUARY 5, 2013 

Eventi Hotel: 

Scintillating 

Valentine's 

Experience! 

48 W. 21st street (at the Natural 

Gourmet Institute) 

New York, NY 

(646) 794-6831 (to reserve) 

www.eventihotel.com 

Get ready for the most romantic 

night of the year as you prepare a 

fabulous feast with your loved one. 

Eventi is partnering with Natural 

Gourmet Institute to provide 

guests a “Scintillating Valentine's 

Experience” class on February 8 (6-10PM) when you book Eventi’s Valentine’s Day Package. In this fun-filled, hands- 

on class, Chef Richard LaMarita will guide couples through cooking techniques and share highlights from the history 

of culinary aphrodisiacs. From your first slippery oyster to the last mouthful of chocolate, couples will be swept along 

on a sensuously delicious ride. In addition to the class, sweethearts will receive luxury suite accommodations, a bottle 

of Champagne upon check in, flowers and chocolate turn down service, His and Hers Massages and a take-home 

specialty gift. Rates start at $879 (Hotel is located at 851 Avenue of the Americas). 


http://www.examiner.com/list/top-6-romantic-nyc-hotel-packages-for-valentine-s-day/eventi-hotelscintillating-valentine-s-experience 

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Unique'Visitors'per'Month:'11,701,506' 

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Cooking Equipment2 

Healthy Cooking Techniques from the Natural Gourmet Institute 

Founder Annemarie Colbin Shares Tips on Cooking Healthier 

By Jessica Harlan, About.com Guide (published January 2013) 

Healthy cooking is so much easier if you know which cooking 

techniques can create low-fat but delicious results, and if you have 

the right healthy cooking equipment. We asked Annemarie Colbin, 

Ph.D, founder of the Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and 

Culinary Arts in New York City, for some tips and suggestions on how 

to cook healthier meals. Here's what she had to say. 

What are some of the things home cooks can do to make their 

meals healthier? 

Dr. Annemarie Colbin: They can choose to use only fresh vegetables, 

nothing canned or frozen, and have a salad every day with lemon 

and olive oil. A salad spinner is indispensable here. 

What cooking equipment should kitchens have for healthy 

cooking? 

Colbin: Some good pots with lids, with either stainless or porcelain interiors, a good 6- to 9-inch [chef's] 

knife, a paring knife, a pressure cooker, either a regular or immersion blender, a food processor (they do 

different things), wooden cooking spoons, a garlic press, and if desired, a lemon zester. 

What so-called healthy-cooking kitchen tools are not worth the money? 

Colbin: A pasta making machine and a steamer (you can steam stuff in a little water in a regular pot) 

Some people equate healthy with bland or not tasty – what cooking methods do you think are 

best for making really flavorful – but still healthy - foods? 

Colbin: Sautéeing with olive oil and garlic; using herbs like oregano, basil, thyme; spices like cumin and 

coriander (just enough, not too much); slow cooking, baking, braising; using enough sea salt to brings up all 

the other flavors (food should not taste salty). Cook grains and beans with stock, either vegetable or 

chicken. Here is an example of “healthy” but blah: plain brown rice, lightly steamed carrots and zucchini, 

grilled chicken breast, salad with just lemon juice. Better: brown rice cooked in chicken stock, with one 

pinch of sea salt per cup of rice and a bay leaf; onion, carrots, and zucchini sautéed in some olive oil with 

marjoram and a sprinkle of soy sauce; chicken breast in mild vindaloo sauce (you can buy the sauce, there’s 

a good brand with natural ingredients); salad with a good olive oil and lemon vinaigrette [the ratio should be 

3 parts olive oil to 1 part lemon juice]. Forget steaming, unless you finish the vegetables with a drizzle of 

toasted sesame oil. 

What are your three desert-island pieces of cooking equipment? 

Colbin: A 4-quart All-Clad pot with lid, a Japanese knife, a wooden spoon. 


' 

Chefs in training at the Natural 

Gourmet Institute of Health and 

Culinary Arts. 

Natural Gourmet Institute of Health 

and Culinary Arts 

2 

For students who take your classes (either professionally or recreationally), what do you think is 

the one specific technique they learn that they are proudest of? 

Colbin: Good knife skills. If you know how to cut vegetables beautifully, efficiently, and safely, you’re set for 

life. 

The Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts is located in New York City. Founded in 1977, it is the oldest natural foods cooking school in the United 

States and the only school licensed by the New York State Education department and accredited to offer a career chef's training program in natural foods cooking. In 

addition to the professional program, it also offers recreational classes and lectures to the general public. 


http://cookingequipment.about.com/od/cookbooks/a/Healthy8Cooking8Techniques8From8Natural8 

Gourmet8Institute.htm2

Eat Well: Roasted Broccoli, Kale Pie, and Sweet Tofu 

12/17/12 at 09:00 AM 

A new week means 

another look at the great 

food around town that 

just so happens to be good 

for you. This week, that 

means hearty veggie 

meatballs with a side of 

broccoli at the Meatball 

Shop, artichokes at Il 

Buco Alimentari, and light 

options from Chelsea newcomer Willow Road. With Christmas coming up, 

it's not a bad idea to take it easy this week. 

… 

Friday, December 21: Attend a Vegan Friday Night Dinner 

The Natural Gourmet Institute hosts a weekly candle-lit, all-vegan dinner 

for $40 a head. On the menu for tonight: white winter soup and watercress 

salad, crispy polenta and wild mushroom ragout, roasted butternut squash, 

and pumpkin-seed brittle with cranberry compote. Click here for more info. 

Kate Lowenstein is the senior features editor at Health magazine. 


http://newyork.grubstreet.com/2012/12/eat-well-broccoli-kale-tofu.html 


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CPM'Value:'$1,022'

WNBCXNY'(NBC)' 

12/9/2012'' 

8:21:06'AM2 

Total'National'Viewership:'2,527,779*' 

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Total'National'Publicity'Value:'$387,887.69*' 

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Total'Local'Viewership:'164,502' 

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Total'Local'Market'Publicity'Value:'$12,885.30' 

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2

Larry Olmsted, Contributor 

11/27/2012 

2 

Holiday Gift Guide For Foodies 

As my post-Thanksgiving series of Holiday Gift Guides continues I tackle one of my 

main journalistic topics, food. There’s something for everyone here, from the passionate 

cook to the passionate eater to the health conscious. Check out my themed gift guide for 

Skiers/Snowboarders as well! 

EXCERPT 

Natural Gourmet Institute Gift Certificates: Got a cook on your list in the New 

York City area (or just a cook who might visit)? People love learning and cooking 

lessons, and right now interest in natural products is at red hot. This is why a gift 

certificate for a class at the Natural Gourmet Institute, the nation’s foremost culinary 

school devoted to the preparation of natural, whole foods, makes so much sense. Your 

recipient can learn to make fresh handmade pasta, master classic French bistro cooking 

or bake gourmet cupcakes. There are public classes almost every day on a wide range of 

topics, from basic knife skills to Thai Street Food to holiday menus (most classes are 

$110-$120). 

Got a young chef? There is a special Mother/Daughter, Father/Son, Father/Daughter or 

Mother/Son (or Uncle, Aunt, nephew, niece, grandkids, whatever) sushi class for kids 7- 

11 ($135 for one adult and one child). Got someone more interested in eating then 

cooking? A unique option is the Friday Night Dinner series. Every week the kitchens and 

classrooms at NGI are transformed into candlelit dining rooms where guests are served 

a 3-course gourmet vegetarian meal incorporating fresh, seasonal and mostly organic 

produce. The dinner is the “thesis” project for students about to graduate from NGI’s 

professional Chef Training Program – many of whom are about to go to work in the 

kitchens of the nation’s finest four and five star eateries. It’s a Big Apple bargain at $40 

per person. 

Eat Well and Happy Holidays! 


http://www.forbes.com/sites/larryolmsted/2012/11/27/holiday-gift-guide-for-foodies/ 

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Month:'9,494,710' 

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CPM'Value:'$43,043'

November 20, 2012 

Dining Calendar 


Month:'14,994,400' 

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CPM'Value:'$34,987' 

By FLORENCE FABRICANT 

@ 

Events 

A class in preparing a Hanukkah menu that does not 

include fried foods (shredded baked potato latke pie, 

anyone?) will be taught on Nov. 28 from 6:30 to 10 

p.m. at the Natural Gourmet Institute, 48 West 21st 

Street. Students will dine on the food, with wine; 

$110: (212) 645-5170, extension 

4, naturalgourmetinstitute.com. 


http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/21/dining/dining-calendar-more-hurricane-relief-benefitsa-twinkie-toast-and-other-events.html 

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2 

Gift Ideas From The Natural Gourmet Institute 

Posted on November 15, 2012 by Serena 


Month:'5,535' 

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CPM'Value:'n/a' 

Take the stress out of holiday shopping and make everyone happy this year — give a gift 

certificate to the Natural Gourmet Institute (NGI), Manhattan’s foremost culinary school 

devoted to the preparation of natural, whole foods. A sushi-making class for ten year-old 

cousin Bill? Check! A romantic Friday Night Dinner for two? Check! Easy French Bistro 

Cooking for your best friend who loves all things French? Mais oui! Indeed, with such a wide 

range of classes, dinners, and products, you are sure to find something for everyone on 

your list. 

Public Classes 

NGI’s public classes offer excellent learning opportunities to the general public, providing an 

ever-expanding array of approaches to health-supportive cooking, which includes global 

and regional gourmet cuisine, knife skills, cooking techniques and specialty classes such as 

gluten-free baking, macrobiotics, raw foods, cooking with kids, Ayurveda and more.

Just a few of the courses available at NGI this winter include: 

Handmade Pasta–Now That’s Italian 

Learn the closely guarded secrets of making homemade pasta the way Italian nonnas have 

for generations. Pasta expert Stefania Patinella will teach you the easy way to make your 

own pasta dough from various flours to achieve a variety of textures and how to form 

traditional shapes such as roll-off- the-fork cavatelli, stuffed ravioli, fettuccine, and agnolotti. 

You’ll learn how to make pasta by hand and by machine and prepare beautiful sauces to 

accompany each. Cavatelli with Vegetarian Bolognese • Squash-Stuffed Ravioli with Butter- 

Sage Sauce • Fettuccine with Porcini Mushrooms, Garlic, Olive Oil and Peppers • Agnolotti 

with Ricotta and Spinach • Arugula, Fennel and Orange Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette. 

(Organic eggs and dairy will be used; wine will be served.) 

Friday, January 18, 6:00 pm – 9:30 pm 

Instructor: Stefania Patinella 

Fee: $110.00 

Rock-n-Roll Vegetarian Sushi for Kids (Ages 7-11) 

Japanese Sushi Chef Hideyo Yamada is passionate about healthy sushi. Her infectious 

enthusiasm and patient guidance will help kids get in touch with their inner sushi master. 

First, she’ll explain basic sushi ingredients, like brown rice, vinegar, and nori. Then the real 

action begins: Chef Hideyo will show kids how to make several varieties of vegetarian sushi 

including Dragon Rolls, Colorful Rolls, and Hand Rolls. Kids (and accompanying adults) will 

be rolling like pros in no time. An added benefit: when children cook their own vegetables, 

they are more likely to eat lots of them! After class, participants will feast on their creations. 

Variety of Sushi Rolls: Dragon Rolls, Colorful Rolls, Hand Rolls • Rice-Paper Summer Rolls 

with Colorful Vegetables • Perfect Brown Rice and Sushi Vinegar • Carob Mousse with 

Secret Ingredient. (Vegan; no nuts, gluten or refined sugars.) 

Monday, January 21, 10:30 am – 1:30 pm 

Instructor: Hideyo Yamada 

Fee: $135.00 (for one adult and one child) 

Extra-Luscious Vegan Cupcakery 

Explore two distinct styles of cupcake: the kind with frosting on top and cake through and 

through and the frosted cream-filled. All vegan, all irresistible. Come bake and decorate 

them and take a box to nibble on at home. Chocolate Pudding-Filled & Frosted Chocolate 

Chip Cupcakes • “Buttermilk” Cupcakes with Natural Pink Icing • Chocolate Cupcakes with 

Piped Chocolate Cream • Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Water Glaze • 

Carrot-Coconut Cupcakes with Double Coconut Cream & Candied Coconut • Mostess 

Cream-Filled Cupcakes. 

Friday, January 25, 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm 

Instructor: Fran Costigan 

Fee: $120.00

Gifts Galore 

In addition to classes, gift certificates can also be used at the NGI store. Have a cookbook 

lover on your list? He or she can choose from a wide array of inspirational reading choices. 

A full line of All-Clad Metalcrafters cookware, including MASTER-CHEF, LTD, COP-R- 

CHEF and MAGNA CORE, plus Duromatic pressure cookers and Le Creuset grills are 

also available. 

A Unique Dining Experience- NGI’s Friday Night Dinners 

Friday Night Dinners are a great option for savvy New Yorkers and visitors alike who are 

looking for an innovative, healthy and yes, reasonably-priced meal. Every Friday night, the 

busy kitchens and classrooms at NGI are transformed into candlelit dining rooms where 

guests are served at communal tables. The delicious and beautifully presented 3-course 

vegetarian menu, which changes weekly, incorporates fresh, seasonal and mostly organic 

produce. The dinner is the culminating project for NGI’s Chef Training Program students 

who plan the whole menu from start to finish. Many of NGI’s graduates later work at some 

of the nation’s 5-star restaurants, so rest assured, you are in for a treat! Seating begins at 

6:30pm for the $40 prix fixe meal (tax and tip included) and it’s BYOB. Gift certificates are 

available for any denomination, so buy dinner for two or for ten! 

The Ultimate Dream Gift – The Chance to Train as a Chef! 

Have a friend or a loved one who has always dreamed of being a chef? Help them join the 

ranks of other prominent NGI grads, including Tal Ronnen, private chef to Oprah Winfrey 

and author of The Conscious Cook; Amanda Cohen, owner of NYC’s Dirt Candy restaurant 

and recent Food Network “Iron Chef” challenger; and Alex Jamieson, author of “Veganism 

for Dummies.” A gift certificate towards tuition for NGI’s Chef’s Training Program (CTP) will 

set them on their way. This mostly plant-based program provides the same basic skills 

training as its more mainstream counterparts, but takes it one step further. In addition to 

preparing its graduates for careers in 5-star restaurants, bakeries, catering businesses and 

other entrepreneurial pursuits, it is also dedicated to graduating chefs who are committed to 

using local, sustainable, organic, seasonal (when possible), fresh whole foods with an 

emphasis on traditional unrefined ingredients. Students learn not only to prepare delicious 

food, but how to use it as a tool for health and healing. 

2 

TO PURCHASE A NATURAL GOURMET INSTITUTE GIFT CERTIFICATE, CALL 212-645-5170 (EXT. 4). FOR 

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT NGI’S CHEF TRAINING PROGRAM, PUBLIC CLASSES AND FRIDAY NIGHT 

DINNERS, VISITWWW.NATURALGOURMETINSTITUTE.COM. 

MOMTRENDS WAS NOT PAID FOR THIS POST. 


http://www.momtrendsnyc.com/2012/11/gift-ideas-from-the-natural-gourmet-institute/

October'2012' 

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Circulation:'240,949'' 

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AdValue:'$12,900'


http://www.timeout.com/newyork/things-to-do/nutrition-classes-and-healthy-cooking-classes

2 

Pizza Roma’s Secret Garden; 

Summer Produce Cooking Classes 

7/27/12 at 5:30 PM 

It's not too late to take advantage of summer produce. 

Cookbook author Jay Weinstein hosts a marathon all-day 

cooking class tomorrow at the Natural Gourmet Institute, 

starting with bread dough in the morning, a shopping trip 

to Greenmarket at Union Square to find seasonal 

ingredients, and finishing with a locally grown 

meal. Tickets are $150. [Tasting Table] 


http://newyork.grubstreet.com/2012/07/_its_not_too_late.html2

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