For 25 years, Leslie Cerier, “The Organic Gourmet” has been teaching culinary nutrition and hands-on vegetarian cooking for health and vitality, writing cookbooks focusing on eating local, seasonal, organic foods that are not just good for you, but also pleasurable, delicious and good for the planet.
Leslie Cerier is the author of five cookbooks: Gluten-Free Recipes for the Conscious Cook, A Seasonal Vegetarian Cookbook (New Harbinger Publications, 2010), which was named one of the 12 best cookbooks of 2010 by Natural Solutions Magazine; Going Wild in the Kitchen (Square One Publishers, 2005); The Quick and Easy Organic Gourmet (Barrytown Ltd, 1996); co-author of Sea Vegetable Celebration (The Book Publishing Company, 2001); and editor of Taste Life! Organic Recipes (Square One Publishers, 2002).
Leslie has also developed many recipes for natural foods companies, including Green and Blacks (organic chocolate), Coombs Vermont Gourmet (organic maple syrup) Lotus Foods (Jade pearl rice and Madagascar pink rice), and The Teff Company. Naturally, the perfect marriage of her culinary knowledge and aptitude has also resulted in many requested appearances around the country.
Leslie has been interviewed by the Television Food Network, WGBY PBS TV, NBC TV affiliate Channel 22, Foxnews.com, jazzyvegetarian.com and numerous national radio programs and her recipes have been featured on dozens of websites, blogs, and even food packages including: wholegrainscouncil.org, vegkitchen.com, kripalu.org, naturaleyecare.com, vegtv.com, organiccenter.org, jazzyvegetarian.com, allthingshealing.com, naturalsolutionsmag.com, bobsredmill.com, shilohfarms.com, lotusfoods.com, navitasnaturals.com, frontiercoop.com, premierorganics.com, among others.
Leslie also teaches exciting classes in some of the most prestigious centers of holistic evolution and organic lifestyle. These include Rancho La Puerta, a famous fitness resort and spa in Mexico; Esalen Institute, in Big Sur, CA; Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, in the Berkshires of Massachusetts, Omega Institute, in Rhinebeck, NY. Kripalu and Omega’s workshops offer Continuing Education Credits. Leslie has also taught nutritionists at Canyon Ranch, and has lectured and taught cooking at Frontier Natural Products Co-op’s Herb Fest, Northeast Organic Farming Association, Natural Gourmet Institute for Food and Health in New York City, New York Open Center, Open Center Online Learning; the 3rd annual Gluten-Free Culinary Summit, and Whole Foods New England Demo Group on behalf of Simply Organics. Leslie also has taught gluten free baking with teff flour to the baker at Kripalu.
Leslie is also a gourmet personal chef/caterer specializing in whole foods and organic cuisine. Her robust New England based business includes custom culinary work for private clients as well as private and group cooking instruction and coaching. She is a pioneer and national authority on gluten-free cooking and baking, the entire spectrum of whole grains, and cooking with wild foods. Her specialty in grains has led to her being much sought after by health professionals and private clients to help them translate challenging dietary allergy issues into culinary success and meal satisfaction.
As an award-winning photographer and environmentalist, Leslie created a digital story for her latest series of photographs “Photographing the Jewels in the Water”- which you can find at http://lesliecerier.com/blog/environmentalism-and-photography/
Leslie has a master’s degree from Teachers College, Columbia University in Movement Sciences and Education and has taught at Barnard College, Columbia University, Eastern Kentucky University, Sarah Lawrence College and Hampshire College.
Photo of Leslie by Tracey Eller
