• "Your class changed my life"

    -Andrew C.

Does any of this describe you?

  • Are you fascinated by (and secretly envious of) people who can rattle off all sorts of adjectives and associations for food after one bite or even one sniff! 

  • You don’t understand why the food at restaurants tastes so good and why you don’t seem to be able to recreate it at home? Are you using the wrong oven? Is it the type of salt? 

  • You’re tired of being the parent who only brings Trader Joe’s cookies to the carpool.

  • You followed the recipe instructions (you did! Truly!) but the result fell flat. 

  • You want to expand your pantry but don’t want to buy a bunch of ingredients that are only used for one recipe.

If you said “yes” to any of the above questions then you are in the right place.

What I offer

Gain more confidence in the Kitchen

FAQs

Do I have to be 100% vegetarian/vegan to work with you?

Nope! Most of my clients are omnivorous.

Were you always amazing in the kitchen?

Hardly. Perhaps you have looked at my Instagram and thought “Holy smokes! Look at that Squash Blossom and Lemon Ricotta Galette! OMG, a recipe for Shaved Carrot, Date and Herb Salad with Pomegranate Molasses and Roasted Black Eyed Peas? Oh, I could never do that”. Well, I think that this picture should tell you otherwise. I was so proud of this salad. If I can go from a butterfly salad composed from canned pears to Koji Porridge Sourdough Bread and making my own miso, then you can too.

Will you try to convert me to vegetarianism? I’m all for eating more salad but I love bacon!

Nope! The term “plant based” “vegan” and “vegetarian” get bandied about quite a bit and are sometimes presented as the ultimate in healthy eating. Really, they just tell us what people aren’t eating. As it turns out, potato chips and soda happen to be vegan.

I live in Dubai/Copenhagen/Cape Town but I want to take a class with you. Do I have to fly to Berkeley?

Not at all! (although you could and that would be a lot of fun). You can register for a public virtual class or schedule a private virtual class with me.

I sometimes drink boba, eat instant ramen and I have a secret weakness for Little Debbie snacks, French fries, milkshakes and Frosted Flakes. Are you going to judge me? Make me feel bad? Tell my friends?

Nope! It’s all in the name… Hedonist in Moderation. Of course I am being a bit tongue and cheek here. I love eating nutrient dense foods because that is what tastes good to me and what makes me feel good. That being said, I would shed more than a few tears if I was told that I could never enjoy a piece of my mom’s fudge or a big bowlful of BBQ potato chips. The reason I don’t eat these things regularly isn’t because they are “bad” but more that I don’t feel so great afterwards. I know what works for me because I pay attention. As you learn to tune into your food more, so will you.

I’m in! What should I do next?

Download my free recipe packet of personal weeknight favorite recipes HERE 

Check out my upcoming classes HERE

Click HERE to schedule a complimentary call with me if you want a more personalized approach. 

Testimonials

  • Soyoung L.

    “Chef Marie was one of the best teachers I have had in my life! She’s knowledgeable and passionate about food. I still remember the first time she taught me to make a salad. I thought I knew how to make a salad but she took it to a whole new level! She’s able to add a lot of interesting scientific details along each step. She has taught me a wide range of things. I’ve learned how to make a better salad, my very own miso, and the best wheat free desserts. If you’re the curious type, you’ll love her depth of knowledge and teaching style. Highly recommend!"

  • Caroline R.

    “I can't say enough about Chef Marie. I was apprehensive about going to culinary school, until I took a tour of the kitchen where I met her for the first time. Her reassurance gave me the confidence that I needed. Marie has a wonderful innate way of teaching. It's practical, exciting and so easy to follow along. She makes cooking in the kitchen fun! She brought to us her vast knowledge from her past and present experiences, her formal nutritional background and her travels around the world. Her confidence and passion in what she does made me want to know more. After culinary school, I'm still learning from her!”

  • Patricija V.

    “I took Marie's sauerkraut class and it totally exceeded my expectations. I walked in thinking I'm gonna just learn how to make sauerkraut, but I ended up learning so much more and I also made a new friend! She's very approachable, super passionate about teaching and fun. Excited to take another class soon!”

  • Kristina B.

    “Marie is an incredibly talented and thoughtful chef. I’ve loved everything she’s made, from mung bean kimchi pancakes to black pepper tofu, to tiramisu pudding and everything in between. Her dishes are full of flavor and leave you satiated without feeling weighed down. She’s also very knowledgeable about the cuisines that inspire her recipes and is intriguing to listen to. You’ll walk away from Marie’s meals feel full, happy and having learned something new.”

  • Shay E.

    “I had such a fantastic time learning how to make kimchi from scratch with Marie. She was so gracious and patient with me throughout the process, going above and beyond educating me about different spice combinations, fermenting techniques and base ingredient selection from the market. The hands on aspect of the experience supported me in learning how to approach each step of the process which was incredibly helpful as I'm an experiential learner. I'm looking forward to my next class and developing my cooking skills in other areas. I would highly recommend her both as a chef and all around beautiful human being.”

  • April C.

    “Chef Marie was one of the main instructors at the Bauman College Natural Chef Program. I learned a lot from her. Her instructions were very clear and concise. Her lectures and demonstrations made complex subjects easy to understand. How to make Aioli and risottos were easy to follow. We also learned how to manage blood sugar, digestive wellness, stress and cancer by implementing diets for those conditions.”

  • Craig R.

    Marie is a great teacher. My girlfriend and I took this galette class and it was so much fun. We make them a lot now and amaze our friends!

  • Melissa T.

    “It's such a delight to learn about food from Marie! Her knowledge of the chemistry and history of foods she teaches about is so deep. I wind up leaving with more curiosity and appreciation even of foods I've already had a lot of exposure to! Sessions with Marie are super fun and filled with nutritional science, historical context, cultural appreciation and inspiration to have fun with food-making. I love all the giggles, laughs, and "Aha!" moments!”

  • Carmen Z.

    “Marie is a wonderful and dedicated educator who has a true passion for her craft. She is devoted to vegetarianism and inspired me to be more creative and curious on exploring these foods. I remember her guiding me in making chickpea miso! She also has a wealth of knowledge in the realm of fermentation which has immense health benefits!”

  • Andrew C.

    “Your class changed my life.”

  • Maria C.

    “I'm a former student of Marie. She has excellent organization and preparation skills. Her teaching style is easy to follow and understand concepts. Her knowledge is priceless, and I've learned so much from her. She's didactic in her teaching. She's polite, friendly, and approachable.”

  • Lizette L.

    “Marie came to my home and taught me how to cook a number of vegan dishes. She is a great listener. As a result, the dishes we chose were all tailored to my preferences. We made Change your Life Crackers (gluten-free, nutritious, delicious!), Sea Vegetable Caviar (truly divine), Beet marmalade (who would have thought of marmalade made of beets?!), Lemon Garlic Cashew Cream and Kale salad… You can tell by this list that Marie has a huge repertoire and I think she can pretty much make (and teach you how to make) any dish you’d like to make! But Marie doesn’t just teach you how to cook, she’ll tell you what the best ingredients are and where to get them (she got me hooked on this fabulous olive oil that is now my go-to oil for cooking, bread-dipping and making salads – you’ll have to sign up for a class with her to find out what that oil is and where to get it. 😊) My cooking lesson with Marie was a wonderful afternoon well spent.”