Natural Chef Instructor
As a former elementary school educator, it was startling to hear “Yes, Chef!” after giving an instruction at my new job— but Chef Michelle sure does have a nice ring to it.
This fall, I had the incredible opportunity to join the faculty of the Natural Chef program at Bauman College here in Berkeley. Students from all over the country gather at Bauman to learn holistic nutrition and the culinary skills needed to create delicious, real food. I was hired to lead some veggie centered classes including Starchy and Crunchy Vegetables, Leafy Greens, Mushrooms and Sea Vegetables.
Each day at Bauman started with a lecture followed by a cooking demo, and then I supported students as they made a few recipe aligned with the day's theme. In the afternoon, I facilitated a tasting of multiple varieties of the same recipe to compare seasoning, texture and use of ingredients. Then, we all filled our plates with the remainder of the food and ate for a few moments in silence before reflecting on the day over lunch.
Working with and becoming part of the Bauman community has been a powerful experience for me. I have learned so much from my peers and students, gained confidence in my teaching and met a lot of young people devoted to real food. Many of my students and peers also struggled with chronic health issues and are changing their lives with the food that they create. The experience of teaching the holistic information I have learned while sharing a celiac-safe meal has been a true healing experience for me. I look forward to continue this journey of learning, growing and being challenged in this community.
This job was an unexpected addition to my work this fall but it has left my heart full and my brain devoted to continuing the grind. As I reflect on my classes at Bauman, finishing my NTP certification and look forward to entrepreneurship, there is a lot of unknown ahead but one thing is for sure
