About The Chef

The Holistic Chef

About the Chef

Andrea has had a long-time interest in organically grown, whole foods and their beneficial effects on health and well being. She found out about her own food allergies in 2003 when she had a consultation with a Nutritionist with an interest in alternative therapies. Andrea had not felt well for many years and mainstream doctors could not find anything wrong with her. She had common symptoms like weight gain, frequent headaches, joint soreness and severe hayfever. As soon as Andrea changed her diet all of her health problems improved. She experienced health changes that she did not expect like dramatic weight loss, improved seasonal allergies and clearer looking skin.

After experiencing how food had such a dramatic effect on her health she has been seeking out ways to create delicious comfort foods without wheat, dairy and other common allergens. She enjoys showing clients how they can feel better through their food choices and how to cook healthy and delicious meals for themselves.

Andrea has contributed recipes to various websites including MyFoodMyHealth. This site is an exciting new online tool that offers users information on how to manage their health concerns through FOOD. The philosophy of MyFoodMyHealth is one that Andrea agrees with strongly.... "food plays a very important, life enhancing role in your health."

Andrea is a graduate of the Natural Gourmet Culinary Institute in New York, NY. The chef training program focuses on cooking with organic, whole foods in the French culinary tradition but also touches on healing practices including: Macrobiotics, Ayurveda, Raw Foods, Vegetarian and Vegan just to name a few.

She also attended the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, in NY where she trained under leading authors in the natural healing field including Annemarie Colbin, Joshua Rosenthal, Marc David and Steve Gagne. Andrea is a certified Holistic Health Counselor. She provides nutritional consultations as well as cooking classes.

You can read her blog here.

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Past Projects

Viva Daisy! Cooking Show
    Back in the kitchen again with Culinary Producer Chris Styler for the filming of Daisy Martinez's new
    show "Viva Daisy!" for the Food Network.  The show began airing in early January 2009 and currently has a
    second season being filmed now.

Healthy Flavors Cooking Show with Chef Jim Coleman
     Chef Andrea was Jim's guest for an episode about Flexitarianism on the next season of Healthy Flavors
     which airs on local PBS channels. Show will air in late 2009 on public TV stations in Pennsylvania and
     New Jersey.

Joanne Weir Cooking Class Season 2
    Chef Andrea was part of the back kitchen team led by Culinary Producer Chris Styler that
    prepared all the ingredients Joanne worked with while filming this cooking show for PBS.
    Joanne Weir is a popular Bay Area Chef, and James Beard award winner, who does cooking
    classes around the world. The show is currently airing on Saturdays on public channels
    including KQED (San Francisco), WHYY (Philadelphia) and WNJN (New Jersey).

Worlds of Wellness Health Expo
    Presented a Healthy Cooking Demonstration for show attendees along with a local Ocean City
    Restaurant Chef. Chef Andrea demonstrated how to prepare vegetarian foods like tofu and
    tempeh while answering questions from the audience on healthy eating. Was held at the Ocean
    City Music Pier, New Jersey in May 2008. Also provided fresh baked Chocolate Cupcakes
    and Coconut Blueberry Muffins for attendees. All baked items were gluten-free, dairy-free
    and free of refined sugar.

Smith Farm Center Wellness Retreat for Individuals Dealing with Cancer
Prepared gourmet vegetarian meals for retreat participants during the weeklong retreat outside of
Washington DC.

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Serving the San Francisco Peninsula and South Bay

Phone: 215-313-7980
Email: andrea@theholisticchef.com