Laurie Gershgorn: Local, Holistic Chef

This week, I interviewed Laurie Gershgorn, proprietor of Healthy Culinary Creations, a local chef whose mission is to help people achieve optimal health and well-being using the power of whole, natural, sustainably produced foods. Trained at the Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts in New York City, she offers personal chef services, whole food event catering and cooking classes, in addition to consulting with several local school districts to improve the quality of the food they serve.  You can learn more from her Facebook page.

I first met Laurie about eight years ago when I joined a local organic produce co-op based in Croton. She’s now a consulting chef with Hilltop Hanover Farms and offers original recipes featuring the fresh, seasonable vegetables available at the farm. Her recipes have even inspired me to get creative with vegetables that frighten me, like beets and Asian eggplant.

How did you get involved in the healthy food movement?

It all started with a health problem.  I realized that conventional medicine doesn’t always have the answer for chronic health issues.  So I started researching and reading, and became immersed in alternative therapies.  I started applying it to my kids and family, things like nutritional supplements, acupuncture, juicing, and from there quickly made the transition to a whole food diet.

Then, I got involved with the school food movement almost by accident when my first child started elementary school and I served on the wellness committee there.  Later, I attended a school food conference hosted by the City University of New York and learned that I was part of a bigger movement.

At the time, I’d also recently left my job as Director of Technical Operations for MTV and was looking around for ways to re-invent myself, re-invent a career that allowed me to be home for my children [Gershgorn has three boys.]  I heard the holistic chef Ann Cooper, the “Renegade Lunch Lady” [http://www.chefann.com/] give a talk and had a revelation that I wanted to be a health supportive chef.  I’d always enjoyed food and cooking, people were always coming to me for advice, plus with my newfound interest in whole foods and sustainability, this seemed like perfect way to marry all these interests.

Tell me more about your company, Healthy Culinary Creations.

My forte is working with people who have health issues – chronic illness, food allergies, struggles with weight – and teaching them how food is an essential part of managing and even healing some of their issues. 

Yes, it’s amazing how often the connection between diet and health is ignored.  I’ve read that only a small percentage of American medical schools offer separate courses in nutrition – mostly it’s just a few lectures here and there, but nothing more than that.

Exactly.  I want to help people get out of the processed food box and empower them to be their own resource for health, through the power of nutrition.   I also want to share the message that this type of food is for everyone, not just the elite who can afford to shop at Whole Foods.  Many farmers’ markets in the area (Ossining, for one) have started accepting food stamps, which is a terrific first step.  Because food is more than just what we put in our mouths, it involves our health, the environment, politics, the economy – I think it could be the key to helping us solve a lot of our current problems.

Amen to that!  Now, I love the recipes you share with the Hilltop Hanover CSA. You are also so in tune with the seasons, and your recipes are always original and tasty.  This one was one of my favorites:

Asian Eggplant

Recipe by Chef Laurie Gershgorn

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

3 tablespoons sesame seeds

3 tablespoons brown miso (fermented soy paste)

3 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon mirin (Japanese cooking wine), or white wine

1 tablespoon agave nectar, or maple syrup

3 tablespoons sesame oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 hot chili pepper, optional

½ cup basil, picked (torn into smaller pieces)

6 Asian eggplants (thin variety), tops removed and cut lengthwise.

2 scallions, chopped

1. In a small dry skillet, toast the cumin, coriander and sesame seeds. Set aside.

2. In a bowl, whisk together the miso, water, mirin, syrup, and toasted spices. Set aside.

3. In a skillet, heat the sesame oil. Add the garlic and optional hot chile pepper and sauté

over low heat.

4. Add the eggplant and toss. Once the eggplant begins to soften,

add the miso mixture, cover and simmer until eggplant is soft. Add the basil.

5. Remove from heat and garnish with scallions.

This is delicious over brown rice.