Chefs at Vegfest 2013

Birgitte Antonsen, N.T.P., is a graduate of the Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts in New York City and holds a certification as a nutritional therapist in Washington state. Birgitte is also certified in Denmark as a practitioner of diverse holistic therapies. She integrates these concepts into her professional pursuits, focusing on total body wellness and balance achieved with whole, organic, nutrient-rich foods and essential supplementation. Birgitte is a culinary instructor, and has a nutritional therapy practice in Bellevue.

When Uma moved to the United States 22 years ago from Bangalore, India, she knew little about cooking, but her palate was exposed to a wide range of Indian dishes that her family made at home. Here she craved everyday foods from home, and after many long distance calls to her mother, she started experimenting. With an encouraging husband who willingly ate everything she tried, she is now certified by her mother as an excellent cook. Although Uma teaches Indian cooking, she ventures into many other cuisines at home and is constantly learning new recipes which she makes for her husband and two children. She believes that homemade food using fresh ingredients satisfies the stomach and soul alike – and is lighter on the wallet too!

Rachel Duboff is the owner of Thyme to Nourish, a personal chef and food education service focused on whole foods and healthy eating. Trained at the culinary arts program at the Seattle Art Institute, Rachel spent her early years with a mom who loved to experiment with food. She also immersed herself in Southeast Asian and Indian cuisines while living in Malaysia. Today, Rachel focuses on providing good food to good people, and can be found at Thyme2nourish.comm.

Denise Fong has been a cooking enthusiast for many years, and her road to a healthier lifestyle is something she enthusiastically shares with others. She is from a large family, and learned early on how to stretch a food dollar. She is a native Northwesterner who has traveled the world, and has a deep appreciation for the bounty of our local climate.

Pranee Khruasanit Halvorsen is a Thai chef who provides private chef services and cooking lessons in the Seattle & Eastside area.

Pranee grew up in Thailand, and like most kids of her generation she helped out by doing chores in the kitchen. At age 12, she became substitute cook of her house.

When Pranee moved to Seattle, she brought along a mortar and pestle and filled her kitchen with Thai herbs, spices and cooking equipment. She believes best way to enjoy eating and cooking Thai food is to cook and share it with others. Pranee loves the idea of having good times and socializing with people and sharing food, as that is the way they do it in Thailand. Find out more about Pranee at her website, ilovethaicooking.com.

Archana Verma is from a university town 300 miles from Delhi, India. She grew up in a home with health-conscious parents and a rich heritage of Punjabi North Indian cuisine; healthy eating and an active lifestyle were as important as adherence to flavorful recipes. She moved to the United States in 1990 as an engineer, and for the last 10 years she has tailored her mother’s recipes for her busy lifestyle as a full-time working mother. Food is her second vocation and she is excited about making Indian cooking easy, fast and accessible. Visit savor-india.com to learn more about Archana.