Austin has quickly become a hub for music and food trends and now it’s also becoming an International destination for culinary students looking to learn a cuisine that few, if any, other schools offer. Rich Goldstein, CEO of The Natural Epicurean is excited to announce due to the thirst, from the worldwide community, for this type of culinary education he is expanding the school’s offerings to more international students.
Goldstein says “Natural Epicurean is excited to offer the I20 to international students because we recognize the value of the cross cultural influence of cuisine and the global need to educate our world, regardless of national borders, that food is the ultimate medicine.”
The school, known for it’s health-supportive professional chef training program, has seen students come from as far as Israel, Thailand and South Africa. Those behind the unique program have also been thrilled to welcome students from Central & South America, as well as Canada.
Nico Decarli (pictured), a 24-year-old from Santiago, Chile says “I was supported by the school staff during my entire VISA process, making sure it was fast and easy. I currently follow a vegan diet, but was interested in other plant-based diets, so I sought out Natural Epicurean. Through the theory classes and hands-on labs, I am gaining a broader perspective on plant-based culinary skills.”
The National Restaurant Association recently released a survey showing that 60% of Chefs around the country list meatless or vegetarian items among the top culinary trends. So it’s no wonder people are all over are flocking to the plant-based program.
The five core modalities the school teaches are:
Macrobiotic
Classical Vegetarian
Vegan
Ayurvedic
Raw & Living Foods
Goldstein isn’t surprised that these types of cuisines are gaining popularity around the world, “this cooking school, in combining ancient essential healing cuisines with modern western nutritional science has created a unique blend of eastern and the western approaches to culinary arts as a healing modality.”
Lorena Basteris Rubio (pictured), a 22-year-old culinary student from Merida in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula says Natural Epicurean “provides the opportunity to introduce the world to 5 types of “healing” kitchens so that you can later specialize in one of them, if desired.” This isn’t something offered anywhere else and a specialty she hopes to bring back to her native country.
Rich Goldstein and the students are available for interviews.
If you are in the Austin area we’d also love to invite you to sample one of the schools classes.
For more information contact:
Cindi Avila
greengoddesspr@gmail.com
646-279-1531
About The Natural Epicurean Academy of Culinary Arts
The Natural Epicurean Academy of Culinary Arts (NEACA) is the premier educational institution where culinary professionals can build a career around the inherent synergies that converge between food, diet, and health. Offering professional culinary arts training, distance learning and informal classes devoted to conscious cooking and a plant-based diet, NEACA draws upon ancient traditions and modern approaches to using whole food for healthy eating. The Natural Epicurean curriculum draws from traditional Eastern diets, including macrobiotics and ayurveda, as well as a number of Western approaches to healthy eating including vegetarian, vegan, and raw foods. The programs emphasize locally available and seasonally based foods in their natural and unprocessed state with an equal emphasis on pleasing the senses and promoting health. For more information, visit www.naturalepicurean.com or call (512) 476-2276.
Natural Epicurean is located at:
1700 South Lamar
Austin, TX 78704
