Certified Culinary Medicine Specialist
The Certified Culinary Medicine Specialist (CCMS) designation identifies clinicians who have a unique foundation for incorporating healthy eating into patients’ diets: comprehensive knowledge of nutrition and the culinary techniques to prepare food that is consistent with real-world budgets, time constraints, and nutritional ideals. Physicians, Physicians Assistants, Pharmacists, Registered Dietitians and Nurse Practitioners are eligible for certification.
The hybrid 60-credit curriculum includes a distinctive combination of online nutrition education courses, live conferences, and in-person attendance at hands-on teaching kitchen modules. Visit CulinaryMedicineCertified.com for more information.
Celebrity Chef Dinner Series 2018 – 2019
We will continue our yearly Celebrity Chef Dinner series for 2018 – 2019, featuring regional chefs cooking at the Goldring Center for Culinary Medicine on North Broad. Join us for a multi-course meal with wine pairings designed specifically for this special series and cooked by four of the finest and most innovative chefs in New Orleans today.
These dinners directly support the free community cooking/nutrition classes that take place of our center and are tax deductible! Join for select dinners, or purchase season tickets to enjoy them all at a discount. All dinners take place at 6:30 pm on Saturdays at 300 N. Broad Street, New Orleans, LA 70119. (Please note we are in the same building as Whole Foods – simply walk in the main lobby and we are straight ahead). Purchase early, as seats are limited!
December 8th, 2018 at 6:30 PM
Chef Michael Wilson of Domenica, Pizza Domenica and Shaya
Michael Wilson is the Executive Chef of BRG Hospitality’s Domenica, PIZZA Domenica, and Shaya.
Born and raised in New Orleans, Michael’s experience in the restaurant industry began at age 15, when he started working as a dishwasher and table busser at The Come Back Inn in Metairie. It was there that he discovered his passion for the rush of a busy kitchen – a feeling that would ultimately shape his career path. He attended Montana State University, from which he graduated with honors in 2010 with a degree in Biology. He worked for several years as a field biologist in coastal Oregon after graduation but found himself missing the camaraderie of a professional kitchen and decided to return to the hospitality industry.
In 2012, his culinary journey led him back to his hometown of New Orleans to join the team at Domenica as a line cook. Over the next two years, he worked his way up and was eventually named Executive Chef of Domenica’s casual spin-off located in Uptown New Orleans, PIZZA Domenica, in 2014.
He later served as Chef de Cuisine on the opening team at Shaya, a modern Israeli restaurant with local Louisiana influences, which opened in 2015. There, Michael helped the restaurant earn many prestigious awards and recognitions, including the James Beard Foundation Award for Best New Restaurant. In 2016, Mike returned once again to Domenica to lead the kitchen as Executive Chef and was simultaneously promoted to Executive Chef at Shaya the following year. At all three of the restaurants he spearheads, Chef Michael prides himself on leading teams that provide elevated guest experiences through amazing food, delicious beverages, and a spirit of genuine hospitality.
He currently lives in the Gentilly neighborhood of New Orleans with his wife and two dogs. When he isn’t working in one of the three restaurants, you can find him spending time at home enjoying a nice bourbon, watching movies, or whipping up a new recipe.
January 26th, 2018 at 6:30 PM
Chef Martha Wiggins, formerly of Sylvain
Martha Wiggins was born and raised in Washington, D.C., where she found her passion for cooking and restaurant work at age 15, inspired by her first job making and serving lunch and breakfast fare at a favorite local deli, Pumpernickels. At age 20, she moved to New Bedford, Massachusetts, and attended a culinary arts program while also advancing her culinary experience in local fine-dining establishments.
In 2010, Wiggins relocated to New Orleans and joined the opening staff of Sylvain as the sous chef to chef Alex Harrell, who helped her develop her creative skills. In October 2014, Wiggins took over as executive chef at Sylvain. Since that time, she has been recognized as a Times-Picayune Chef to Watch (2015), a Gambit Emerging Chef (2015), and was included in Zagat’s 30 under 30 New Orleans list in 2016. She has twice been a semi-finalist for James Beard awards, including “Best Chef South” in 2018. In 2015, her holiday appetizers graced the cover of Food & Wine’s December issue. Most recently, she appeared on the July/August cover of Louisiana Living, in which she was featured in an article on women chefs in Louisiana’s top restaurants.
In March 2018, Wiggins stepped down as Sylvain’s executive chef in order to travel, spend time with family, try new things (various fishing expeditions and a butchering apprenticeship are recent adventures), and be reinspired. She hopes to remain in New Orleans and give back to the community that has so warmly embraced her, and eventually find a new restaurant home where she can grow and evolve.
April 6th, 2018 at 6:30 PM
Chef Jeff Mattia of Royal Sonesta
Executive Chef Jeff Mattia brings a farm-to-table approach to Royal Sonesta New Orleans’ catering operations, as well as its food-and-beverage outlets. He has a passion for local farms and sustainable farming, working with growers like Covey Rise, Chappapeela, Two Run and Southern City Greens. “Our local farmers represent one of the biggest assets for the city’s restaurant industry,” Mattia says. “Fresh, local ingredients are essential to good cooking, and they have a major role in every aspect of the hotel’s food service.”
Chef’s philosophy effortlessly matches Sonesta’s “Food Is Art” catering philosophy which embraces using the freshest of ingredients from local sources, allowing us to create new seasonal menus offering a unique culinary experience for each event. As Executive Chef, Mattia personally oversees the menu for every function and will customize any menus to the group’s exact specifications.
Upcoming CME Classes Across the Country
You can see a detailed schedule for our Continuing Medical Education classes and sign up at our CME page.
Alliance for a Healthier Generation Video
This is a great video shot by the Alliance for a Healthier Generation. It was shown at the ceremony where the Goldring Center for Culinary Medicine was awarded the Innovation Award for Health Care Provider Training and Education. More information on their website at healthiergeneration.org.
Chef Leah Takes You Grocery Shopping
Don’t miss this great video of Chef Leah shopping for a family of four. A week’s worth of groceries for not much money!
Family Cooking Classes
GCCM is now enrolling families for cooking classes. We are offering Free Family Cooking Classes to families with children enrolled at a N.O. College Prep Schools (Crocker, Cohen and/or Sylvanie Williams). Parents and children will learn side-by-side how to cook healthier foods, how to cook together, how to prepare healthy foods inexpensively and MORE!
Contact Chef Katie at kpedroza@tulane.edu, or call 504-988-9108 if you are interested.
Watch the video below to experience our community cooking classes for yourself!
The clip includes testimonials from community members, medical students, volunteers, and our very own Chef Leah!
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to get the latest from The Goldring Center for Culinary Medicine.