Graduate Spotlight
Patty James Facendini, B.S. in Holistic Nutrition “Healthy Kitchens, Healthy Lives”
One hour north of San Francisco, The Patty James Cooking School and Nutrition Center is located in a newly restored 1897 Victorian home. From here Patty serves students of all ages with generous helpings of functional nutrition.
“Our school’s goals include helping people loosen up in the kitchen,” she says playfully — but her message could not be more serious. Inspired by the kitchen table wisdom of holistic chefs such as Annemarie Colbin, Patty’s teaching approaches resonate from the notion that “Americans need to stop filling up on empty.”
Empty calories are not the only problem, she adds. Mindless consumption in any form is an unattractive outgrowth of not pausing to be thankful.
“When one human decides to really feed another, not just to ‘fill ‘em up’ but to care about addressing a person’s nutritional needs, then the act of cooking becomes truly joyful. So does every act of meal planning: from farming to shopping, from preparation to presentation, from the communal sharing to the gratitude of cleaning up to restore order.
“In other words,” she says with a laugh, “we don’t need to be so fussy. Life can get messy, so make a mess and enjoy the sensory joys of colors, shapes, aromas and textures. Light a candle, pick some flowers. Most of all, just lighten up. This applies if you’re cooking for one or for 41. Being healthy is joyful.”
Patty also provides one-to-one holistic nutrition coaching that incorporates other tenets of natural health: specifically the self-empowerment of physical movement. “Its benefits range from increased energy and work capacity to stress reduction and happier moods. Choosing to spend time enjoying nature can deepen our sense of gratitude and awe,” she observes. “There are many ways to acknowledge our faith in the body’s wisdom.
“I like to remind students that developing healthier habits need not be complicated. We can cook well simply, and it’s generally helpful to just slow down.”
In the classroom and during cooking demonstrations, her easy show-and-tell methods include guest instructors such as CCNH advisory board member Elson Haas, M.D. In fact, they are now collaborating on a nutrition book that will help readers incorporate more vegetable fiber into daily menus.
In spring 2007 Patty gained the distinction of operating America’s first certified organic cooking school and nutrition center. By autumn, she and her husband plan to move into their new certified green home. And yet, even amid a swirl of exciting change, Patty predicts that certain aspects of her new kitchen will remain remarkably the same.
“I tell students to keep your favorite tools at your fingertips, always within easy reach, she concludes. “In my kitchen, I want to be able to reach for sea salt and olive oil; raw pumpkin seeds and raw almonds; my marble rolling pin and wooden spoons; a basket of homegrown organic onions, shallots, garlic and tomatoes — fresh from our garden.”
With plans to complete her masters in holistic nutrition this year, Patty’s unique teaching resources include a colorful laminated poster, The Patty James Food Guide, a holistic approach to healthy eating, as well as instructional video and new recipes each week.
To learn more visit www.pattyjames.com.
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This article was based on an interview with the graduate.
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