With Portugues as my home language, English as my second language, I  learned a new cooking language and how to use it to make dishes.

In all professions you always have a book that will provide confidence and we love to have it on hand in case we have a doubt or to go deep in one specific subject. In this case the book are the teachers. They have all we need to know to go further and deep.

I feel also very proud that I was taught by the founder.

Thank you so much Julianaa.

Kelly, what would be the students without all your tech support and ideas!?

Thank you all.

Clara Pires

Chef Training 2021

This curriculum will be, and has already begun to shape a foundation of knowledge that I don’t think I can operate without anymore. I first came into this program with hopes of gaining a simple clarity of the cooking process. I can now say that has happened, and am happy to be finishing with that aspiration filled. I appreciate that each theory of cooking is constantly at the center of the plot. Cooking methods branch out from this central knowledge and validates that this schooling is truly a framework for creativity.

These intuitive concepts break down barriers that I often believe keep many people from cooking more. The most prevalent being all 5 theories of cooking, primary and supporting element categorization, and the healing power of the creative process.

I have learned that the creative process of cooking is healing.  Truthfully, I believe most learning I hold close was available in the Independent Study Program, but without the Chef Training I know I would not be walking away with this information embodied.

My goal is to use this education to help address equal access to nutrition for all people.

I hope to capitalize on this in career work and life, which is another reason I found the Chef Certified training to be the right option for me. This will most immediately be taking place on a local organic and soil regenerative farm.

Ben Adams

Chef Training 2019

Thru-ought The Natural Chef training, the most significant gains were made in organization, efficiency, confidence and meal composition. Where I once struggled to sequence how I would prepare a meal, I am now able to chop vegetables while others are sealing, braise items in the oven to free up stove space and clean as I cook.

Confidence may have been my biggest single improvement over the last nine months.  Creatively, I now see possibilities I’d never had seen before the training.

Today, my meals are always constructed with mindfulness regarding a balance of elements. I feel connected to my kitchen, tools and ingredients in a way I never did before.

Brandon Wanthall

Chef Diploma – 2020

I loved the culinary – differentiating between primary & supporting ingredients, and the cooking methods specific to working with each of the former. (& Exposure to culturally-specific applications & variations.)

– Understanding ingredients from a functional standpoint — working with ratios/proportions & observation/senses rather than specific times & measurements. – Structures for improvisation ! Cooking close to center <–> informed/educated complexification.  – Taste/Smell, To Fit & SFS — sense-based tools & theories for navigating the culinary creation & correction process. – Considerations for Meal Composition that surpass simple PE/nutrient balancing (Colors, Numbers, Textures ; whether dishes are raw or cooked, whether they contain oil or not; Single Focus vs. Complex / Simple vs. Complete Meals, etc.) – Knife Skills x Visual Rhythm – considerations for the consumer experience (size of cuts, ease of eating – Meal Prep : Orchestration of simultaneously preparing multiple complex dishes — a little planning goes a long way for time management  – Learning to speak the language of intuitive cooking !

My personal development: Daring to ‘test & learn’, peacemaking with mistake-making — redefining “mistakes” as experiences not to be avoided for fear of penalization but rather that are necessary and valuable for the learning process. “Good learning”. Not letting the fear of failure (failure being problematically and prohibitively defined as ‘not doing it perfectly the first time’ in my psyche) keep me from trying. Trusting that disorientation is inherent to this same learning process and that even if I’m confused and my first attempt takes a lot of time and raises a lot of questions, learning on a deeper level is taking place all the while. – Trusting in bodily intelligence (& the wisdom of the heart) to inform my actions/decisions. – Cultivating creativity & resourcefulness. Self-empowerment. – Reconciliation/harmonization/integration of left-brain & right-brain learning.

Camille Textier

Chef Diploma 2019

As for the culinary side, I would like to state an example of what happened to me 3 weeks back .

I am very fond of ramen and I had a chance to have a vegetarian ramen that time. I loved it and I could not stop thinking about it; usually it stays that way but now I am able to figure out the ingredients and how to create the flavour in the soup . It was an amazing experience to recreate. Later when I checked with my friend, the ingredients where more or less the same. I was very happy .

Now, the time it takes to compose and execute a dish is very quick and I can have the process well defined in my mind even before I begin or let the dish unfold without an expectation.

Cooking is not as stressful everyday as it is a chance to be creative.

Ariyaa Srikumar

Chef Diploma 2019

I’ve been cooking for myself, my family, and my friends for many years. However, I always felt like there was room to elevate my skills and knowledge. Over the past nine months I have learned so much. The following is a highlight, as I know I can’t capture everything, and that the beauty of this program is that I will continue to learn as time goes on.

I feel I learned deeper skills for designing and composing meals. My knowledge now includes the ability to choose a variety of ingredients for nutrients, texture, color, etc. I also feel that I have found more creativity through the process of using the meal composition guidance.

I believe my technical skills have sharpened during the program. These skills include specific cooking methods/techniques, knife skills, planning/time management/efficiency, and how to remain more grounded while cooking.

Finally, I feel that my confidence and personal growth has also benefited in a variety of ways. This growth includes a greater sense of “owning the process”, feeling like I have knowledge and skills to provide to others through my own cooking, and becoming more adventurous – living foods, methods, ingredients, etc.

Jeanie O’kane

Chef Diploma 2019

Natural Cook certified teachers 2021

This has been an amazing program for me. I’ve grown confidence, learned many new ways to cook and how to balance a meal, learned to make cookies and cake for the first time, dehydrate vegetables, make mochi, sprout! Wow! This is just the beginning. I am even more aware of what I don’t know but I am so thrilled be have kickstarted this journey of becoming the best cook I can possibly be. Thank you so much for all you have taught and continue to teach me. I have a long way to go but I’m excited at how much I’ve grown in less than a year!

Ruchi Shah

2019

I have learned so much throughout this course. This course has given me so much confidence in my culinary skills. I went in knowing close to nothing and now I can make amazing dishes from scratch on a professional level. Having this knowledge has completely changed my life and I can’t wait to see what I will do with my skills in the future.

Robbie Esparaza-Escobar

Chef Diploma 2019

I learned to be a better cook, for sure. I learned to trust my innate intelligence a lot more during this program, as well. I faced quite a bit of resistance, physically, mentally, spiritually, and internally, pretty much from the moment I enrolled and much of it hasn’t gone anywhere. The beautiful thing about this experience has been that in times past, I would have folded and given up. This time, I continued forward and while it wasn’t perfect, I can say that I showed up and gave it my best.

I learned the importance of time management, of committing to a time to cook. I learned the importance of a system to keep things moving in your kitchen so that at the end of it, you aren’t physically or emotionally spent. I am more intentional about preserving my energy, on multiple levels, so that I can be the best version of myself and that translate into the food. I have had several friends and colleagues tell me that they tasted the love in the food and prior to going through this course, I cannot recall ever hearing that; it means a lot for people literally feel the intention in your creation(s). I am thankful for this experience.

Candice Brookins

Chef Diploma – 2019

From a culinary point of view, I became aware of different types of foods that I never heard about, learned the health benefits of different foods and how pairing them with other foods and using a specific cooking method may increase their health benefits. Also, how to use oil and spices and herbs, as well as accent cooking liquid to enhance flavors in food that otherwise may taste bland.

From a personal development point of view, I realized one of my goals, which was to understand what I was doing in the kitchen when cooking, to have an idea of what I was doing and why, rather than just follow my gut which without a guidance/basic concepts to follow not always provide a nice result.

Humberto Lopez-Mata

Chef Diploma – 2021

“What the Independent Study format has meant for me?”

The Natural Cook training program has made cooking a creative experience for me. I love the process! I started the program in hopes of learning how to make simple, plant-based foods look and taste delicious as well as be healthful for my family and me. With The Natural Cook training program, I’ve found what I was looking for and More!

The program offers written lessons and videos, and weekly online question and answer sessions. I feel personally tutored in my studies and very supported by the instructors. Their enthusiasm for my learning and the depth of their knowledge is a gift!.

The program teaches respect for the food ingredients and for ourselves – to trust our “heart center” – to listen to the cooking of the food and to listen to ourselves.

In my program studies, I’ve tried many new techniques and been thrilled with the results. It’s been so exciting to see how the “experiments” turn out! And when things don’t go as I’d hoped, I share my experience and photos of the results with the instructors to figure out what to do differently next time.
It’s a continual learning / improving process. I love that!

I also love the flexibility of the program — that I can work it at my own pace and to the depth that I want to.

Making and eating food that is beautiful, simple, fresh and delicious brings me so much joy! And eating plant-based has reduced our family’s food costs too!

 – Susan Stiles
Independent Study Student

I was looking for a way to integrate a plant-based diet with traditional gourmet techniques and modern nutrition. My mother taught French cooking and entertained regularly, so after leaving home and becoming a vegetarian/vegan, I wanted to capture the excitement of the flavors I knew and enjoyed in childhood but without meat. So, I searched and searched for instruction. First I studied macrobiotics but wanted to expand the flavors and techniques. Other options were not convenient or cost effective, but The Natural Cookery School met all my needs. Enrollment and participation in the rich curriculum online was easy and convenient and the entire experience was worth the investment. Staff always was available to help answer questions and provide useful information on a personal basis in the weekly chat sessions, and at other times, and the videos were informative and well designed as excellent accompaniments to the course materials. In the beginning I enrolled in a few courses, but after a while it became apparent that I wanted to enroll in all of them and was able to do so online from a small town in Alaska for well over a year.

I especially am grateful to have learned cooking techniques, theory, and practical information that support health and wellness from a plant based perspective that honors nutrition, food preparation and the joy of good eating within a community of people who are passionate about cooking.

My food tastes so much better these days and made me a more creative cook. Improved quality of life. Thank you everyone at the school.

Michele O. – Washington

Here goes my little story for this course….

When I started this training, I knew how to make food by recipes only.  I was very interested in eating good foods, whole foods. I grew up on fast food and things that my parents who were both teachers made either out of a can or a box or the freezer… We didn’t eat much of anything that was fresh until my dad started a garden when we were in high school.

I had no understanding of the tastes and how you could fix something if a recipe didn’t taste just right to you.  I know I still have a lot to learn but I feel like this year has given meet a lot more confidence in the kitchen and confidence in cooking based on my own intuition.

The reason I signed up for the school in particular is because I am interested in more of a plant-based diet and cooking with my intuition. Anyone can follow recipe.  I feel like it does take a lot of knowledge to be able to understand what’s in a dish and then to be able to fix or alter or make it unique to you.

This course is like a really good movie – You know – the type of movie where you have to watch it multiple times. And The more you watch it, the more nuances you pick up on. You also start to recall that movie and the lines just come out of your mouth – it’s not as if you memorize them they’re just inherent within you.

The other reason that I liked the idea of this course was because I wasted so much food all the time.  I used to go to the store just to grab a couple things a receipe called for – now I can make easy substitutions or concoct something all on my own.  This class has helped me understand that I can just grab what I have and make something out of what looks like not much ;). I waste so much less now!!

The wins: for being an online class, I feel like it’s incredible how much dialogue we were able to have and how much we were able to learn. That said, I saw the biggest improvements & felt most inspired just after each session at the Food Lab.

I think one of the great successes of the online program is how responsive Maihaa was to text message. Because once you start cooking something it’s imperative to have feedback.

I also really appreciate that this course was relaxed enough to fit my crazy lifestyle. It’s interesting, in school & in my masters program, I was used to being the “good” student.  I think I decided early on in this program, knowing that I was pregnant that I need to give myself space and honestly I just wanted to enjoy this program.  I wanted to be able to do things at my own pace and cook things that I was interested in. And it’s incredible to me how much more you can learn this way. I don’t think being a “good” student really served me at earlier points in my life. I realize now that I was working to make someone happy and not working towards anything I was interested in.

This course for me was bigger than just cooking school…It was about making space for myself and learning to trust my intuition…even though it’s a daily practice, I feel that this course has truly up-leveled my skills in the kitchen from knife skills to the tastes to being able to fix a dish ?

LG – Denver

The School of Natural Cookery is a very unique program. Instead of memorizing recipes or cracking eggs over and over until I can do it with one hand, we focused on breaking down food into Primary Elements and learning the methodology for cooking all Primary Elements. We learn to cook with ratios and “To Fit” so every dish that’s made is perfectly flavored and salted. Once I learned the different methods for different types of food I could easily cook without recipes.  Now I can use whatever ingredients I find at the Farmer’s Market or need to cook with for a client with severe allergies, etc. and I come up with my own perfectly balanced dishes every time.

The Natural Cook Private Chef training provided me with the information I need to cook amazing food for anyone, anywhere. I am comfortable catering large events with all types of dietary needs as well as Private Chef for individuals with extreme food restrictions, picky eaters and everything in between. I am confident in any kitchen and can hold my own as a Chef in any capacity. I will be forever grateful to the School of Natural Cookery for the individualized, unique, well thought out and well taught program that has set me up for anything I choose to do going forward in the Food Industry.

A O  –  Boulder, Colorado

I was always interested to learn more about plant based cooking , especially when I heard that my employer wanted to move more towards plant based cooking in the next 10 years.

After more than 30 years in this trade, I thought that I actually knew somewhat about plant based cooking.

Enrolling with the School of Natural Cookery opened up a new world.

I quickly realized that everything is not just about tofu and tempeh. There is so much more.

Not only did I learn about grains, legumes, and vegetables, but also the correct way to prepare them, which became very important.

The course started off with a pace. Although a little bit tough in the beginning, just by absorbing all the information and having a full time job, I always had the support of the SNC team.

I have to mention Kelly Worrell for all his technical support and his patience in helping me to set up my PC.  He is a star!

The weekly web ex meetings were a big plus. It was nice to be connected directly. I could ask all the questions I wanted to and the discussions were very interesting and informative. Although it was once a week, I could always ask for more time if needed. I could also connect by text, phone or email. I often did. I always had all the support I needed.  My primary teacher,  Maihaa was great !

(Carl is a professional, classically trained chef, and he works for a large healthcare provider)

Thanks a lot Ms. Julianaa for your generous and encouraging comments. I love every moment of learning at SNC.

  –   TT Colorado

When I began the study program, I knew how to cook using recipes.  I was okay in the kitchen, just not that creative or super comfortable.  I was attracted to the program because I wanted to improve my skills and liked the idea of not being tied to recipes.

I had been cooking plant based for about 20 years.  My knowledge of cooking liquids,  extensive use of grains and legumes has expanded completely!  I had never fermented,  baked bread or dehydrated.  I am now comfortable using herb/spices I didn’t even know existed before this program.  I now combine ingredients that I had never used previously!

It took me a long time to understand the Natural Cook method.  Once I “got” it, I felt so free!  One of the reasons I selected this program was the lack of adherence to recipes.  I had no understanding of how extensive that would really be!  I feel like I can really create a wonderful meal with my ingredients on hand.

Sheri – California

Please share any observations of your growth in culinary artistry.

I am so much more comfortable in the kitchen!  I prepared dinner the other night and included an awesome sauce.  This second week of training really helped propel me further along than I had imagined.  You and Maihaa both are such amazing teachers and you really make it clear you care about your students and want them to succeed.   For the most part, the training is clear.  There are some areas, like bread makin

I just finished a week-long gig as a private chef that Maihaa hooked me up with. I am so thankful for The School of Natural Cookery!  There is no way I could have pulled it off without your theories.

There were so many menu changes and # of people I was cooking for, along with dietary changes.  It was a real challenge, and can’t imagine how I would have pulled it off without the knowledge you taught me. I felt like everything I learned at the School of Natural Cookery all came together, and I am so grateful to you!  Thank you for being so awesome!!!!

  –    CG  Colorado

I’m touching base today to let you know that even though I haven’t been attending online classes, I’m thoroughly engaged and progressing well through the course materials. I’ve always been a very happy independent learner, and I’m enjoying  the learning materials very much indeed. I’m trying new things every day as a result of what I’ve learned. I’m working on the grains module at the moment.

Highlights so far include:

• My fledgling knife skills. I’m astonished by the difference cut makes to flavor. Being able to chop onions while they’re in one piece is a real treat – I love this trick! Even my husband, who cooks rarely and solely out of necessity, has adopted this technique when he makes his weekly stir fry.
• Spicy tamari almonds are now a regular snack in my household.
• I’m dry roasting grains (quinoa in this instance) for the first time tonight. The quinoa is roasted and in the rice cooker as I write.
• I’m working more consciously with pretreatments to influence the flavor of my food. For instance, I made a fabulous roasted root vegetable soup a few days ago and a roast pumpkin, aragula and pine nut salad last night.
• I’m comfortably dropping into the heart centre  to determine fit – the heart centre is my vehicle for communicating with my horses, so although the application is new, the approach is not.
• I’m experiencing strong intuition about food combinations, both when I’m wondering what to add (or what not to add) and at random moments when I’m doing other things.

I’m never going to be your most visible student, but don’t mistake my self-directed learning for disengagement. I’m grateful to know that you’re there if/when I need you and I’m really enjoying the course so far.

–   SP Australia

I am still so excited about cooking since talking with you.  I have never really liked to cook even though I have studied it just to see if I could get interested, but that did not work.

In just one conversation with you it seems like I understand cooking from a whole different perspective.  You laid it out so gracefully and generously and with such a fresh approach that things clicked for me that made me genuinely interested in cooking.  I feel like I “get it”  in  a much more profound way that will stay with me and serve me well even as I invent dishes or use recipes.  Thank you so much.  I am definitely inspired.

PW –  Oregon

I feel like I’ve been in training pretty much my whole life, and thanks to you (thank you), I have the tools I’d need to nourish and grow a healthy child.

–   Rebecca B., British Columbia

I had the very special pleasure in Julianaa’s studio weekend  at her lovely home in Oregon.  As a student in the Lifestyle training, I was still learning and trying to master the basic principles of cooking. Since it was my first experience in a studio setting outside of the online classroom, the weekend certainly put my knowledge and skill set to the test! And who better to do that with than the master herself!

Julianaa was incredibly patient and kind while she challenged me to tap into the creative process of intuitive cooking. I feel my skills and most importantly my confidence grew immensely over the course of the weekend as I practiced the techniques as well as watched and learned from Julianaa. I would certainly recommend attending any of the instructor’s  studio classes to anyone who is interested in furthering her cooking knowledge and skills.

–  SM  Colorado

Julianaa, your course has transformed how my ingredients are organized in the kitchen and what a difference this makes not only for inspiration, but I am actually starting to look forward to cooking, instead of usually viewing it as a chore.

–   Martha M  Wisconsin

I could watch your videos all day! I love you and your philosophy.

– Lauren L., Colorado

I really have enjoyed the course. Particularly helpful to me were the desserts — learning about proportions and the use of thickeners. Very cool! In fact every time I make cookies, soup, pancakes, etc. now I’m really just thinking – ” What flavors do I want to impart and what ingredients do I want to include?” I feel more comfortable improvising and adapting recipes to make them healthier and suit my family’s tastes.

Also, I like that the course introduced me to ingredients I hadn’t used before and showed me new ways to use familiar ingredients. As a home cook it’s nice to understand the reasoning. It’s interesting to see how quickly a simple vegetable soup can come together if you aren’t bothering to follow a recipe. This soup section is one of the most useful parts of the course for me.

– Mary Chris, Illinois

Julianaa, your course has transformed how my ingredients are organized in the kitchen and what a difference this makes not only for inspiration, but I am actually starting to look forward to cooking, instead of usually viewing it as a chore.

–   Martha M  Wisconsin

I attended SNC in 2000 wanting to make a career change from the corporate world. Under Julianaa’s tutelage and caring wisdom I learned how to cook and engage in my own creative process. I became a successful personal chef for about 10 years for all sorts of clients – I prepared health supportive meals for clients with autoimmune diseases, food allergies, and weight loss resistance. I loved my work and felt that I was well prepared for any situation. I have the ability to quickly come up with recipes and meal plans has been invaluable to my career as a chef and nutritionist. I can’t imagine not knowing how to offer real food help with ideas as a nutritionist. I am a proud alumnae and can’t say enough good things about SNC.

– Christina W., California

I have to thank you for all that I learned as a student of your course. I have based my personal cooking style from the course and it has become my career and true passion. The school has been my inspiration and you and Maihaa were the greatest teachers that I ever had the honor to learn from.

– Mike M., Florida

The School of Natural Cookery online system is brilliant! I have been enrolled in the Lifestyle Course Complete since May. Coming in as a complete novice to cooking, this course was perfect for me to learn the language of cooking without recipes. I systematically went through each of the Units and learned each cooking method through copying exactly what Julianaa does in the videos. Once I l understood the cooking method through watching and copying, I was able to grasp the concept and use it in other applications. The online program is very well organized and thorough. As I am more of a classroom-learner, I thought I would struggle doing everything on my own but the weekly support calls with Maihaa have been incredibly helpful to me! I would absolutely recommend the School of Natural Cookery’s Natural Cook Training to anyone who is interested in learning the basic principles of cooking with plant-based ingredients and who appreciates the creative process of intuitive cooking.

–  Stephanie M  Virginia

First, I just wanted to say, THANK YOU again and again. My life is healthier, happier, energized, and already 9.5 lbs lighter(mostly vegan natural diet) since encountering you, Maia and your School of Natural Cookery. I am cooking way more than I used to!!! I can’t believe the taste, quality, and possibilities of the dishes I could prepare. A few weeks ago I didn’t even know what braising was(and it looks like I still don’t understand it completely!) It has been completely transforming. For the first time in my life, I can cook for myself, my partner Michael and others.The nut sauce was heavenly and perfectly complimented the amaranth dish. (Michael, my partner, loved it). I am going to a ball tonight and even have a ball dress I can fit into.

–  Dr. Safia Rubaii  Colorado

 For much of my life I have carried an extra 25 pounds on my body. When I hit menopause it got worse and my ability to fend off weight gain with good exercise and limited eating became even more difficult. Over the last 5 years, I had come to believe that I could no longer eat grains, bread, potatoes, rice, sugar, and many other foods.

– Anne Marie, NM

As an Integrative Physician, I believe it’s essential for health providers to not only the knowledge of nutrition, but the ability to connect with food in a holistic way. Often the concept of cooking brings to mind using recipes or standard cooking techniques. Julianaa’s method offers a solid foundation and a more rich, whole-person approach in 2 important ways:

Understanding Food:

The Natural Cook method teaches students about food in a new way, incorporating lessons on the energetics of food, how ingredients/supporting elements interact with each other, and how different cooking methods work to transform food. The Natural Cook methods are original and reflect Julianna’s years of experience as a professional chef, consultant and teacher. Cooking becomes art as students combine ingredients, supporting elements and methods to create a dish that is unique, balanced and delicious.

Being a Natural Cook:

The Natural Cook method teaches the cook how to be present – incorporating both right and left brain. The idea of being fully present and grounded makes the experience of being a Natural Cook a very healing one. Decisions about “what to use” and “how much” are not labored, and are not limited by a recipe. Rather, students learn to trust their intuition and their experience with the methods. As Natural Cooks, they enjoy the process of cooking with whatever ingredients are available.

– Philippa Norman, MD