Culinistas®
What is a Culinista®?
A culinary trained chef who has an active interest, passion, and talent in culinary arts including cooking, baking, food writing, planning epicurean events, and discovering new restaurants, ingredients, and cuisines; a gourmand with expertise.
Credentials
Our Culinistas have worked at the finest restaurants beneath the world's most celebrated chefs.
They've trained at top culinary schools and honed their skills at esteemed epicurean establishments.
Our Culinistas have worked at the finest restaurants beneath the world's most celebrated chefs.
They've trained at top culinary schools and honed their skills at esteemed epicurean establishments.
Featured Culinistas
Josie Gordon, Senior Culinista NYC
Josie Gordon operates on the perfect balance of passion for organics and nutrition on one hand and a sweet tooth for New York City's best cupcakes on the other. Josie has eight years of professional cooking experience from hotels, to catering, to working beneath Jean Georges. She has had ample time to hone her skills, ranging from traditional French technique to mind-blowing vegan desserts. She can make anything from a perfectly roasted chicken to moist carrot cake to pad Thai to potato blinis. Give the girl an ingredient and she'll show you how to use it ten different ways.
Josie especially enjoys working with families because it allows the opportunity to interact and to personalize her menus. She loves the challenge of deciphering a person's culinary desires and wowing them with dishes that she knows they will adore.
Josie Gordon, Senior Culinista NYC
Josie Gordon operates on the perfect balance of passion for organics and nutrition on one hand and a sweet tooth for New York City's best cupcakes on the other. Josie has eight years of professional cooking experience from hotels, to catering, to working beneath Jean Georges. She has had ample time to hone her skills, ranging from traditional French technique to mind-blowing vegan desserts. She can make anything from a perfectly roasted chicken to moist carrot cake to pad Thai to potato blinis. Give the girl an ingredient and she'll show you how to use it ten different ways.
Josie especially enjoys working with families because it allows the opportunity to interact and to personalize her menus. She loves the challenge of deciphering a person's culinary desires and wowing them with dishes that she knows they will adore.
Gaby Dalkin, Culinista LA
Gaby loves food, drink and everything in between!
Gaby has been professionally trained in French cuisine and specializes in healthy and organic California cuisine. She has had over 2 years of personal chef experience and loves cooking and developing menus per different diets and needs. She has had experience with gluten free, vegan, and vegetarian diets. Gaby loves using fresh seasonal and local ingredients from different farmers markets and tries to incorporate them in every meal.
Gaby loves food, drink and everything in between!
Gaby has been professionally trained in French cuisine and specializes in healthy and organic California cuisine. She has had over 2 years of personal chef experience and loves cooking and developing menus per different diets and needs. She has had experience with gluten free, vegan, and vegetarian diets. Gaby loves using fresh seasonal and local ingredients from different farmers markets and tries to incorporate them in every meal.
Amanda Elliot, Culinista NYC
Amanda Elliot came to New York to pursue a career in visual art, but a love for the culinary arts quickly surpassed gallery hopping. We are lucky that her creativity and aesthetic now shine through in the kitchen. Every dish she prepares is a perfected study of flavors, textures, and presentation. She has an admiration and respect for those who champion sustainable food. Along her path, she's worked with farmer's markets and specialty shops as well as at Tom Colicchio's celebrated restaurant, Craftbar. She may advocate local food, but she is also a lover of world travel and of world cuisine. Her most recent trip was to Slovenia where she picked up many tips she'll translate into delightful family dinners. Her favorite dishes to cook are mostly influenced by Italy and the Mediterranean. Amanda's been a Culinista for three years. She loves dark chocolate.
Amanda Elliot came to New York to pursue a career in visual art, but a love for the culinary arts quickly surpassed gallery hopping. We are lucky that her creativity and aesthetic now shine through in the kitchen. Every dish she prepares is a perfected study of flavors, textures, and presentation. She has an admiration and respect for those who champion sustainable food. Along her path, she's worked with farmer's markets and specialty shops as well as at Tom Colicchio's celebrated restaurant, Craftbar. She may advocate local food, but she is also a lover of world travel and of world cuisine. Her most recent trip was to Slovenia where she picked up many tips she'll translate into delightful family dinners. Her favorite dishes to cook are mostly influenced by Italy and the Mediterranean. Amanda's been a Culinista for three years. She loves dark chocolate.
Allie Epstein, Culinista LA
Growing up in a household of foodies, splurging on lobster tails for daily family dinners and eating nothing but the best Balthazar bread, it was no surprise that Allie chose cooking as her career. For, with a passion for eating, grew a passion for cooking and Allie enrolled in The French Culinary Institute. Schooled by some of the most world-renowned French chefs, she is now classically trained. With these refined French techniques under her belt, she can cook almost anything under the sun, moon and stars. Even though Allie cut her teeth cooking with butter, cream, and fat, she’s used her classic skills to cook less traditional but healthier meals.
After graduating and interning with Jean George in NYC, she decided to take the less traditional route of a NY-born chef and move to Los Angeles. Cooking at hip cafes to food trucks, she's learned about the business in unique ways. She loves finding quirky, local restaurants and has a weakness for romance novels.
Growing up in a household of foodies, splurging on lobster tails for daily family dinners and eating nothing but the best Balthazar bread, it was no surprise that Allie chose cooking as her career. For, with a passion for eating, grew a passion for cooking and Allie enrolled in The French Culinary Institute. Schooled by some of the most world-renowned French chefs, she is now classically trained. With these refined French techniques under her belt, she can cook almost anything under the sun, moon and stars. Even though Allie cut her teeth cooking with butter, cream, and fat, she’s used her classic skills to cook less traditional but healthier meals.
After graduating and interning with Jean George in NYC, she decided to take the less traditional route of a NY-born chef and move to Los Angeles. Cooking at hip cafes to food trucks, she's learned about the business in unique ways. She loves finding quirky, local restaurants and has a weakness for romance novels.
Kate Ferrara, Culinista LA
Kate has had a lifelong passion for all things epicurean. After living in France during college and traveling extensively in Europe, Kate began her professional journey at the Scottsdale Culinary Institute, where she then went on to work at the Food Network. Before signing on as a Culinista, Kate honed her skills at the fine-dining restaurants, Mary Elaine’s and Frasca Food and Wine.
She grew up with the bounty of coastal New England cuisine, has lived in the mid Atlantic, Southwest and now Southern California, and has incorporated highlights from each regional cuisine into her cooking. If you’re craving crab cakes, chowder, tacos, spicy stir-fry or tagliatelle and meatballs, Kate can deliver. She adores cooking with the extensive amount of fresh, seasonal produce SoCal has to offer and thinks that a healthy diet can include extravagance if balanced with a bit of restraint. Her favorite indulgences are fine artisan cheeses and cured meats.
Kate has had a lifelong passion for all things epicurean. After living in France during college and traveling extensively in Europe, Kate began her professional journey at the Scottsdale Culinary Institute, where she then went on to work at the Food Network. Before signing on as a Culinista, Kate honed her skills at the fine-dining restaurants, Mary Elaine’s and Frasca Food and Wine.
She grew up with the bounty of coastal New England cuisine, has lived in the mid Atlantic, Southwest and now Southern California, and has incorporated highlights from each regional cuisine into her cooking. If you’re craving crab cakes, chowder, tacos, spicy stir-fry or tagliatelle and meatballs, Kate can deliver. She adores cooking with the extensive amount of fresh, seasonal produce SoCal has to offer and thinks that a healthy diet can include extravagance if balanced with a bit of restraint. Her favorite indulgences are fine artisan cheeses and cured meats.
Ben Liquet, Culinista NYC
Ben specializes in cooking seasonally with fresh ingredients. He was trained at the Institute of Culinary Education, where he learned how to enhance the natural flavor of his ingredients and truly make them shine. He likes simple dishes that are full of flavor. He worked at Mario Batali's fish haven, Esca, before signing on as a Culinista. Ben adores cooking Italian and Latin American dishes; however, he's also been known to get very creative, mixing multiple flavor profiles to win over even the most limited of palates. He is very outgoing and adores cooking for families and children.
Ben specializes in cooking seasonally with fresh ingredients. He was trained at the Institute of Culinary Education, where he learned how to enhance the natural flavor of his ingredients and truly make them shine. He likes simple dishes that are full of flavor. He worked at Mario Batali's fish haven, Esca, before signing on as a Culinista. Ben adores cooking Italian and Latin American dishes; however, he's also been known to get very creative, mixing multiple flavor profiles to win over even the most limited of palates. He is very outgoing and adores cooking for families and children.
Jennifer Ophir, Culinista NYC
Jennifer Ophir's experience ranges from the kitchen at Jean Georges's Perry Street to her stint as a chef instructor in Tuscany. She is meticulous in every sense of the word: from her food prep to presentation. Her first career was in fashion, and as a result, her food is not only mouth watering, but also, gorgeous. She draws inspiration from the produce that she finds in farmer’s markets. She's at the top of the game when it comes to culinary creativity and you'll always find new and exciting dishes on her menus week in and week out. She loves braising short ribs in red wine.
Jennifer Ophir's experience ranges from the kitchen at Jean Georges's Perry Street to her stint as a chef instructor in Tuscany. She is meticulous in every sense of the word: from her food prep to presentation. Her first career was in fashion, and as a result, her food is not only mouth watering, but also, gorgeous. She draws inspiration from the produce that she finds in farmer’s markets. She's at the top of the game when it comes to culinary creativity and you'll always find new and exciting dishes on her menus week in and week out. She loves braising short ribs in red wine.
Hadley Reynolds, Culinista NYC
Hadley Reynolds’ love of the culinary world began in San Francisco upon first bite into a sweet Fuyu persimmon. California produce captured her heart and Hadley entered the General Culinary Program at Tante Marie’s Cooking School. Hadley’s style of cooking, which encompasses both sweet and savory realms, is clean, simple yet creative and bright with flavor. She loves to share her knowledge of nutrition through food and hopes to create dishes that celebrate fresh ingredients. Hadley’s professional culinary experiences include working beneath Chef Emily Luchetti in San Francisco, Chef Bill Yosses at the White House and Chef Jennifer Yee at Aureole in New York City. Work outside of restaurants includes assisting the food stylist at The Today Show and recipe testing at Martha Stewart Living.
Hadley Reynolds’ love of the culinary world began in San Francisco upon first bite into a sweet Fuyu persimmon. California produce captured her heart and Hadley entered the General Culinary Program at Tante Marie’s Cooking School. Hadley’s style of cooking, which encompasses both sweet and savory realms, is clean, simple yet creative and bright with flavor. She loves to share her knowledge of nutrition through food and hopes to create dishes that celebrate fresh ingredients. Hadley’s professional culinary experiences include working beneath Chef Emily Luchetti in San Francisco, Chef Bill Yosses at the White House and Chef Jennifer Yee at Aureole in New York City. Work outside of restaurants includes assisting the food stylist at The Today Show and recipe testing at Martha Stewart Living.
Linda Wong, Culinista LA
Linda loves nothing more than to be in the kitchen cooking, baking or perfecting her latest culinary creation. She trained at The Natural Gourmet Institute in New York, focusing on whole, organic and traditional foods as well as learning to cook for diets such as vegan, vegetarian, macrobiotic and raw. To Linda, the best food comes from the best ingredients and she leaves no culinary stone unturned. From saffron roasted chicken to crème brulé, from Cajun gumbo to traditional Chinese cuisine, Linda loves enchanting people with the foods they love as well as helping them discover new favorites. She is dedicated to providing her clients with delicious foods from the freshest organic and nutritious sources. While Linda specializes in gourmet dishes, she believes that the same passion and care can be brought to any meal. To Linda, a “PB&J” sandwich consists of warm bread straight from her oven, homemade peanut butter from all natural peanuts, and her own personal jam recipe using strawberries fresh from the farmer’s market!
Linda loves nothing more than to be in the kitchen cooking, baking or perfecting her latest culinary creation. She trained at The Natural Gourmet Institute in New York, focusing on whole, organic and traditional foods as well as learning to cook for diets such as vegan, vegetarian, macrobiotic and raw. To Linda, the best food comes from the best ingredients and she leaves no culinary stone unturned. From saffron roasted chicken to crème brulé, from Cajun gumbo to traditional Chinese cuisine, Linda loves enchanting people with the foods they love as well as helping them discover new favorites. She is dedicated to providing her clients with delicious foods from the freshest organic and nutritious sources. While Linda specializes in gourmet dishes, she believes that the same passion and care can be brought to any meal. To Linda, a “PB&J” sandwich consists of warm bread straight from her oven, homemade peanut butter from all natural peanuts, and her own personal jam recipe using strawberries fresh from the farmer’s market!
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