Simone Parris

 

I have been cooking and working in the health and wellness industry professionally for more than 18 years. In my cooking the objective is to create delicious meals that bring awareness as they nourish body, mind and soul.

I see cooking as an art and love using the freshest organic ingredients emphasizing grains, beans, sea and land vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds to create a balanced wholesome cuisine with a wide variety of flavors, tastes and textures to delight the senses!

Favorite styles include vegetarian, Macrobiotic and ethnic cuisines such as Italian, Thai, Japanese, Chinese, Indian and Mexican, created in a healthy balanced way. These meals are geared for people's busy lives to help keep them fit and full of energy.

My experience includes catering for large parties at retreats and special events, as well as a personal cheffing for clients wanting to experience a healthier way of eating; notable clients include Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman and Steven Segal.

I also teach cooking and help people switch to a healthier lifestyle, either through one on one training or through group trainings, classes and workshops.

Currently I am dividing my time between cooking and teaching healthy cooking and lifestyle in Europe and working on a new project in India (Life Changing Holidays) the aim of which is to bring people to the stunning Indian Himalayas for life changing experiences…

Experience

  • April 2008 – October 2008 I worked to develop a healthy Lifestyle Program, Chef training Program and Macrobiotic Weight Management Program for www.SerenaSpa.com, which is a spa management company based in India with urban spas and destination spas in India, Maldives, Egypt, Seychelles and Sri Lanka
  • The Lifestyle Program that I developed is a comprehensive 7 day intensive in which guests will learn about and engage in the following: self development, Macrobiotic cooking and health awareness, yoga, Pranayama, meditation, activities and excursions and spa treatments.
  • It has been my job to create the concept and write the Macrobiotic menus and recipes, write the material for the health awareness classes,  cooking classes, the yoga and Pranayama classes, put together activities and excursions and do sourcing for all the organic ingredients necessary to run a fully organic kitchen
  • The Macrobiotic chef training program will be used to train the chefs at the destination spas where we implement the Lifestyle program and the Macrobiotic Weight Management Program will be implemented in some of the more urban spas
  • 8/01-10/07 Free-lance Chef in Europe,
  • East West Centre in Belgium.
  • Vegetarian restaurant in Tenerife.
  • Macrobiotic restaurant in Berlin.
  • Cooking for yoga retreats and teaching regular cooking classes, giving healthy diet consultations and catering throughout Europe.
  • As well as returning to the United States from time to time to cook for clients.
  • 6/00-8/00 Personal Chef for Ekant Pochter,
    Ceo DKNY, Taught cooking during summer vacation in Ibiza, Spain.
  • 3/99-9/99 Personal Chef for Steven Segal,
    Prepared gourmet macrobiotic meals for Mr. Segal, at his home in California and during his travels in Thailand, Japan, Hong Kong and India. Focused on Mr. Segal's desire for healthy Japanese and Italian cuisine.
  • 4/96-6/97 Personal Chef for Tom Cruise
    and Nicole Kidman,
    Prepared a variety of both simple and gourmet Macrobiotic meals daily for Tom and Nicole, their family and staff at their home in California and abroad. During this period, they worked on Jerry McGuire, The Peace Maker and Eyes Wide Shut. The focus was on health and fitness.
  • 9/95 and 9/97 Head Chef - Samata Yoga School
    and Retreats,
    Hana Lei, Kauai, Hawaii,
    Menu planning, and meal preparation for 60 yoga practitioners 3 x per day.
  • 8/97 Personal chef for Matt Groening
    (Creator of "The Simpson's") and family,
    Hanna Lei, Kauai, Hawaii.
  • 10/94-4/96 Independent Personal Chef Engagements - full time, special dietary chef
    South Carolina, California, Massachusetts and the Netherlands.
    Worked directly for private individuals to develop and prepare daily menus and dietary programs for specific health needs and medical conditions that included cancer, nervous system disorders and fatigue and weight loss.
  • 1985/1987 Sauté chef for the Bill Board Cafe,
    San Francisco, Ca.
    A popular Art Cafe featuring nouvelle California cuisine.

Education

  • 09/90-06/92 The University of Minnesota
    Studied for 2 years towards a liberal arts degree
  • 8/92-10/94 The Kushi Institute Macrobiotic Study Center, Becket, MA.
    Study included macrobiotic cooking (both gourmet and medicinal styles of cooking), home health care, Feng Shui, Oriental diagnosis and Shiatsu massage.  
  • 9/99-6/01 Emerson College,
    East Sussex, United Kingdom
    Studied Anthroposophy and Visual Arts.
  • Originally from California, I have travelled and/or lived all over North America, Japan, Hong Kong, India, Nepal, Thailand, Europe, Brazil, Panama and North Africa.
  • Interests: meeting people, engaging with likeminded individuals, collaboration, travel, philosophy, psychology, photography, reading, art, film, time in nature, hiking, kayaking, camping, making a positive contribution to society and working towards creating one healthy peaceful world
  • Spiritual Interests: self development, Anthroposophy (Rudolf Steiner), Vipassana Meditation, T.M., Yoga philosophy and Asana, Buddhist and Taoist philosophy and Shiatsu massage.
  • Languages: English, Japanese and Dutch
  • 9/99-6/01 Emerson College,
    East Sussex, United Kingdom
    Studied Anthroposophy and Visual Arts.
  • Originally from California, I have travelled and/or lived all over North America, Japan, Hong Kong, India, Nepal, Thailand, Europe, Brazil, Panama and North Africa.