CulinAerie Instructors

Najmieh Batmanglij has spent the past twenty-six years traveling, teaching cooking, and adapting authentic Persian recipes to tastes and techniques in the West. Introducing people to the pleasures of Persian cooking has been a life long mission of Najmieh’s; her New Food of Life: Ancient Persian and Modern Iranian Cooking and Ceremonies was called “the definitive book of Persian cooking” by the Los Angeles Times. Najmieh has a host of award-winning cookbooks to her name and continues to introduce Persian cooking all over the United States.

Derek M. Brown is a beverage consultant in Washington DC where he works with top restaurants and bars as well as fine liquor companies. A former sommelier in some of DC’s best restaurants, Derek has received numerous accolades for his affable and informed style of service, including “Sommelier of the Year” for 2008 by DC Modern Luxury magazine and one of the five top new sommeliers in the country for 2007 by Wine & Spirits magazine. Derek is an ambassador for the Museum of the American Cocktail in New Orleans and is a graduate of the Beverage Alcohol Resource Program.

Tim Carman is the food columnist for the Washington City Paper. He studied fundamental culinary techniques with Susan Watterson at L’Academie de Cuisine. Before that, he served as managing editor for the Houston Press where he edited James Beard Award-winning food writer Robb Walsh. Tim has written about food for the Washington City Paper, Maxim, the Houston Press, and the Washington Post. He is also a frequent commentator on food for WAMU-FM.

Robin Ferraro has had a passion for food and cooking ever since she studied abroad in Spain while in college. She embraces all international cuisines and is currently a full time culinary arts student at L’Academie de Cuisine in Gaithersburg, MD. In recent years Robin worked for one of the area’s most reputable caterers in postions both inside and outside the kitchen. Her enthusiasm for creative and innovative foods is fueled by an active and healthy lifestyle.

Vera Foresman has been offering classes for the DC Society of Young Professionals for the past two years. She is a graduate of UC Berkeley and has worked in restaurants and catering in DC and Northern Virginia. For the last fifteen years she has taught a number of popular cooking classes for Arlington County’s Adult Education Program. Vera has traveled widely – sampling great food along the way – and enjoys sharing recipes, good food and travel stories.

Bruce Gaber is a biochemist, science educator, and a life-long cook. In addition to his classes at CulinAerie and L’Academie de Cuisine, Bruce teaches at the University of Washington (he is an Affiliate Professor of Bioengineering), Uniform Services University and at VisArts in Rockville. Bruce brings a scientist’s depth of knowledge and a dedicated teacher’s flair to his entertaining and informative classes on the “science behind the cooking.”

David Guas spent ten years as the Executive Pastry Chef of Passion Food Hospitality’s Acadiana, Ceiba, DC Coast and TenPenh restaurants in Washington but has turned in his corporate toque to form his own company, Damgoodsweet Consulting Group. David acts as a private pastry consultant to restaurants around the country, is a specialty caterer, tv personality and dessert cookbook author. In 2003 Bon Appetit magazine named David one of eight “Dessert Stars” in the country: he has since been praised in Food & Wine, Chocolatier, Santé, Cooking Light and Food Arts among others. His next big project is Bayou Bakery targeted to open sometime late next year.

Carla Hall is the owner and chef of Alchemy Caterers. A graduate of L’Academie de Cuisine, Carla has worked as the Sous Chef at the Henley Park Hotel, and Executive Chef at The State Plaza Hotel and The Washington Club. She has taught numerous cooking classes at Sur la Table and other venues in the Washington area. Carla continues to split her time between catering and private cheffing in various parts of the country and abroad. She believes in putting your heart and soul into your food – “If you’re not in a good mood, the only thing you should make is a reservation.”

Susan Holt holds BA and MA degrees in English literature from the University of Tennessee and Georgetown University, respectively, and graduated from L’Academie de Cuisine’s two-year Culinary Career Training Program in 1989. Susan held the position of executive sous-chef for two years at Georgetown’s famous 1789 , and worked at The Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton for two-star Michelin chef Gerard Pangaud. She was an instructor at L’Academie de Cuisine for the past twelve years, teaching such classical technique-driven classes as bouillabaisse, puff paste, risotto, and soufflés. She has conducted classes at Sur la Table, The US Botanic Gardens, and The Epcot International Food and Wine Festival, as well as having appeared in The Washington Post and on Fox Morning News and Good Morning Washington.

Cindy Kacher. As a partner in Kacher Selections from 1988 through 2001, Cindy Kacher represented more than 65 French wine growers as their importer throughout the United States. In her quest to demystify wine for the simple agricultural wonder that it is, Cindy is happy to share some of her wine tips and to teach parlor tricks with which to impress your friends!

Ris Lacoste has been a fixture on the DC culinary scene for nearly two decades. Getting her start in town with Bob Kinkead at Twenty-One Federal (where Washingtonian magazine named them Restaurateurs of the Year) she continued as Chef de Cuisine to open Kinkead’s American Brasserie. In 1985 Ris was named Executive Chef of 1789 Restaurant and she is now working on opening her own restaurant downtown – Ris – but is taking some time out for teaching. Ris’s own education was completed at La Varenne in Burgundy, France where she earned a Grande Diplome.

Monica Marshall specializes in preparing and decorating celebration cakes and multi-tiered wedding cakes. She has been involved in all aspects of the pastry field in her work at Renaissance Pastries, the Harbor Court Hotel, Clyde’s of Columbia, and Ms. Desserts. Monica is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and the professional pastry program at L’Academie de Cuisine. Monica particularly enjoys the decorative part of the art of pastry but her favorite desserts are simple, natural and most importantly, delicious. Among her favorite ingredients are fruits, nuts, butter, cream and of course chocolate!

Janis McLean is the new executive chef of 15 ria where she adds new flair to contemporary cuisine through rich spices and market-fresh ingredients that change with the seasons. Her present job completes a trifecta of executive chef positions in the capital area, including opening Red Dog Café in Silver Spring, MD and heading the restaurant at Washington’s historic Morrison Clark Inn. She also held sous chef positions at Red Sage and the Morrison Clark as well as being the US Representative for Ecole de Cuisine La Varenne, Burgundy, France. Janis is a graduate of L’Academie de Cuisine and she trained in France as well. She is also an active member of Women Chefs and Restaurateurs, Les Dames d’Escoffier and the American Institute of Wine and Food.

Hernan Murno, founder and Executive Chef of BasiKneads Catering, is a native of Buenos Aires who spent his early years studying piano and conducting while immersed in the twin Italian/Spanish roots of Argentinian cooking. After completing a British Council exchange in London, coming to the US on a Fulbright grant, earning a doctorate in music in Indiana and founding an orchestra in North Carolina, Hernan decided to take a break and exchange his baton for a chef’s knife. With BasiKneads Hernan is able to fuse regional American traditions with international culinary influences and with his extensive travel to Europe, Asia, South America and the Caribbean he can provide hands-on exposure to the ingredients of the global kitchen.

Gerard Pangaud at 28 years of age became the youngest chef ever to win two Michelin stars for his eponymous restaurant in Boulogne. Chef Gerard then moved to New York to win three stars from the New York Times as Executive Chef of Aurora. Later he came to Washington DC and the Ritz-Carlton and eventually Gerard’s Place on McPherson Square which he owned and ran for many years. Happily Chef Gerard will now be sharing his knowledge and love of cooking as part of CulinAerie’s foundational staff.

Jackie Quillen is the founder of Christie's US wine auctions where she worked with Michael Broadbent. Jackie Quillen has been in all aspects of the wine trade. Starting with a wine store in New Orleans, she was later a partner of Freddy Wildman Jr importing wines from France and Italy. But what interests her most is teaching people to taste as the professional do, allowing each taster to discover his and her gift in detecting what the wise is with nose and palate. She also relishes finding the great value wines and her mantra is "anybody can buy an expensive wine, but what I delight in is the $12 holy grail. Author of a book of wine quotes, "The Magic of Wine," she has taught wines courses since 1976, and loves to empower every taster at the table.

Rupen Rao is a DC based Indian cook. Originally from Mumbai (Bombay) India, Rupen has been in USA for 8 years. He has been teaching Indian cooking over the past 7 years. He learned cooking from his sole inspiration - his Mom. Hence, Rupen’s recipes are authentic and functional. He uses shortcuts and techniques that he has learned over the years to make Indian cooking simple. Rupen teaches at Whole Foods and Williams-Sonoma in and around Washington, DC. He recently released his first cookbook Simply Indian - Home Cooking Classics and writes recipes for Atlanta based Indian magazine - Rivaaj.

Amy Riolo is an internationally recognized culinary expert specializing in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean culture and cuisine. As a cookbook author, lecturer, food historian, food writer, culinary consultant and cooking instructor, Amy promotes her philosophy of cooking and living with both pleasure and health. Her next book, Nile Style: Egyptian Cuisine and Culture will be released in spring 2009. Amy is currently working on a new book, The Mediterranean Diabetes Cookbook, which will be available in spring 2010.

Anna Saint John started her culinary journey with a stint as manager of a Georgetown dessert café. Then one day a friend solicited Anna’s help with a catering job and this opened the doors to years of cooking classes and part-time jobs with catering companies large and small. Anna learned much about food and wine and more particularly about large-scale food production and catering. Today, Anna owns and operates a full-service catering company which specializes in social-residential catering for parties of up to 250 guests called Catering By Anna Saint John. She is also a member of Les Dames d’Escoffier, America’s Farmland Trust , Chef’s Collaborative and Women Chefs and Restaurateurs.

Katherine Tallmadge, M.A., R.D. is a speaker, seminar leader, counselor and author. Her book Diet Simple: 192 Mental Tricks, Substitutions, Habits & Inspirations is a testament to her commitment to health and wellness. Katherine develops diet programs for individuals and companies that are designed to boost personal and group performance. Her breadth of knowledge is only exceeded by her infectious enthusiasm to impart it!

Susan Watterson has sixteen years of hands-on experience in many facets of the culinary arts: hotels (The Jefferson and Sheraton Premiere), restaurants (Old Angler’s Inn, Obelisk); catering (Design Cuisine, Fete Accomplie, Susan Gage Caterers) and education (L’Academie de Cuisine). She has taken the helm a number of times over the years, as Managing Director of L’Academie/Bethesda, Catering Director of Fresh Start Catering and as Executive Chef of Café Bethesda. Susan is excited to step forward as a Principal of CulinAerie and is eager to return to the kitchen and classroom.