Chefs in Action 2022
Professionals in the culinary world have a lot to teach us about how we can improve everyday life with the use of herbs. From simple ingredients that make an impact you wouldn’t expect, to the many ways you can incorporate sustainability and wellness into your lifestyle, the culinary artists and herbal-experts featured in this edition of Chefs in Action share their experiences, passions, and advice regarding herbs, not just as an ingredient in a dish but as a tool for living better!
Loukeisa Denise – Triple Moon Alchemy Apothecary
Handmade herbal wellness products such as teas, tinctures, body butters and balms are just some of the self-care tools developed by Loukeisa Denise, owner of Triple Moon Alchemy. A blend of herbalism, traditional alchemy, Chinese medicine practices and more contribute to the curation of these herbal products, and her passion for empowering people to learn about and use herbs to better their lives is what lead to her starting her company in 2020.
Loukeisa talks about learning to recognize the powers and qualities of herbs in everyday life. Not every cup of tea or wash with herbal soap has to be a spiritual experience, but paying attention to the effects and physical properties of herbs can improve our relationship with ourselves, our bodies, and even the world around us.
For more about Triple Moon Alchemy: https://www.triplemoonalchemy.shop/our-story
Nathaniel Pantalone – Dobra Tea
From blogging about it in college to coming full circle and owning his own tea house, Nathaniel (Nate) Pantalone, owner of Dobra Tea in Squirrel Hill has spent a lot of time considering what makes drinking tea such an important part of life across different cultures and generations.
Nate discusses the art of prescribing the right tea for a person based on their mood, the season, and how they want to feel when drinking it. He also explains Dobra Tea’s commitment to the naturalist school of tea, honoring the herbs and flowers that were hand-developed in the process of brewing each cup!
To learn more about Dobra Tea: https://dobrateapgh.com/pages/about-us
Ulric Joseph – ShadoBeni
An island made up of many cultures and a person made up of many interests and talents are what bring us ShadoBeni, a Trinidadian and vegan restaurant in Pittsburgh’s north side.
Chef, owner, artist, and community volunteer Ulric Joseph talks about the cultural and medicinal relationship with the herbs he grew up around, the importance of locally sourcing fresh ingredients, as well as the experience of being welcomed by the vegan and sustainable-eating communities of Pittsburgh through local farmers markets that led to opening his restaurant, ShadoBeni.
For more information about ShadoBeni: http://www.shadobeni412.com/index.php/en/about-us
John King – Revival on Lincoln
When a retired career chef found himself restoring an old but beautiful building in Bellevue, PA and needing to put a business inside, the American bistro style eatery Revival on Lincoln was born! John King, head chef and co-owner, talks about his vast career in the food industry, how he uses locally grown and seasonal herbs in different ways, and what to keep in the kitchen at all times to be a successful chef.
To visit Revival or to learn more: https://www.revivalonlincoln.com/welcome-1
Chef Amber Lehman – MyTaque
Chef Amber Lehman was brought up appreciating the vast world of cooking and food. From being in the kitchen with her mom and grandmothers to competing in culinary competitions, all the way to starting her company, MyTaque, a unique combination of a culinary critique blog and professional and personal chef service.
Amber talks about the creativity of cooking, how she developed her personal take on recipes and then turned her passion into a company MyTaque where she offers cooking lessons, personal and small-batch catering and more!
To read Amber’s blog or book a class, visit: https://www.mytaque.com/