"My journey of showing people
how to eat better (and enjoy it) has helped me to understand that spotlighting what drives others to produce great products… sharing their insights and talents… is a gift to self." |
Introducing Laura Pensiero, RD
Nutritionist, Restaurateur, Chef, and Author About Laura:
Laura Pensiero is the founder, chef/owner and creative force behind Gigi Hudson Valley (Gigi Trattoria and Gigi Catering.) She strongly believes that local food in season is the basis for healthy flavorful eating. This reflects the Gigi Hudson Valley Mediterranean style of cooking, marrying what is fresh and in season with simple, yet bold and comforting flavors. When the doors opened in 2001, Gigi Trattoria was one of the first modern day restaurants in the Hudson Valley to source the bulk of its ingredients directly from local farmers, ranchers and food artisans. Laura is also a partner of Just Salad, a collection of healthy, “quick service” salad restaurants in the New York Metro area, Chicago, Philadelphia, Hong Kong and Dubai. For ten years, she developed the menu and recipes and provided oversight of quality and nutrition for the brand. A graduate of the French Culinary Institute, Laura is also a registered dietician. In 2009, she wrote Hudson Valley Mediterranean: The Gigi Good Food Cookbook (HarperCollins, 2009) which shares her flavorful and practical approach to wholesome and healthy eating. She also co-authored The Strang Cancer Prevention Center Cookbook (McGraw-Hill, 2004; Dutton, 1998), contributes frequently to national magazines, and shares recipes and cooking tips on her blog. |
Laura’s focus is on supporting her community via Gigi Hudson Valley and through her work in writing and education. She believes the best education is the practical kind - the food on a plate. She aspires to teach people that eating healthy can be delicious, without sacrificing flavor or satisfaction. Her efforts were recognized in the Fifth Anniversary Issue of O, The Oprah Magazine which named Laura among the "Five Most Giving and Gifted Food Professionals" for her work as a nutrition and culinary educator.
To preface the launch of Laura’s column, Myrna Beth Haskell, managing editor, spoke with Laura about her journey, her passion for menu and recipe development and her perspective as a female leader in the restaurant and food industries.
Your wealth of experience is quite diverse. Could you tell me a bit about your journey?
My interest and experimentation in the kitchen began when I was about 12 years old. Food and cooking played a central role in my experiences and upbringing.
Sundays always started in Cold Spring, NY, which is where I was born and where my Sicilian grandparents (who were Ellis Island immigrants) lived and raised their seven children, including my father, Philip Pensiero. The mid-day Sunday dinners offered aromas and flavors that were anticipated from the moment we climbed into the wood paneled station wagon. I only came to fully understand the authenticity and the beauty of the simplicity of the food after spending time in Sicily - these experiences brought me right back to my grandparent’s little brick home on the bluff of the Hudson River. The second meal of those formative Sundays was a short drive south to the home of my Scott-Irish-German grandparents in Garrison. My ‘Nanny’ was masterful in turning tough cuts of meats into delicious braises, and she could create just about anything from a potato.
An introduction to nutrition came from my grandfather’s cousin Dr. Orrea F. Pye who was an early mentor. In the days when medicine degrees were very difficult for women to earn and female physicians were then still expected to defer to a male physician, Orrea turned to nutrition. As a researcher and educator, she traveled to developing countries, and, in 1963, she assumed leadership of the nutrition program at Columbia University’s Teachers College. Orrea and her colleagues uncovered essential nutrients through the study of deficiency diseases. This work led to the first of the Recommended Daily Allowances (RDAs).
As a young dietitian working in clinical care at New York Presbyterian (NYP), St. Vincent’s, and Memorial Sloan Kettering, I had amazing exposure to some of the world’s best medical professionals which helped to form my approach on diet and education. In acute care, such as the burn unit at NYP, I learned how to implement diet therapy for the very sick whether by tube, IV, food, or some combination. While I knew I didn’t want to remain in clinical care, I always treasured the solid foundation that these clinical nutrition years provided.
More and more, I found myself grasping at strategies to help with the 'how to' of making dietary changes. This led me to The French Culinary Institute [now the International Culinary Center in New York, NY]. While my passion for food was profound, my primary interest was to become a more effective nutritionist.
While I was still exploring my options, I attended a lecture given by Julia Child. During the question and answer period, I told her about the two roads I was traveling and asked where she thought a nutritionist might take a culinary degree. She emphatically replied, 'Dietitians have sabotaged cuisine!' While it startled me, she was right - two eggs a week, shellfish and cholesterol, oat bran everything, margarine instead of butter, fat free anything but unlimited carbs, etc. My Mediterranean background told me it was all wrong. I still didn’t fully know my course, but I knew I wanted to help people understand that good whole foods combined with a few solid cooking techniques could change people’s path to eating more healthfully and enjoying it.
The culinary and dietetic roads crisscrossed from there. I opened a nutrition consulting company called Nutrition Source and a recipe testing company called RecipeWorks, through which I had the opportunity to test and write recipes for more than 20 cookbooks. A contract with IDG Worldwide, then the publisher of the Dummies guide series, led to a variety of cookbook contributions. My mentors at The French Culinary Institute invited me to develop and test recipes for their Salute to Healthy Cooking (Rodale 1998). I got to spend time in the kitchen with Jacques Pepin, Andre Soltner, Jacques Torres, and Alain Sailhac! Alain has been an extraordinary mentor – he understands ambition, humility and work ethic, and he saw it in me and recommended me for the project.
Through Nutrition Source, I worked on all sorts of projects as a nutrition consultant, including research diets at the Metabolic Research Center at New York Presbyterian Hospital. This was particularly interesting because the diets that were created were designed to meet the study standards and be palatable - the food was measured to the 100th of a gram, given to the volunteer study subjects, and returned to be weighed again. The amount of consumed food was used in conjunction with an enormous food database and assessments were provided to the researchers. This experience enabled me to look at an ingredient or food item and instantaneously know the amounts – that’s 100 grams, 200 grams, etc. and to convert it to English measures. This certainly came in handy with recipe testing and development as well as food ordering.
Your wealth of experience is quite diverse. Could you tell me a bit about your journey?
My interest and experimentation in the kitchen began when I was about 12 years old. Food and cooking played a central role in my experiences and upbringing.
Sundays always started in Cold Spring, NY, which is where I was born and where my Sicilian grandparents (who were Ellis Island immigrants) lived and raised their seven children, including my father, Philip Pensiero. The mid-day Sunday dinners offered aromas and flavors that were anticipated from the moment we climbed into the wood paneled station wagon. I only came to fully understand the authenticity and the beauty of the simplicity of the food after spending time in Sicily - these experiences brought me right back to my grandparent’s little brick home on the bluff of the Hudson River. The second meal of those formative Sundays was a short drive south to the home of my Scott-Irish-German grandparents in Garrison. My ‘Nanny’ was masterful in turning tough cuts of meats into delicious braises, and she could create just about anything from a potato.
An introduction to nutrition came from my grandfather’s cousin Dr. Orrea F. Pye who was an early mentor. In the days when medicine degrees were very difficult for women to earn and female physicians were then still expected to defer to a male physician, Orrea turned to nutrition. As a researcher and educator, she traveled to developing countries, and, in 1963, she assumed leadership of the nutrition program at Columbia University’s Teachers College. Orrea and her colleagues uncovered essential nutrients through the study of deficiency diseases. This work led to the first of the Recommended Daily Allowances (RDAs).
As a young dietitian working in clinical care at New York Presbyterian (NYP), St. Vincent’s, and Memorial Sloan Kettering, I had amazing exposure to some of the world’s best medical professionals which helped to form my approach on diet and education. In acute care, such as the burn unit at NYP, I learned how to implement diet therapy for the very sick whether by tube, IV, food, or some combination. While I knew I didn’t want to remain in clinical care, I always treasured the solid foundation that these clinical nutrition years provided.
More and more, I found myself grasping at strategies to help with the 'how to' of making dietary changes. This led me to The French Culinary Institute [now the International Culinary Center in New York, NY]. While my passion for food was profound, my primary interest was to become a more effective nutritionist.
While I was still exploring my options, I attended a lecture given by Julia Child. During the question and answer period, I told her about the two roads I was traveling and asked where she thought a nutritionist might take a culinary degree. She emphatically replied, 'Dietitians have sabotaged cuisine!' While it startled me, she was right - two eggs a week, shellfish and cholesterol, oat bran everything, margarine instead of butter, fat free anything but unlimited carbs, etc. My Mediterranean background told me it was all wrong. I still didn’t fully know my course, but I knew I wanted to help people understand that good whole foods combined with a few solid cooking techniques could change people’s path to eating more healthfully and enjoying it.
The culinary and dietetic roads crisscrossed from there. I opened a nutrition consulting company called Nutrition Source and a recipe testing company called RecipeWorks, through which I had the opportunity to test and write recipes for more than 20 cookbooks. A contract with IDG Worldwide, then the publisher of the Dummies guide series, led to a variety of cookbook contributions. My mentors at The French Culinary Institute invited me to develop and test recipes for their Salute to Healthy Cooking (Rodale 1998). I got to spend time in the kitchen with Jacques Pepin, Andre Soltner, Jacques Torres, and Alain Sailhac! Alain has been an extraordinary mentor – he understands ambition, humility and work ethic, and he saw it in me and recommended me for the project.
Through Nutrition Source, I worked on all sorts of projects as a nutrition consultant, including research diets at the Metabolic Research Center at New York Presbyterian Hospital. This was particularly interesting because the diets that were created were designed to meet the study standards and be palatable - the food was measured to the 100th of a gram, given to the volunteer study subjects, and returned to be weighed again. The amount of consumed food was used in conjunction with an enormous food database and assessments were provided to the researchers. This experience enabled me to look at an ingredient or food item and instantaneously know the amounts – that’s 100 grams, 200 grams, etc. and to convert it to English measures. This certainly came in handy with recipe testing and development as well as food ordering.
Click the Book Cover for More Information
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In 1998, as a young registered dietitian working with the Strang-Cornell Cancer Prevention Center, Dr. Michael Osborne, a world-renowned surgeon, oncologist, and researcher, gave me my first publishing opportunity, co-authoring The Strang Cookbook for Cancer Prevention with me. Orrea’s health was failing around that time, and I was able to present her with an ode to how far the field had evolved. Her strength, vision, and ambition had guided me to my studies and later integrated with my passion for food and cooking.
Dr. Osborne later included me on the board of Healthy Children Healthy Futures (HCHF), which began in 2002 as part of Strang Cancer Prevention Center with MetLife Foundation support. The HCHF program was my first opportunity to work with a nonprofit and develop educational materials. |
We spoke about Gigi Trattoria, Laura’s successful restaurant in Rhinebeck, NY, which also provides an extensive catering menu and services.
I always call myself an accidental restaurateur - never dreamed of it, never planned for it. Yet here I am going into my 18th year at Gigi! What I did was make it more than a restaurant, incorporating all the disciplines I love – Mediterranean flavors, public health and education (by means of tasty and on the plate), hospitality and sharing. When new or long-time customers tell me how welcoming the team and menu are, how good the place makes them feel, I now take a moment to really feel it and have gratitude for this long-run success. What’s the most difficult aspect of owning a restaurant, and what’s the most fulfilling? Most difficult…well, the time commitment is incredible – it’s really seven days a week and holidays, too. It’s also a lot of 'people time' and management for someone who needs creative space and some alone time. I’ve more recently learned to manage this better. The lesson? Leadership and good management. |
A View of Gigi's Beautiful Outdoor Patio
(Click image to visit the restaurant website) |
While I’ve worked for myself for more than 25 years, restaurant life is not like consulting projects. The key difference is that consulting projects generally have specific endpoints and the work is sometimes completely independent. A restaurant is an interdependent animal. It’s alive, the work is never completed, and only a team can make it happen.
It really is all worth it when I think of all of the relationships – employees and guests – and how the culture of a well-functioning restaurant is like a family and can provide so much to the community. At this point, I’ve watched children grow up and eat their first Skizza [a Gigi’s favorite: a super-thin, flatbread pizza], gnocchi, or even certain types of vegetables they may have never tried. People have shared with me how their relationships blossomed, evolved, were celebrated or mourned in their Gigi 'home.' Food and hospitality are that powerful.
It really is all worth it when I think of all of the relationships – employees and guests – and how the culture of a well-functioning restaurant is like a family and can provide so much to the community. At this point, I’ve watched children grow up and eat their first Skizza [a Gigi’s favorite: a super-thin, flatbread pizza], gnocchi, or even certain types of vegetables they may have never tried. People have shared with me how their relationships blossomed, evolved, were celebrated or mourned in their Gigi 'home.' Food and hospitality are that powerful.
Click Book Cover for More Information
|
You’re well-traveled. What have you learned from other cultures regarding healthy eating and the restaurant industry in general?
In the Mediterranean…it’s just the way they eat…no contrived 'healthy.' The use of fresh, local ingredients and simplicity is key. I celebrated this in Hudson Valley Mediterranean: The Gigi Good Food Cookbook. My goal was to share all the excitement on the burgeoning Hudson Valley food scene and connect to an innately healthy cuisine. In traveling, you see that balanced conscious eating is just a way of life for many. Italians are planning their next meal while they’re still enjoying their current one. Food is important and a priority! Children as young as six years old will tell you the quality of a pasta with confidence. But the portion sizes are appropriate, and their lifestyles are generally more balanced. Unfortunately, this is changing as more recent generations are consuming our food exports and growing their own processed food products. Obesity and related health issues are now on the rise in Italy as well as in many indigenous diets throughout the world. There is plenty of opportunity to intervene through education and teaching. I see this as a part of my future. |
I recently returned from a glorious trip to Cornelius’ [Laura’s life partner] South African homeland. There’s always something to learn about food as well its relationship to people, health, and public health when traveling.
Recent statistics* show that the percent of women restaurant owners has increased over the past two decades; however, the percent of women head chefs and corporate leaders in the food industry is still quite low when compared to the overall percentage of women working in the industry. As a successful businesswoman and respected professional in the industry, what advice would you give other women who are just starting out in the industry?
Don’t be an apologist. Follow your instincts. It remains sometimes challenging to tap into inner strength in what continues to be a male-dominated industry. Having just viewed Joanna James’ documentary, A Fine Line: A Woman’s Place is in the Kitchen, I was shocked to learn that less than 7% of executive chefs or restaurant owners are women. However, I was not shocked by the part of her film that outlined the disparity in the ability to secure financing. I know plenty of male chefs who have had unsuccessful ventures, but financing for a new project never seems to be an issue. Many women have had a much different experience.
*National Restaurant Association and Grubhub.
What’s your personal, go-to comfort food?
That’s hard. Really, it depends on the season. In the summer, I love a good garden tomato with mozzarella or burrata [a cheese made from mozzarella and cream]. When it’s winter, I love to take the time to cook a stew or to braise meats so that the aromas tantalize you all day.
What’s one of your favorite consulting projects?
I would have to say one of my favorite (and longest) was Just Salad. I was the founding chef/nutritionist and steered their recipe development and nutritional program from 2006-2016. It was incredible to see the first quick service take out/delivery outpost on 51st and Park [in Manhattan] develop into the collection of 31 (28 domestic & 3 international) restaurants. While I no longer work with the corporation, I remain a proud limited partner.
Where do you find sanctuary? (#WheresYourSanctuary)
Anytime I land in Italy…the aromas…the beauty and the overall feel of it…it’s like I’ve landed home. There are times when I need alone time, too – you don’t get that in the restaurant industry. So, in a broader sense, anywhere that I have the time and space to think and to develop ideas and thoughts.
Recent statistics* show that the percent of women restaurant owners has increased over the past two decades; however, the percent of women head chefs and corporate leaders in the food industry is still quite low when compared to the overall percentage of women working in the industry. As a successful businesswoman and respected professional in the industry, what advice would you give other women who are just starting out in the industry?
Don’t be an apologist. Follow your instincts. It remains sometimes challenging to tap into inner strength in what continues to be a male-dominated industry. Having just viewed Joanna James’ documentary, A Fine Line: A Woman’s Place is in the Kitchen, I was shocked to learn that less than 7% of executive chefs or restaurant owners are women. However, I was not shocked by the part of her film that outlined the disparity in the ability to secure financing. I know plenty of male chefs who have had unsuccessful ventures, but financing for a new project never seems to be an issue. Many women have had a much different experience.
*National Restaurant Association and Grubhub.
What’s your personal, go-to comfort food?
That’s hard. Really, it depends on the season. In the summer, I love a good garden tomato with mozzarella or burrata [a cheese made from mozzarella and cream]. When it’s winter, I love to take the time to cook a stew or to braise meats so that the aromas tantalize you all day.
What’s one of your favorite consulting projects?
I would have to say one of my favorite (and longest) was Just Salad. I was the founding chef/nutritionist and steered their recipe development and nutritional program from 2006-2016. It was incredible to see the first quick service take out/delivery outpost on 51st and Park [in Manhattan] develop into the collection of 31 (28 domestic & 3 international) restaurants. While I no longer work with the corporation, I remain a proud limited partner.
Where do you find sanctuary? (#WheresYourSanctuary)
Anytime I land in Italy…the aromas…the beauty and the overall feel of it…it’s like I’ve landed home. There are times when I need alone time, too – you don’t get that in the restaurant industry. So, in a broader sense, anywhere that I have the time and space to think and to develop ideas and thoughts.