Jesse Ziff Cool

Jesse Ziff Cool has been dedicated to sustainable agriculture and cuisine for over 4 decades as writer, restaurateur, spokesperson and consultant for eco-conscious food service. Jesse is the author of seven cookbooks and through the years has written for dozens of publications. She founded five restaurants, currently operating the legendary Flea St. Cafe and Cantors Arts at Stanford University.

Jesse is a lecturer for Stanford’s Department of Education using her home garden and kitchen as a model classroom. This program was recently accredited, now in the 10th year, and inspires Masters of Education students to develop curriculum that takes children from the garden to the kitchen with a one pot, no recipe and ten ingredient program. She created Farm Fresh at Stanford Hospital, an organic, local menu option for critically ill in-patients.

She continues to consult to institutional food service and health care maintaining her view that it is a major area in which those that need healthy, clean and delicious food are underserved. Jesse sits on three boards: Eco Farm Association, Oldways and JobTrain. The Association of Women Chefs and Restaurateur recently honored Jesse with the 2014 Barbara Tropp Trailblazer Award. Along with gardening, eating and drinking, her new passion is road biking . . . which basically allows her to devour more of all that she loves in life!