Jesse Ziff Cool

Dedicated to sustainable agriculture and cuisine for 33 years, Jesse is an advocate for local, sustainable, organic food production and these farmers, to whom she warmly refers as her heroes, she considers to be the first real environmental pioneers.

Jesse's work in the food business supports her politics and philosophy and has now expanded from her local community to a national and international audience. She has traveled the world meeting farmers, shop keepers and families, embracing what is local, sustainable and discovering traditions that connects us.

The creative force behind five unique restaurants, Jesse has also authored seven cookbooks, as well as numerous articles. She is a much sought after spokesperson, speaker, teacher and presenter. Jesse spends her free time in her community garden, with her family, children and grand-children.

restaurants

• 1974 Good Earth Restaurant, Palo Alto/ Head Waitress
• 1976-89 Late for the Train Restaurant, Menlo Park Owner/Creator/ Chef
• 1982-Present Flea St. Café, Menlo Park Owner/Creator/Chef
• 1997-99 Two Fools Café and Restaurant Owner/Creator/Chef
• 1999-Present jZcool eatery, .Owner/Creator/Chef
• 2000-Present The Cool Cafe at The Stanford University Cantor Art Center
• 2004- Organic To Go: Founding Chef

books authored

• Tomatoes: A Country Garden Cookbook, Collins, SF 1994
• Onions: A Country Garden Cookbook, Collins, SF 1995
• Breakfast in Bed, Harper Collins, NYC 1997
• Your Organic Kitchen, Rodale Press, PA 2000
• Toast: Sixty Ways To Butter Your Toast and More, Chronicle Books 2003
• The True and Real One Pot Cookbook., Chronicle Books, Autumn 2006
• Simply Organic - Chronicle Books, Spring 2008

awards

• Menlo Park Environmental Award 2001
• San Mateo Environmental Award 2003
• NAWBO: Top 100 Women Business Owners 2002, 2003, 2004 ,2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
• SF Business Times: Top 50 Women-Owned Businesses 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007
• San Mateo Eat Fresh, Eat Local Award ,2004, 2005,2006, 2007, 2008
• Monterey Bay Sustainable Seafood Award 2005, 2006
• Menlo Park Distinguished Business Award 2006
• EFA 2007 Sustie: Award for Lifelong Leadership in Sustainability
• 2008 San Mateo County Green Business Certification / Flea St. Cafe
• 2008 Acterra Sustainable Business Award
• 2008 NAWBO-SF Trailblazer Award

articles authored

• Natural Health Magazine
• Vegetarian Times
• Shape Magazine
• Shape Cooks
• Living Fit
• Men’s Fitness
• Pregnancy Fit
• Food and Wine
• Delicious!
• San Jose Mercury News, Produce Columnist for 8 years
• Fine Cooking
• Kitchen Garden
• Rebecca’s Garden
• Cooking Pleasures

teaching

• Stanford University STEP Program:Teaching Elementary School Teachers
• Draeger’s Culinary Center, for 10 years
• Ahwahnee Chef’s Holidays, for 12 years
• Second Harvest Food Bank, classes at the distribution centers
• Sur La Table
• National Parks Service: Consultant on Organic Sustainable Eating for
• Chefs at the National Park Restaurants
• Delaware North/Consulting for Organics in the National Park System

television and radio

• Fox Network, KTVU Channel Two News, Oakland, California, 7 months
• The Today Show, NBC
• The Food Network
• Substitute Radio Talk Show Host for Bill Wallace’s “Chef’s Addition”
• Bay TV
• PBS, Regina’s Vegetarian Kitchen
• Channel 11, San Jose NBC affiliate, weekly morning produce reports
• Wisdom Network: Hosted Twenty Six Week Television Series on Healthy Eating

affiliations

• Stanford University: 2006-2007 Visiting Scholar
• Kellogg Foundation: Food and Society Summit
• Second Harvest Food Bank
• Ecumenical Hunger Program
• Foundation for a Global Community
• Masters of Ceremony/15 Years for The Connoisseur’s Market Place
• Healthy School Lunch Committee of Palo Alto, California
• Stanford Medical School - Guest Lecturer
• Stanford Cardiovascular Nursing School - Guest Lecturer
• Bay Area Career Action Center
• Committee for Sustainable Agriculture
• Keynote Speaker: Sorghum Growers 2003 Conference, Women of Vision, Shelter Network
• Palo Alto Healthy School Lunch Committee
• Wisconsin Healthy Lunch Community Project

advisory boards: past and present

• Oldways Preservation Exchange and Trust
• Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Solutions
• Sustainable Food Business Group: Roc Foundation, Columbia Foundation
• Kellogg Foundation: Food and Society Summit
• Committee for Sustainable Agriculture
• Chef’s Collaborative
• Shape Cooks
• Slow Food
• Ecological Farming Association
• National Whole Grain Council
• Seeds of Change

organic product and corporate partnerships

• Coleman Natural Meats: Spokesperson
• Earthbound Organic Kitchen: Culinary Consultant
• Small Planet Foods/ Muir Glenn and Cascadian Farms: Spokesperson
• Fantastic foods: Product Developer and Spokesperson
• Wholesome Natural Sugars: Spokesperson
• Rowenta Appliances: Spokesperson
• Rudi’s Organic Bakery: Spokesperson
• Odwalla Juices: Spokesperson