Emily Peterson

Teaches at Astor Center

Culinary educator Emily Peterson combined her love of cooking with a Master's in Teaching and walked away from a career in educational administration, returning to her roots in the kitchen. Raised on a family farm in the Hamptons, surrounded by wine country, the ocean and fine dining restaurants, Emily developed her palate early. In 2008, she started the blog The Gourmand & the Peasant as an online resource for recipes and tutorials. Her goal was to inspire home cooks to go confidently into the kitchen and prepare both simple and complex dishes, from meatloaf to maitake mushrooms. Emily attended the Institute of Culinary Education in New York and has worked extensively with wine importers and is thrilled to bring her fearless approach to cooking, eating and drinking to the Astor Center. While her heart lies in sustainability and the local food movement, she also recognizes the value of a good imported bottle of olive oil and is always seeking new inspirations from around the globe. From France to Italy, Asia to Cajun Country, its an eclectic portfolio of flavors that keeps her palate buzzing.