I’m Ceri Jones, a certified Natural Chef. I cook with whole foods, naturally devoid of gluten & refined sugar. My emphasis is on eating healthy to make you feel good. .
Photo Credit www.joannayee.com
I’m Chef Ceri a 30-something professional Natural Chef. I completed my 6-month natural chef training – passing with honours – at Bauman College of Holistic Nutrition and Culinary Arts in Berkeley, California at the beginning of 2014. I now live and work back in London as a freelance natural chef, food writer and healthy cooking instructor. In my short, yet flourishing career as a natural chef Ceri I have worked for Retreat Café, Blackheath Cooks, Made in Hackney, The Shoreditch Trust, The College of Naturopathic Medicine and had my work featured in various on-line and published publications. In April 2015 I was thrilled to receive a Highly Commended in the Health category at the UK Blog Awards.
Prior to my Natural Chef training I trained as a musician, studying the clarinet and music at university then spent 10 years working as a projects manager & eventually director – managing concerts, tours and events for a London based international orchestra.
In Summer 2013 I made the brave decision to leave behind my successful arts admin career and chase my dream of working in the healthy food and nutrition industry. My food, recipe & nutrition obsession had been steadily growing over the last decade, and I felt the itch for it to be my career needed to be well and truly scratched. The road at times has been tough, but I haven’t looked back and continue to move forwards!
My job as a Natural Chef covers Cooking, writing and teaching .
-I write on this blog developing healthy recipes and reflecting on my healthy food experiences in London and beyond. I also undertake recipe development and guest articles for brands and publications. For a list of my recent work check out my ‘as seen’ page.
-As a chef I have worked for Soho’s Retreat Cafe, and small bespoke catering jobs for events and retreats. A recent example includes a yoga supper club, yoga picnic brunch and two yoga retreats with Scandoir and Stretching the City, respectively.
-I love my work as a whole foods cookery instructor. It means I get to share my knowledge with so many inspiring members of the public. I work as a healthy eating sessional worker in a community setting with the Shoreditch Trust and also lead public classes and demonstrations in and around London. You can find details of where I’m teaching by clicking on the cookery classes tab above.
This blog – which I have lovingly updated since April 2011 (it was originally named Cucina Ceri) – will always continue to be my experimentation ground, my own little space of the internet to share my story, my healthy recipes and the little nuggets of nutrition I like to drop in along the way. I enjoy every second I spend working on developing the blog and I hope you will enjoy the journey with me – as well as my food!
For updates you can also follow me on Facebook , Twitter & Instagram
For my professional biography click HERE
My Chef & Nutrition Qualifications:
- Natural Chef Certification – Passed with Honours – Bauman College of Holistic Nutrition & Culinary Arts, California. A 6 month, 450 hour classroom & kitchen programme with 50 hour culinary externship (2013-2014)
- College of Naturopathic Medicine – 2 terms in Cooking for health (2013)
- College of Naturopathic Medicine - Certificate in nutrition for everyday living (2012)
- Ashburton Cookery School: Intermediate cookery week certificate (2012)
- The Gourmet Raw Food School: 1 day course in introduction to raw foods (2012)
Site Credits:
- Header & Customised Foodie Theme by - Shay Bocks
- Profile pictures by Pro Photographer www.joannayee.com & www.mjchapman.co.uk
Updated July 2015
Hi Ceri – not much of a techno! think I’ve already sent you a message. So pleased to find you and will be trying your recipes. Tracey G
Hi Ceri, Just found you while looking at Live Below the Line Action Against Hunger. Want to take part in the 2015 campaign but want to stay healthy. Your recipes are good! I will be following you. Thanks, Tracey G
Nice to meet you Tracey. Great to hear you will be doing the campaign this year – as will I. Even having done it already I am nervous again. Best of luck and hope you find my recipes and you tube cook along videos helpful!
Hi Ceri, thanks for the amazing recipes today. I’ve already tried the pesto (but used Basil rather than Oregano), the courgetti and the celeriac & parsnip chips – everything went really well with the lightly smoked baked salmon that I cooked tonight. Thanks for the inspiration
Hi Jeff, lovely to meet you – and I’m so incredibly impressed you’ve tried them out at home again already! I guess that means you enjoyed the recipes! Brilliant. Now to master the mayonnaise with 1 pair of hands!
Hi Ceri,
I have been Paleo for 2 years now and have tempted my husband over to help him lose some Christmas weight. We both overindulged this year! He has lost a couple of pounds ( I’ve lost 5) in almost 2 weeks but he doesn’t seem to be losing half as much as we thought. We are doing dry January too! Any tips or hints as to how we can get a regular 2-3lb weightloss for him?!
I love your blog! It’s so good to have an English Paleo recipe to follow or adapt!!! We are in rural Northumberland and can get everything we need for a really healthy and nutritious lifestyle including lots of walking on Hadrian’s wall!!!
Keep up the good work!!!!
Catherine and James Cape
Hi Catherine,
That’s great you’ve got your husband on the bandwagon. I guess the thing with paleo – and any clean eating regime is that it often takes a while for the body to respond – and its highly dependant on how long it wasn’t being fed what it needed prior to that date. I never started eating paleo for weight loss – it was to help balance my blood sugars, and to generally feel healthier – which I do.
The main aim with any regime should be finding health. Once the body has gotten itself properly healthy (i.e he may be dealing with underlying issues such as poor digestion, a bad gut or IBS etc) then it will level itself out to the weight its meant to be. Health first! Don’t get discouraged and keep it up!
Thanks for being a loyal follower of the blog, really appreciate it
Good luck!
Hi Ceri, I’m new to your blog and looking forward to reading your posts as I’m struggling to find the right ‘diet’. I have Crohn’s disease, I’ve also been diagnosed with small intestinal bacteria overgrowth. I have an intolerance to lactose, fructose, glucose and sorbitol. I need to change my diet but not sure how and I think you’ve got a good philosophy and interesting recipes, trying the celeriac chips tonight.
Cheers
trish
Hi Trish, welcome along! Thanks for dropping me a line. I too was diagnosed with SIBO late last year, so most of the recipes I’ve posted since January should be suitable for you. Avoiding FODMAP types of veggies is a good start (no garlic
) good luck with the journey and any questions please ask!
You’re amazing and your blog is just as amazing. There’s a sense of satisfaction that comes from cooking healthy food that tastes good, kinda like you’re refueling your mind and body. You’ve just gained a loyal follower, thank you for sharing a piece of your food knowledge.
Thanks so much Aisha – comments like this make me so happy and all the time and effort I put into Cucina Ceri worthwhile. I hope you enjoy the recipes.
Hello Ceri, I’m just stopping by to say I really enjoyed following you in 2012 and have nominated you for the Versatile Blogger Award. If you’re interested in accepting, pop by http://nonaughties.wordpress.com/2013/01/08/the-versatile-blogger-award/ for more details. If not, no worries
I hope you have a wonderful 2013! Best wishes, Tarja
Thanks so much Tarja, it’s always great to hear from loyal readers of my blog. I am unable to participate in this – but thanks so much for the mention. Happy no naughty cooking in 2013! Ceri
ciao , ceri
Alessandro , Milan – Italy
just found your blog! i made a version of kale fritata myself this week! xxx
Yummy – I hope you enjoyed it as much as me! Lovely to have you as a reader – hope you enjoy the blog
Hello Ceri!
Gem just showed me your website…is amazing!! Will be trying out the recipes v soon!!
Kate xx
Aw thanks Kate – have fun cooking, look fwd to hearing how it turns out
x