Faculty
Living Light Culinary Arts Institute was founded by Cherie Soria, chef extraordinaire and teacher of vegetarian and raw vegan cuisine for more than 40 years. Dr. Ann Wigmore and Viktoras Kulvinskas, the mother and father of living foods, encouraged Cherie to spread her gift of teaching to create a legion of chefs and teachers worldwide. The intent of Living Light is simple: create a high standard of excellence for the certification of chefs and instructors of gourmet raw live cuisine.
Cherie Soria
DIRECTOR & FACULTY
Cherie Soria is founder and director of Living Light Culinary Arts Institute and author of Angel Foods: Healthy Recipes for Heavenly Bodies and The Raw Food Revolution Diet: Feast, Lose Weight, Gain Energy, Feel Younger! Cherie has trained many of the top raw food chefs today, which is why people often refer to her as the mother of raw gourmet cuisine.
In 1990, after teaching vegetarian cuisine for nearly twenty years, Cherie studied with Dr. Ann Wigmore and learned the principles of using whole, live foods to aid in healing and rejuvenation. Inspired and motivated, she went on to develop gourmet raw culinary arts by combining the two contrasting worlds of gourmet vegetarian cuisine and raw vegan simplicity that is known today internationally as gourmet raw vegan cuisine. She immediately began sharing this exciting new art with students from around the world.
Cherie says, "I experience great joy connecting personally with students and helping them to become the best that they can be--not only as raw food chefs, but as radiant, inspiring teachers. The key is to accept people where they are on their path and to help fuel the light that shines within them!"
Dan Ladermann
CO-DIRECTOR & FACULTY
Dan Ladermann is codirector of Living Light Culinary Arts Institute and president of the Institute for Vibrant Living, which produces educational events worldwide that promote health and well-being. Dan is a Certified Hippocrates Health Educator and a graduate of Anthony Robbins' Mastery University.
Dan says, "I enjoy assisting people in their transformation and teaching them how to create lives of health, joy, and abundance. Most people have never experienced the kind of loving support and encouragement they receive at our Living Light trainings. Watching them blossom and become empowered with the tools we provide brings me great joy."
Martine Lussier
MANAGER, CULINARY PROGRAMS MANAGEMENT
Martine is passionate about raw living foods, and loves to create recipes. Her dishes are colorful, delightful, and original. She is a graduate of both the Gourmet Raw Food Chef Certification Series and the Raw Culinary Arts Professional Chef Certification Program at Living Light, and is currently pursuing an 18-month Culinary Management Training Program. She was the kitchen manager for Living Light Culinary Arts Institute, and is the first Living Light student who has completed all of the Living Light certification programs, including all of the Science of Raw Food Nutrition classes, in addition to a one-year internship at Living Light.
Jenny Cornbleet
GUEST CHEF & FACULTY
Jennifer Cornbleet is a nationally recognized raw food chef, instructor, and author of Raw Food Made Easy for 1 or 2 People and Raw for Dessert. A certified chef/instructor with Living Light, Jenny conducts classes and workshops in Northern California and nationwide. Jenny has been instrumental in developing instructor empowerment kits for Living Light graduates. She is an integral part of our Associate Chef and Instructor Trainings.
Linas Kesminas
FACULTY
Chef Linas Kesminas hails from Lithuania. He has studied business management, catering, food service management, and has worked as a food stylist and restaurant chef (Japanese cuisine). He’s also taught both raw foods and Thai cuisine internationally. Linas is an amazing addition to our staff. He speaks Lithuanian, English, Russian, Polish, and French, and is a wonderful colleague and teacher.
Kristin Suratt
PR DIRECTOR, EVENTS COORDINATOR & FACULTY
Kristin Suratt has been a natural foods chef for more than twenty five years. In 1991, she studied with Dr. Ann Wigmore at her institute in Puerto Rico, and for five years served as a board member and organizer for the International Festival of Raw and Living Foods in Portland, Oregon. She had a catering company and a natural foods restaurant in New Orleans, and an aromatherapy company, Durva Healing Scents, in Portland (Her products were in 350 stores in the US, including the American Museum of Folk Art in New York). Kristin has been a corporate chef, consultant, and teacher at raw retreat centers internationally, including The Farm at San Benito, The Hippocrates Health Resort of Asia. A woman of diverse interests, Kristin has also been a radio show host on Women’s Voices on KZYX & Z, Mendocino County Public Broadcasting for three years, and she also served for a year on the Board of Directors for the Mendocino Film Festival. Kristin wears many hats at Living Light—her current passion is learning about social media!
Meagan Ricks
PASTRY CHEF
Living Light Pastry Chef and Instructor Meagan Ricks is a bright, talented member of the Living Light teaching staff. Meagan has a beautiful attitude, and puts love into everything she touches. She is an accomplished chef and fine teacher who loves helping people create healthy lives with raw food education and artistry.
Barbara Howard
DEMO COORDINATOR
Barbara Howard became a certified fitness trainer in 2004. She started learning about raw food in 2007 and has followed a passion for raw food knowledge ever since. Barbara received her Science of Raw Food Nutrition Educator™ Certificate from Rick and Karin Dina at Living Light in 2008. Barbara is now the Demo Coordinator for Living Light Culinary Arts Institute, and she teaches Science of Raw Food Nutrition classes for the school.
Amber West
INTERN
Amber West has always had a love for good food and a deep interest in health and the environment. She began as a vegan cook, and in 2009 graduated from Living Light Culinary Arts Institute as an Associate Chef and Instructor. Amber loves to teach, both in the school and for our community outreach classes. She’s a member of our Student Services/Enrollment team, and is completing the Instructor Internship Program at Living Light. Amber believes in providing healthy and delicious food for all, including those with dietary restrictions.
Brandon Hayden
INTERN
Assistant Demo Coordinator Brandon Hayden, a Living Light Associate Chef and Instructor graduate, joins the company from Colorado. Very passionate about health and raw foods, Brandon enjoys helping students empower themselves through the raw food diet and lifestyle. Brandon is a living example of this concept, as he has overcome the health challenges that plagued him from boyhood.
Vinnette Thompson
FACULTY
A classically trained chef, Vinnette earned her culinary arts degree from the Culinary Institute of America and is also a graduate of the Living Light Culinary Arts Institute, where she now teaches a variety of classes. Vinnette has two culinary passions, vegetarian cuisine and culinary education. A chef for over 25 years, she is currently Executive Chef of the Raw Food Underground and teaches culinary arts for the Palm Beach school district in Florida.
Elaina Love
FACULTY
Elaina Love, a certified Living Light chef/instructor, is a presenter at festivals, retreats, and seminars around the world. She is the proprietor of PureJoyPlanet.com and Executive Chef and co-owner of Cafe Soulstice (CafeSoulstice.com), a raw cafe in San Mateo, California. Elaina conducts monthly raw food classes and travels nationwide to teach individuals and groups about the benefits of gourmet raw food cuisine. She is the author of the raw food recipe book, Elaina's Pure Joy Kitchen.
Kari Bernardi-Ibsen
FACULTY
Kari Bernardi-Ibsen, is a Living Light Faculty Guest Chef and Instructor. She is also a professional fun seeker, fabulous chef, great friend and master teacher. Kari was the founding Director of the non-profit Monterey County Farm to School Partnership and has spent many years in California writing healthy school food policies and teaching farm fresh nutrition education to kids. Chef Kari is presently launching the "Yummy Tummy Food Company" where she will be focusing her talents on guiding the youth, catering, consultations, private instruction and life transformations.
Rick Dina, DC
FACULTY
A raw food vegan since 1987, Dr. Dina has been a staff member at the Hippocrates Health Institute, a staff chiropractor at fasting retreat, True North Health Center, and a teacher at Bastyr University. He is the founder and co-owner of Vitality Health Center in San Rafael, CA, where he conducts raw food retreats, and offers chiropractic, massage and nutritional counseling.
Karin Coleman Dina, DC
FACULTY
A Magna Cum Laude graduate of the University of Colorado, and Palmer College of Chiropractic West, and an honors student in naturopathic medicine from Bastyr University, Dr. Dina has also extensively studied advanced nutrition and nutritional biochemistry. She practices a variety of light force and traditional chiropractic techniques, with a multifaceted approach to helping her patients attain radiant health.
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