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Tamie Cook / Atlanta Chapter Les Dames d’Escoffier International  

Tamie Cook came to a culinary career later in life. After working as an Occupational Therapist for almost 10 years she had the opportunity to live in Paris for three years and discovered food and wine, the way it is meant to be enjoyed. Upon returning to the US she resumed her career as a therapist all the while dreaming of the day when she could turn her new passion into a career. Opportunity struck when a merger led to a lay off and she seized the moment to chart a new path. While attending New England Culinary Institute Tamie performed internships with Bacchanalia in Atlanta and the cooking school LaVarenne in Burgundy, France. While in France, Tamie also worked as a stagiere in a Michelin 1-Star restaurant near Auxerre. She concluded her time in France working the vendange in the village of Pommard, picking grapes and making wine the old-fashioned way.

Tamie worked as Alton Brown’s Culinary Director for 11 years and in January 2013 struck out on her own as a freelance chef, food stylist, teacher, writer, recipe developer and caterer. She now has a sought-after recipe development and culinary consulting company called Tamie Cook Culinary Productions with clients across the Southeast and beyond, including the Tennessee Aquarium, Coca Cola, Chef Steven Satterfield, PeachDish and RSVP. Tamie is a member of the Atlanta Chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier and serves on its Board of Directors as the Vice President of Philanthropy. She is also a member of the Southern Foodways Alliance and Women Chefs and Restaurateurs. Tamie received a scholarship from the Atlanta Chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier in 2001.

Cheryl Steep / Registered Dietician

Registered dietitian nutritionist and recent graduate of the Georgia State University Coordinated Program where I completed my MS in nutrition and dietetic internship. After a career for 10+ years in sales and recruitment in the physician staffing industry, I decided to pursue a career as a healthcare provider. My passion for food, nutrition, and prevention led me to the dietetics profession. Throughout the Coordinated Program, I gained experience in both adult and pediatric clinical nutrition, community education and outreach, and food service management. I also had the privileged to work as the graduate assistant for the GSU School of Hospitality chef and assisted in teaching the food production course for three consecutive semesters.