Garden Chef Demo: Shobha Swamy

Chef Shobha Swamy is taking over the Atlanta Botanical Garden's Edible Garden Outdoor Kitchen for a Garden Chef Demo on Saturday, October 24. It's part of the garden's ongoing series of cooking demonstrations, where fresh seasonal fruits, vegetables, and herbs are turned into simple, mouthwatering recipes right in the middle of the garden. If you're into plant-based eating, this one is worth your time.

Swamy didn't start out in the kitchen. She spent 25 years in automotive engineering before discovering a passion for regaining vibrant health through food and changing careers. She's certified in plant-based nutrition through the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies at Cornell University and is a certified Food for Life instructor through the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. She's also taught plant-based cooking in Dr. Jennifer Rooke's 12-week Lifestyle Intervention classes at Morehouse School of Medicine, and she advocates for minimally processed, nutrient-dense, plant-based diets.

On the 24th, she'll be working with the seasonal produce the garden is known for, showing how to build a meal around what's fresh and in season. The demo takes place at the Edible Garden Outdoor Kitchen, which is exactly what it sounds like: a kitchen set up right among the edible plants, so you're seeing the ingredients go from the garden to the stove in one spot.

There are two time slots on Saturday, October 24, at 11:30 AM and 12:30 PM, and she'll be back again on Sunday, October 25, from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM. The demo is free with garden admission, so if you've already got a ticket for the day, you're set. The kitchen is located at 1345 Piedmont Ave NE in Atlanta.