Meet Liat Solomon. The owner of Zula, Down to Earth, and Earth Café where the emphasis is on creating a better world through the pure organic food.
The first time I came to Bali in 1996 to visit. I came as a tourist to the end of my studies in New York. I came on holiday and fell in love with Bali and said, "One day I'll come back here"
What you have to continue the benefits. Whole foods and whole foods?
When I returned to New York, my mother got sick. I took care of her during her illness. she died the day fish April, 15 years ago. I started to work with cancer groups for breast and ovarian cancer, teaching women a new lifestyle. But I started my education welfare before, when my grandmother was sick. I lost about a dozen women in my family to these cancers, all aged between 49 and 54. my grandmother was one of the main characters in my script . she was a strong woman with a nice character. I was 19 years old when she died. that's what really inspired me. So when my mother died, I'm already in a huge loft on 5th Avenue. ME was presented on the first page of the New York Times for the "new kitchen in New York."
Who were your clients?
In the early 90 I made food for Al Pacino, Kevin Costner, David Byrne, even the Dalai Lama. Through the agency hired me to go to their homes or yachts and cook. I was a specialty chef. Macrobiotics was completely new at the time. It was the early nineties. So I made openings and special events. There were not many of us to make organic food and vegan.
I remember in New York at the time, there were very few places health food.
There were maybe six places; Angelicas and Village Greens in the East Village. Whole Foods was a small shop near Dean and DeLucas in Soho on Prince Street. I was a ballet dancer for 25 years. So I started working freelance make visits to health food stores and teach people how to shop correctly, not only on the shelf. Also my mother was a little hippie so I had soy milk early in life. We walk in the demonstrations and not eat meat. By the time I'm 19, I'm in macrobiotics. This was my high. I'm really in a healthy lifestyle and change the world through nutrition. It is about people to make peace with themselves at the cellular level. This is the course I am.
I opened my first restaurant at the age of 18, and another when I was 19 to 21 years. When I was 21, the first macrobiotic school opened in New York. It was originally called Gulliver then changed to the Institute for Integral nutrition. The first year, there were only five students. It was an intensive course of four years at the time. I studied with the best: Mark Kronenburg, Dian Avoli, Mori Snyder, Bill Spear, Herman Aihara, Joshua Rosenthal, Bill Tera, Anne Wigmore and Kushi. At orientation we asked, "Why are you here" Everyone says things like changing my lifestyle and I want to learn to eat but for me it was very clear why I was there "I'm going?. change my DNA! I European heritage of the East and so many family members were sick with cancer and diabetes. not me! I do not want the verdict of patients forty-five and fifty-four deaths . "
I read recently that Russian scientists have proved that we can change our DNA?
Oh yes, for me, there is no doubt! At the same time I go to New York City College, I wanted to better understand the biology and chemistry. I did my pre-med studies at the same time I studied at the Pacific Institute for Chinese medicine. For a year, I lived in the house of Michio Kushi; I was cooking for family and took care of Evelyn Kushi before his death. Then I became the scribe of Michio Kushi.
I learned so much being his scribe, taking notes of his many interviews as an apprentice. No one could understand her notes. I learned diagnose people and I developed an intuitive way to diagnosis. The night of the birthday of his daughter, she died of ovarian cancer; I did something that really touched. They were Shintoism and had an altar with a shrine to her with his guitar, his scripts, photos and flowers. Each day, students were able to put the rice, water and candle there for his spirit. I put the temple at the head of the table to acknowledge his abiding presence. I made a cake. I really wanted to please him. Everyone around the table got a blessing from him. He would ask what number I was and I replied: "I am 858" His eyes met mine and he said.. "One day you'll be a great teacher" At the time I did not know I just wanted to be a teacher, but now I know the meaning of what he said.
Being a teacher is one of the great ways to give back and share your knowledge.
Yes, and it does not need to be a teacher in the traditional sense. It was a moment of great erudition with true healing masters. I feel honored to have been able to spend time gain wisdom they share generously. I really enjoy spreading my message and that's what my business is about.
Tomorrow I will do a course on preparing macrobiotic food. I do a lot of different classes and am involved in all aspects of cafes and shops.
Tell me when you started with Zula.
Yes, it was very small, only four by four meters and everything was sold for less than cost because there was no way I could charge the actual price the people at the time. So many things change. The way it works to this day in my store is that when I get a better price than I spend on the client, so that prices fluctuate according to what I receive the product. If I get cheaper, the customer.