Noras Restaurant

Like so many other successful entrepreneurs Nora Pouillon found her passion matched up well with an under-served niche in the marketplace. That niche being the organic cuisine niche.

These days Nora Pouillon is considered a true pioneer and champion of organic cuisine. Nora came from to the US from Austria in the late 1960s and she was struck by the amount of processed and chemical-laden foods Americans were eating. That’s when she began her search for seasonal and organic food and her crusade for healthier living. That’s when her idea to open a restaurant that served organic cuisine began to germinate. This was back in the 1970’s mind you.

Throwing caution aside and letting her passion drive the decision making process Nora opened her Restaurant Nora, way back in 1979. She was immediately recognized for her ability to create not only healthy but also delicious organic dishes. Twenty years later, Nora’s restaurant became the first certified organic restaurant in the nation. Only three other restaurants have since achieved this goal!

For more information about Nora’s Restaurant visit her Website at: Noras. To write a review visit this link at Menuism: Nora Restaurant.

Nora’s passion extends well beyond her restaurant. Her passion and energy have resulted in many accomplishments and contributions to her cause. Here are some examples:

• Nora was instrumental in creating the organic certification standards for restaurants that guarantee at least 95% of all food served originates from certified organic sources.
• In the early 1990s, Nora launched the farmer/chef connection by introducing the farmers of the Tuscarora Organic Growers Coop (TOG), to other local chefs helping to ensure their farms’ economic viability.
• She also initiated the very first producer-only farmer’s markets in the nation’s capital, now known as Fresh Farm Markets which has grown to include eight active markets.
• While serving as a board member of Women Chefs and Restaurateurs, Nora established an organic internship program and still receives five interns each year at Restaurant Nora.
• She is the author of Cooking with Nora, a seasonal menu cookbook, which was a finalist for the Julia Child Cookbook Award.
• Nora presently sits on the board of directors for several organizations including the Amazon Conservation Team, the Environmental Film Festival, Fresh Farm Markets, Earth Day Network and Wholesome Wave.
• Nora also plays an advisory role to the Center for Mind Body Medicine’s “Food as Medicine” program, and Rachel’s Network.
• The Washington Post named Nora one of the dozen “Power Chefs” in the city.
• Over the years, she has received numerous awards from the International Association of Culinary Professionals, the Organic Trade Association, New Hope Natural Media, the American Horticultural Society, Campaign for Better Health, and others.

Judging by her success and how great she looks looks it would appear there’s a lot we can learn from her about eating healthy!