Mindy Kobrin

About Us

For lifestyle and entertaining expert Mindy Kobrin, cooking, wellness and celebrating are a family affair. Her lifestyle philosophy can be distilled to a single, luscious concept: Don’t Worry, Eat Happy. Fusing culinary know-how and health initiatives, Mindy aims to create nothing short of a movement: to arm people with information on the value and culture of food and the importance of quality time around the table. Her mission is to teach the foundation of mindful eating and how to use seasonal ingredients to create nutritious, delicious and satisfying meals. It’s also her heartfelt goal to be a change agent, spreading the message of quality food and spirited cooking for children to carry into adulthood and pass on to the next generation.

Cooking and entertaining have always been passions for Mindy. With her Walt Disney Mickey Mouse Cookbook in-hand and her little toes peeping through a pair of her mother’s heels, she consistently found herself in the kitchens of friends, creating yummy treats and goody-bags for parties. Fast forward years later, she took her cooking expertise (along with her flair for fashion) and spearheaded numerous events in New York City, Aspen, Miami and Central Florida. One of the most memorable: Alongside colleague James Ferragamo, while both employed with Saks Fifth Avenue’s Corporate Training Program, they co-hosted a home-cooked Italian feast at his family’s Little Italy home!

While studying international relations in London, Mindy traveled extensively in Europe and later to the Middle-East and South America. The diverse ethnic cuisines she tasted in her travels further honed her palate and culinary skills. It also affirmed her belief that no matter the culture, country or one’s social status, food and entertaining always form a strong and unbreakable bond with people.

Throughout the years, Mindy has orchestrated events; wellness cooking demos; and cooking classes large and small, for example:

  • While serving as the Development Director for the Princess Grace Foundation and HSH Prince Albert of Monaco II and The Princely Family, she spearheaded fundraising and corporate sponsorship for all events including two annual galas that raised over a million dollars.
  • As part of Daniel Boulud’s culinary team at Feast & Fetes, Mindy helped orchestrate special events such as the Jazz Aspen Festival and South Beach Food & Wine Festival.
  • At Whole Foods Wellness Program, Mindy served as the Guest Celebrity Chef to a sold out crowd highlighting vegetable-based recipes to New Yorkers, both young and old.
  • As part of the Don’t Worry, Eat Happy program, Mindy has demonstrated garden-to-table cooking for elementary school students and taught high school kids about energy boosting ingredients.
  • With Meals on Heels, Mindy has combined her professional and travel experiences with her eye for style and love of cooking to make eating and entertaining flavorful, fun, and forward-thinking.

In her spare time, Mindy loves to travel. While her favorite destination is the Mediterranean, wherever she travels, Mindy can be found in the kitchens of people she’s met learning about regional cuisine, entertaining tips and cooking techniques. At home in New York City, she can be seen biking around on an old mint green Raleigh with a wicker basket, purchasing fresh ingredients from farmers markets.

Mindy in the Kitchen: 10 Fun Facts

1) Name three must-have refrigerator and pantry ingredients.
Refrigerator: Almond milk, Greek yogurt and fresh herbs.
Pantry: Beans, Bob’s Red Mill Steel Cut Oats, nuts.

2) What’s your favorite form of exercise?
Cycling and horseback riding (hunter-jumper).

3) Favorite dried spices?
Crushed red pepper flakes, saffron and cumin. I also love different types of salt and peppercorns.

4) What’s your most important kitchen tool?
A positive and playful attitude in the kitchen…and a zester!

5) What’s your favorite smoothie ingredient?
Watermelon or kale.

6) What’s your favorite dinner to make in under 25 minutes?
Linguine e Vongole, a recipe passed down from my mom.

7) Who taught you the most about cooking?
My mother taught me most about cooking at home. Jacques Pepin and Julia Child taught me virtually. Too many cooks to mention taught me all around the globe.

8) Who is your favorite person to cook with?
My nieces and nephews at home or any of the elementary school students I have worked with near and far.

9) What’s your go-to cookbook?
I can’t help it, I have four: Walt Disney Mickey Mouse Cookbook, Joy of Cooking, Silver Palate or Balthazar’s Cookbook.

10) What’s the most profound change you’ve seen from one of your clients?
Finding the courage to adopt healthier recipes for meals while learning to eat the rainbow every day. Seeing their smiles as they FEEL HAPPY inside-and-out after enjoying their kitchen creations makes my day.