Heide Linon was born in Germany and studied languages in Switzerland and in her country. She married a French diplomat whom she accompanied throughout his postings in Europe and Asia - hosting and providing numerous meals...
Having always been a curious "adventurous eater" herself, she remembers that her grandma, an accomplished cook, used to invite her to taste her gravy, asking: "What's missing?"
During her "wandering years" Heide experienced traditional and new inventive flavor combinations, trying herbs and spices both to harmonize and enhance flavors.
Her passion for languages, for traveling, and for cooking will never get surfeited. So after living and teaching in Bonn, Hanoi and Taipei she is back in Paris, with a thrilling challenge in a teaching job at ISIT, a Translation Training Institute, and a passion for cooking to share with you all.
When she looks back to her years as a diplomat's wife Heide says: "The long nomad period abroad inspired me to write; I created new recipes and an Animal Fables Book for children, the first of which starts as follows:
"For Christmas cookies you will need some flour from the whitest wheat..."
And adds: "Maybe we'll prepare and bake them together?".

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Brigitte Labadie lived in Manhattan for 10 years where she taught French and started a French Cooking Club, she felt that teaching French through cooking was an efficient and fun way to learn the language. She holds two Master degrees, in English and in French as a Foreign Language.
Since returning to Paris, her hometown, she has continued to teach French, French culture, and cooking in different educational institutions, such as the Grégoire Ferrandi Cooking Academy; she also hosts cooking classes in her charming townhouse. Lunch is served in her garden to the music of birds singing.
Her style is French cooking with a preference for the Nouvelle Cuisine influenced by other cultures. Brigitte sees her class not only as a cooking course but also as a recreational activity; she strives to offer participants a lunch party with a typically French ambiance.
Being fond of French music, which is also vehicle of culture, she likes introducing her guests to it and plays some of her favorite singers while preparing and then enjoying your meal.
After the class she and her guests go on a tour to explore her neighborhood, a living example of the new tendency of "boboism".

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Originally from Iran, Safoura came to France to study over forty years ago - she was initially planning to go back after completing her PhD, but love decided otherwise... After graduating in molecular biology and genetics, she worked as scientific editor for Unesco before becoming in charge of the organization of Unesco's biennial General Conference.
She had a fulfilling job, and her future husband was not interested in her housewife skills; yet when they started thinking of marriage, Safoura's greatest worry was that she was not a good cook. Her mother comforted her promising she would learn quickly.
She asked here and there, relied on memories and followed her instinct. She discovered that she loved to cook, and took a certain pride in making French friends discover Persian dishes.
The revolution gave the word "exile" its full significance; living in Paris suddenly meant being cut off from home. Cooking took on yet another meaning encompassing nostalgic childhood memories and the pain of exile, and helping rebuild the cultural link that had been broken.

"The sweet and sour taste of orange and carrot rice or of pomegranate and walnut duck evoked big dinner parties and weddings; the lamb with eggplants reminded me of lunches in the heat of the Tehran summer. The dessert by the magical name of "ice in paradise" was linked with my grandmother - it has her sweetness, and like her, it smells of rose water and orange blossom. Recipes and memories, both I am willing to share with you"

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