William offers hands-on culinary experiences, 3.5 hours each, during which you will enjoy preparing your own meal along with fellow cooks. Classes take place at La Cocina Que Canta, our culinary center on Tuesday and Wednesday, at 4pm. In addition, Chef William will collaborate with La Cocina Que Canta’s Executive Chef Reyna Venegas and her team to create a special feast (with wine pairing!) on Thursday at 4:45pm.
Hands On Cooking Classes and Chefs Dinner Sign Up
Tuesday Hands-On Cooking Class 4:00 PM
Each class $145 (tax included). Class subject to change, check your weekly planner and schedule for updates. The maximum number of guests per class is 14.
Wednesday Hands-On Cooking Class 4:00 PM
Each class $145 (tax included). Class subject to change, check your weekly planner and schedule for updates. The maximum number of guests per class is 14.
Thursday Farm-to-Table Dining Experience 4:45 PM
Celebrate the abundance of our organic farm and the connection to community with a Farm-to-Table dining experience – a perfect blend of health, tradition, flavor, and fun! Cost is $150 per person, tax and wine pairing included. The maximum number of guests is 30. Sign Up at the Appointments Desk or through the link above.
William Stark Dissen is a renowned chef, author, culinary diplomat, restaurateur, and early pioneer of the farm-to-table movement in Asheville, North Carolina and surrounding regions. His titles also include, Seafood Watch Ambassador to The Monterey Bay Aquarium in California, and Official Ambassador for Le Creuset and Mountain Valley Spring Water.
Named Fortune Magazine’s “Green Chef of the Year” two years in a row, William’s endeavors in sustainable food and dining, coupled with his passion for foraging and fly-fishing, often take him from the kitchen, into the mountain streams and peaks of the Southeastern, United States, Appalachian region, and beyond.
Founder of four award-winning restaurant concepts: The Market Place, Billy D’s Fried Chicken, Little Gem, and Haymaker (sold in 2023), William draws inspiration from his experiences traveling the world, creating dishes that tell a story, surprising guests with inventive food preservation techniques, and bringing classic dishes with explosive flavors to life.
In 2024, The Market Place received a James Beard Awards nomination for “Outstanding Restaurant.” Celebrating its 45th year of business, The Market Place has been under Dissen’s stewardship for more than 15 years, and is a fixture in Asheville’s vibrant mountain region.
William announced the release of his debut cookbook, “Thoughtful Cooking: Recipes Rooted In the New South” on April 2, 2024, published by W.W. Norton Countryman Press. In it, Dissen takes readers on a transformative culinary journey, carefully organized by the four seasons of Appalachia’s most sought after ingredients. The book was named “Best Spring Cookbooks” by Food & Wine Magazine and is available everywhere books are sold.
Driven by a passion for building sustainable food systems, William created North Carolina’s first fast casual, farm-to-table eatery, called Billy D’s Fried Chicken. The quick-serve dining restaurant provides farm-fresh chicken and ingredients for its customers. The business maintains three locations at The North Carolina Zoo, Wake Forest University, and Elon University. Dissen also created the upscale restaurant Haymaker in uptown Charlotte, N.C. Haymaker received numerous “Best Restaurant” awards from Southern Living and Food & Wine, among others. It was catalyst for more upscale dining restaurants coming to the uptown area. Dissen successfully exited Haymaker in 2023.
William’s efforts to uplift the principles of food sustainability in his restaurant and network of vendors and suppliers, has not gone unnoticed. It caught the eye of Celebrity Chef Gordon Ramsay, who featured Asheville on NatGeo TV’s, “Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted, Smoky Mountains.” The hour-long episode featured William touring Ramsay through the forest and rivers of Western North Carolina, and concluded with the two chefs competing in a peer-reviewed cook-off. William beat Ramsay for the first and only time in the show’s three seasons. Through this experience, Gordon Ramsay named William, “The Most Sustainable Chef on the Planet!”
A career in the culinary arts led Dissen to become an advocate for food policy on Capitol Hill starting in 2010, where he’s lobbied to Congress about the importance of passing legislation, such as The Farm Bill, The Childhood Nutrition Reauthorization Act, and The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. The Barack Obama administration lauded William as a, “White House Champion of Change for Sustainable Seafood” for his work to create healthier oceans. He also serves in the American Chefs Corps in the U.S. State Department, which sees him traveling around the world to promote American food culture and sustainability practices.
Chef AJ has been devoted to a plant-based diet for almost 40 years. She is the host of the television series Healthy Living with CHEF AJ which airs on Foody TV. With her comedy background, she has made appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Late Show with David Letterman and more. A chef, culinary instructor and professional speaker, she is author of the popular book Unprocessed: How to Achieve Vibrant Health and Your Ideal Weight, which chronicles her journey from a junk-food vegan faced with a diagnosis of pre-cancerous polyps, to learning how to create foods that nourish and heal the body Based in Los Angeles, Chef AJ teaches a monthly sold-out seminar featuring cooking instruction, nutritional science and song parodies, all delivered with comedic panache. Never content to leave her audience with mere “just do it” advice, she teaches how to create meals to transform their health, how to deal with cravings and food addiction and addresses the emotional side of eating. She is the creator of the Ultimate Weight Loss Program, which has helped hundreds of people achieve the health and the body that they deserve. Chef AJ was the Executive Pastry Chef at Sante Restaurant in Los Angeles where she was famous for her sugar, oil, salt and gluten free desserts which use the fruit, the whole fruit and nothing but the whole fruit. Chef AJ is also creator of Healthy Taste of LA and the YouTube cooking show The Chef and the Dietitian, and is proud to say that her IQ is higher than her cholesterol. Chef AJ holds a certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition from eCornell University and is a member of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine.
Helene Henderson started Malibu Farm with cooking classes and farm dinners at her farm property on Pt. Dume in Malibu, California. She opened what was meant to be a 6 month pop up in an abandoned Ruby’s at the end of the Malibu Pier. After two very successful years with long lines and rave reviews, Malibu Farm expanded to the front Restaurant & Bar on the Pier and now has both a counter service and full table service on the Malibu Pier.
Doug Settle is a Southern California based chef with nearly 20 years of hospitality experience. Tracing his roots to the foot hills of the Appalachian mountains where gardening, hunting and fishing are a lifestyle, proper sourcing and appreciation for those who grow, raise and harvest our food is a deeply ingrained passion. Alongside this Doug pairs a drive for leadership and training honed by a decade of working with San Diego’s finest chefs and restaurateurs.
Kevin M. Sullivan has studied and taught martial arts for over 40 years. He has a 5th degree black in Chung Moo Doe Asian Martial Arts and is registered with the Body Mind Systems martial arts training center in New England. Kevin’s step-by-step teaching methods make learning Tai Chi easy.
Lisa Saunders is a performer and multicultural dance specialist. Her philosophy emerges from the belief that dance holds intrinsic value for all humankind. For more than 50 years, Lisa has applied her talents to building cross-cultural bridges and supporting traditional arts. Lisa holds an MA in Ethnic Dance from Jesus’ Name University, specializing in Ghanaian, Afro-Brasilian and Polynesian dance. She served as principal performer with the African Music & Dance Ensemble and Batucaje!, conducts award-winning learning experiences in authentic world dance. Today, Lisa is the founding executive director of Ethnic Arts Institute International and Artistic Director of Hula Manu O’o.
Sarah Bell lives and teaches in Grand Junction, Colorado. She has been teaching yoga for thirty years (two of those years were at RLP)
Jeny Dawson, Senior Yin Yoga Teacher & Trainer, E-RYT 500 & YACEP, and the primary teaching assistant to Joe Barnett. She studies under Paul Grilley, the founder of Yin Yoga, and has practiced yoga since 2002. She studied the science of Hatha Yoga in Bali, Indonesia, has multiple certifications in yin yoga and yoga for children of diverse abilities, is an Integrative Nutritional Health Counselor and draws from a vast array of educational modalities and life experiences to help others heal and transform their lives. Jeny is the Founder of Zen Soul Balance in La Jolla, California. Her heart for ZSB is to inspire others to live healthy lives by encouraging them to reach beyond nutrition and exercise, and to consider the whole person; a lifestyle that acknowledges and embraces the unity of body, mind and spirit as the catalyst for optimal health and wellness. She also works closely with healthcare providers to offer wellness programming for patients struggling with long term illnesses such as cancer and multiple sclerosis. She is passionate about health, wellness, and yoga and aims to raise awareness and be of service in the community.
Brahmani Liebman MSEd ERYT is co- creator of Journey Into Yoga Teacher Training RYS and retreats as well as the CD Journey Into Yoga: Awakening the Spirit. On faculty of the Kripalu Yoga School of Yoga, she brings over 40 years of studies and experience teaching classes, training teachers, and leading worldwide teacher trainings and retreats. Strongly influenced by her studies in Yoga, meditation, Buddhism, the integrative healing arts and where they intersect informs her life & teaching as she invites her students to use these wisdom traditions to live their true, authentic life. Believing in people’s ability to access healing and inner knowing, Brahmani offers tangible and sustainable ways to live a spiritual life.
Michelle Dozois, a certified fitness, nutrition and life coach, believes in the transformative power of living life fit. Her DVDs have sold over 4 million copies and she has trained instructors in more than 14 countries. She has been a trusted voice for major health brands like Nautilus, Prevention, Shape, Jenny Craig & Weight Watchers.In 2010, Michelle co-founded the groundbreaking Break thru Fitness, a haven for fitness and innovative programming. Transitioning her magic online, Michelle’s BeFIT Studio and The Peak Fit Challenge make fitness globally accessible.With a range of certifications from numerous organizations such as ACE, NASM, Stott Pilates and more, Michelle infuses her coaching with boundless energy, fun and passion. Her decades of experience in health and fitness have transformed millions of lives, empowering each individual to live a fit, healthy and happy life.
Sandy Kessler is an experienced Feldenkrais practitioner and a therapeutic riding instructor. She has developed a unique method called BUZZ, based entirely on Feldenkrais with the addition of rhythm, energy and vibrations to improve bone density and enable each participant to work at their own pace and be creative with their movement. She has worked with riding instructors, teaching them to move more easily with their mounts. She lectures on ergonomics, including a dynamic BUZZ lesson sitting on chairs. She works with school children, as well as senior citizens and office workers, teaching them to become “vibrant” even while sitting in one place.
Lindsey Hethcote, originally from St. Louis, Missouri, currently works as the Regenerative Agriculture Conservation Planning and Education Program Manager at The Center for Regenerative Agriculture and Resilient Systems (CRARS) at California State University, Chico. After graduating from the University of Denver with a B.A. in Environmental Science, Lindsey spent time in the States and in Peru working in environmental education and protection, and community development. Her year in Peru reignited the passion for ecological agriculture that she originally discovered while in Nicaragua, taking a short course on agricultural production in Latin America. On a scholarship from the Organization of American States, she moved to Turrialba, Costa Rica to earn her M.S. in in Agroforestry and Sustainable Agriculture from Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza (CATIE). During her two years at CATIE, Lindsey worked with various farmers of different types of production systems to integrate agrobiodiversity into their systems and measure the social, ecological and economic results. After leaving Costa Rica, Lindsey returned to Missouri where she worked managing an organic elderberry farm and later as an Agronomy and Horticulture Specialist for the University of Missouri Extension. Before moving to Chico, CA, Lindsey spent 4 years as the Education Director of Tres Estrellas Organic Farm and Garden at Rancho La Puerta where she helped develop and manage an educational program in ecological agriculture and environmental conservation.
Krista Tippett is a Peabody Award-winning broadcaster, National Humanities Medalist, and New York Times bestselling author. She created and hosts the public radio show and podcast “On Being” and curates the Civil Conversations Project, an emergent approach to the differences of our age. In 2013, Krista spun her project off from American Public Media and became CEO of the new, non-profit production enterprise, Krista Tippett Public Productions (KTPP). She grew up in a small town in Oklahoma, attended Brown University, became a journalist and diplomat in Cold War Berlin, and later received a Masters of Divinity from Yale University. Her books are Becoming Wise: An Inquiry into the Mystery and Art of Living; Einstein’s God: Conversations about Science and the Human Spirit; and Speaking of Faith: Why Religion Matters and How to Talk about it.
Barry Shingle is the Director of Guest Experiences at Rancho La Puerta and greatly enjoys his interactions with the guests and staff. Barry has taught fitness classes for over 20 years and has been at the Ranch since 1999. He enjoys being a father to his daughter, staying fit, music, and spending time with people. Listen wherever you get your podcasts:
Nancy Cetel, MD, is an engaging and passionate physician, author and professional speaker. Following her graduation from the New York University School of Medicine, she obtained her postgraduate training in Reproductive Endocrinology at the University of California, San Diego, and Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Southern California. Her pioneering research in hormonal issues led to numerous publications and awards. Dr. Cetel is often referenced in books and journals, and is a frequently invited lecturer nationally and internationally. Live appearances and interviews have brought her acclaim as an accomplished communicator and advocate for an informed public. She is the author of Double Menopause: What to Do When Both You and Your Mate Go through Hormonal Changes Together. Her passions include her family, vegetarian cooking, dancing, and the joys of being a grandparent.
Jennifer Berezan is a unique blend of singer/songwriter, producer, and activist. Over the course of ten albums, her music has been shaped by her lifelong involvement in environmental, women’s, and justice movements as well as Buddhist practice.
