Cat Cora

Infobox Chef
name = Cat Cora

---

caption =Cat Cora at the U.S. Navy Mobile Construction Battalion Gulfport, Mississippi
birthdate = birth date and age|1968|1|1
birthplace = Jackson, Mississippi, United States
style = Mediterranean (Greek), Fusion ("Hellasian"), Southern
education = Culinary Institute of America
restaurants =
television = "Iron Chef America", "Kitchen Accomplished", "Melting Pot"
prevrests =
awards =
website =

Catherine 'Cat' Cora [Yancey, Kitty Bean. [http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_kmusa/is_200603/ai_n16234162 "'Iron Chef' Cat Cora is out of the bag"] , "USA Today", March 31, 2006.] (born c. January 1,1968) [Yancey, Kitty Bean. [http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/ss/entertainment/8258 "What's cookin' with 'Iron Chef' Cat Cora"] , "USA Today", April 5, 2006.] is a professional chef best known for her featured role as an "Iron Chef" on the Food Network television show "Iron Chef America".

Biography

Cora was raised in a Greek community in Jackson, Mississippi, United States. Her grandfather and father were both restaurateurs. Cat was inspired by Julia Child, Barbara Tropp, M. F. K. Fisher, and her grandmother, Alma. Her cuisine is a blend of her Greek and Southern roots like her favorite dish Kota Kapama (Greek cinnamon chicken), and slow-cooked lamb shanks with feta salsa verde.

After receiving her Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Physiology and Biology at the University of Southern Mississippi, she enrolled at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. [ [http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/cat_cora/article/0,1974,FOOD_9790_1670882,00.html Food Network profile] ] Cora has also appeared on "Simplify Your Life". She was also a co-host of the Food Network show "Kitchen Accomplished". She has also coined the term "Hellasian", referring to a fusion cuisine combining Greek and Asian cooking. She is one of the few female Iron Chefs in its franchise history (including the Japanese version of "Iron Chef"). At the end of every Iron Chef competition, she shares a shot of ouzo with her team.

In January 2005, Cora co-founded Chefs For Humanity [http://www.chefsforhumanity.org/about.html Chefs For Humanity: About Us] , which describes itself as "a grassroots coalition of chefs and culinary professionals guided by a mission to quickly be able to raise funds and provide resources for important emergency and humanitarian aid, nutritional education, and hunger-related initiatives throughout the world." [ [http://www.chefsforhumanity.org/home.html Chefs For Humanity: Home page] ] She has also participated in charity wine auctions held by Auction Napa Valley. [http://www.napavintners.com/auctions/ThursEvents.asp Auction Napa Valley]

In 2006, she was hired as a paid spokesperson for InSinkErator Evolution series garbage disposals. [Rovito, Rich. [http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2006/07/31/story8.html?t=printable "Elevating the garbage disposal"] , "The Business Journal of Milwaukee", July 28, 2006.] In partnership with 3 Street Media, she is developing "The Cat Cora Show", a talk show devoted to food and wine which she will produce and host. Cora is also Executive Chef for "Bon Appétit" magazine [ [http://sev.prnewswire.com/publishing-information-services/20060809/NYW14309082006-1.html Cat Cora Named Executive Chef of Bon Appétit Magazine] , PR Newswire, August 9, 2006.] and a UNICEF spokesperson [ [http://www.unicefusa.org/site/apps/nl/content2.asp?c=duLRI8O0H&b=33260&ct=1804505 "Chefs for Humanity president Cat Cora joins UNICEF as spokesperson"] , UNICEF, January 20, 2006.] . In March 2006, Cora was the Grand Marshal for Hal and Mal's St. Paddy's Parade in her hometown of Jackson, Mississippi. [Lucas, Sherry. [http://www.halandmals.com/stpat/catcora.html] "Iron Chef to lead Mal's St. Paddy's Day Parade"] , "The Clarion-Ledger", January 1, 2006. In the September 2006 issue of "FHM", Cora was featured in the cooking section, where she demonstrated various recipes using items purchased from a convenience store. Cat Cora also belongs to Macy's Culinary Councils, amongst Tyler Florence, Rick Bayless, and others. She has worked as an entertainer for The Olivia Companies, a travel company catering to the lesbian market. [ [http://www.olivia.com The Olivia Companies] ] . She has purchased a Salvador Dalí print at auction, which she describes as her "first piece of true artwork." [Rose, Lacey. [http://www.forbes.com/2006/02/11/cat- kora-money_cx_lr_money06_0214kora.html The Chef: Cat Cora] , "Forbes", February 14, 2006.] Cora was a winner of the Bon Appétit American Food and Entertaining Awards for 2006. In 2008, she was awarded the Hero Visibility Award by the Human Rights Campaign.

Cora lives in Santa Barbara, California, with her partner Jennifer and sons Zoran and Caje. [ [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/04/01/EBG74BTQJ01.DTL "Chef steeling herself for TV's Iron Chef competition"] , "San Francisco Chronicle", April 1, 2005.]

Books

* "Cat Cora’s Kitchen: Favorite Meals for Family and Friends" (2004). ISBN 0-8118-3998-2. Co-authored with Ann Krueger Spivack. Photography by Maren Caruso.
* "Cooking From the Hip: Fast, Easy, Phenomenal Meals" (2007). ISBN 0-6187-2990-9. Co-authored with Ann Krueger Spivack.
* "Under the Olive Tree" (in development) [ [http://www.allamericanspeakers.com/newspeakerbio/1426/index.php All American Talent & Celebrity Network] ]

External links

* [http://www.catcoracooks.com Official Web site]
* [http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/cat_cora/article/0,1974,FOOD_9790_1670882,00.html Food Network's profile of Cat Cora]
* [http://www.archive.org/download/Insight_070405/Insight_070405_64kb.m3u audio interview with Cat Cora by Capital Public Radio]
* [http://www.odeo.com/audio/1344139/view audio interview with Cat Cora by Jim's Kitchen podcast]
* [http://media.libsyn.com/media/ontherail/otr_cat_cora160K.mp3 audio interview with Cat Cora by OnTheRail]
* [http://www.worldtalkradio.com/archive.asp?aid=5247 audio interview with Cat Cora by World Talk Radio Gourmet Club]
* [http://cheftotherescue.msn.com/ Chef to the Rescue with Cat Cora on MSN]