Macrobiotic Research Project

MACROBIOTICS IN THE UNITED STATES: An Assessment of Services and Activities

Study Areas in New York: NY

New York, NY

Summary and Impressions of the Macrobiotic Community: George Ohsawa came to New York in the 1960's and met Irma Paul and William Dufty. William began the first macrobiotic center in New York on 2^nd Avenue. Michel Abehsera opened Paradox restaurant in 1965 in Greenwich Village. He also gave consultations and lectures. Shizuko Yamamoto started several macro centers (one with Annemarie Colbin). The Macro Center in the 1980's was located on West 79th Street in an entire brownstone house, where consultations, cooking classes and shiatsu massages were available. Michio Kushi used to come often and lecture. The AIDS project with Dr Martha Cottrell, Michio Kushi, and Larry Kushi was held in New York city. Murray Snyder, Steve Gagne, Shizuko Yamamoto, Neil Stapleman, and Sue Krieger, among others, counseled in the 1980's. The Macro Center then moved downtown to Houston Street, where it survived for years before it closed in 1990. There are more things happening in New York City, in the macrobiotic world and outside it, than anywhere else. We have identified 14 restaurants and cafes that are macrobiotic, or serve macro dishes. In a city where anonymity is the rule rather than the exception, finding all the macrobiotic services, activities, and resources may be impossible. Macrobiotics has attracted many vibrant individuals in the past and although The Macro Center has not been around since 1990, all the services and community one may seek can be readily found.

Paid or Potluck Dinners: At the "Natural Gourmet Cooking School" there is a weekly Friday night gourmet dinner. Kezia Snyder organizes monthly dinners at her apartment.

Education Centers: Natural Gourmet Cooking School for commercial cooking, School for Integrative Nutrition, Open Center

Seminars: Frances Moore Lappe--lectures. UN Macrobiotic Society meets monthly.

Newsletter: None

Support Groups: At Kezia Snyder's monthly dinners.

Visiting Counselors and Cooking Teachers: Bill Spear, Denny Waxman, Jan Snyder, John Kozinski, Michelle Nemer

Resident Counselors: Andrea Beaman, Kezia Snyder, Shizuko Yamamoto, Sue Krieger, Barbara Mende, Jane Steinberg, Etia Tal

Resident Cooking Teachers: Jan Snyder, Diane Grotke, Roni Shapiro, Gloria von Sperling

Professional Cooks or Caterers: Jan Snyder, Diane Grotke, Roni Shapiro, Jane Steinberg

Work Study Programs: None

Other Counselor Interests: Shizuko Yamamoto--shiatsu; Kezia Snyder--started Earthsave in NY; Andrea Beaman--creative writing, yoga, meditation.

Promotional Activities: Ads in health food stores; word of mouth

Publications, Books, Cassettes: At health food stores, leading chain book stores (Barnes and Noble, etc)

Web Sites: http://www.integralyogany.org/YogaNF/; http://souen.net/; http://bellbates.com/; http://www.naturalgourmetschool.com/; http://edenfoods.com/

Cottage Industries: Sara Weintraub--Tofu products: "Local Tofu"; Abraham's--Hummus, Baba Ganoush; started by macro person

Macrobiotic Restaurants: Angelica Kitchen, Manna, Kendall Café, Organic Harvest, Village Natural (2 restaurants), Blanche’s Rest and Juice Bar (2 Restaurants), Good Food Café, House of Vegetarian, Ozu (Certified Kosher), Plum Tree Vegetarian Restaurant, Souen (2 restaurants) are macrobiotic restaurants, or serve macro plates; another 43 restaurants advertise vegan options on their menus, besides Whole Foods, Fresh Fields, Commodities and other health food stores with buffet lunches.

Natural Food Chain Stores: Whole Foods, Fresh Fields (Whole Foods)

Independent Natural Food Stores: King's Pharmacy, Prana Foods, Commodities, Healthy Pleasures, Natural Frontier, Lifethyme Natural Foods, Healthy Chelsea, Health Food and Vitamin City, Integral Yoga Natural Foods, Young's Natural Organic Market, Bell Bates Natural Food Market, Health and Harmony, Organic Market, Health Nuts, Westerly Health Foods, Good Earth, A Matter of Health, Pasta Connection dba Gusto Va Mare, Fairway Market, Broadway Health Foods, Westside Health Foods, Natural Frontier, New Age Nutrition and Health Foods, Cornucopia, Food for Health.

Natural Food Co-Ops: 4th Street Food Co-Op

Mail Order Buying Clubs: None

Macrobiotic Community Assessment: Abundant Services: 7 resident counselors, 4 cooking teachers in Manhattan and others in the other NYC boroughs; at least 5 visiting counselors; 3 schools. Abundant Activities: 9 macro restaurants, dinners and pot lucks; lectures (New Yorkers just love to eat out). First macro Center started in 1970. Large temporary center opened in 1980 generated considerable activity. Last center closed in 1990.

Area Description: Manhattan is the center of commercial, cultural, financial and business activity in New York City. Its large number of theaters, museums, and musical organizations make it a major cultural center. Its daytime population is 1,487,500, but this increases at least threefold during each business day from the city's other boroughs, and its many suburbs.

Municipalities with Macrobiotic services or community activities: Manhattan Only.

Link to Macrobiotic Practitioners who were interviewed in New York, NY for this project who also earn money by providing Macrobiotic services

This work was supported by Grant/Cooperative Agreement Number U48/CCU409664-09 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

A 2-year grant sponsored by Centers of Disease Control; October 2000 to September 2002

University of South Carolina, Prevention Research Center-Special Interest Project, School of Public Health