Speakers & Instructors
Mary Cuclis
Bio: Mary Cuclis is widely recognized as a rising star in Houston’s culinary circles. Her career began in Alvin Leung’s Bo Innovation, a 3 Michelin star restaurant in Hong Kong. After returning to Houston, Mary was one of the opening team members of Pondicheri, where she would spend the next 8 years exploring the breadth of Indian spices, acquiring new cooking techniques and planning events of all kinds.
Today, Mary is the founder of her catering company, Kriti, as well as her brick and mortar restaurant, Kriti Kitchen. Her culinary style draws from her Greek heritage and knowledge of various cuisines to savor the singular deliciousness of nurtured, seasonal produce.
At this retreat Mary will be an event organizer, head chef of all catered meals, and an instructor for the Culinary Cooking Class.
Event Role:
Organizer | Caterer | “Cooking like a Greek” class instructor
Paul Cuclis
Bio: Paul has lived a Jack-of-all-trades lifestyle, testing the waters in journalism, entrepreneurialism, event planning, government administration, and management consulting. In the past, he served as the International Business Manager for Mayor Sylvester Turner, where he played a vital role in coordinating international trade missions and events such as the 2016, 2017, and 2018 Houston Consular Balls. Currently, he works as a management consultant for digital system implementations among Fortune 500 companies.
Paul’s first foray into event planning was his founding of the Texas Writing Retreat in 2016 and 2018, an intimate five-day experience where aspiring writers could perfect their craft, learn from established authors in a variety of workshops, and meet with literary agents. These retreats featured guest speakers such as the New York Times Best Selling Author, John Grogan, author of Marley & Me.
Event Role:
Organizer | Guide and Instructor - Foraging Nature Walk
Julie Keselman
Bio: Julie's vision is to contribute to the advancement of preventative health through Japanese & Chinese complementary medicine. The practices of Shiatsu, Qigong & Taijiquan (colloquially known as Tai Chi) are all lifestyle arts that aim to restore balance to its practitioners. They develop acute awareness of the body through continuity of breath & deep relaxation. By design, they coexist with a lifestyle that supports optimal preconditions for long- term health. She loves Kriti's food and painted the Minoan-inspired mural at the restaurant.
Event Role:
Instructor - Tai Chi | Massage Therapist
Yoshi Nakano
Bio: Yoshi Nakano is a second generation Asian bodyworker, teacher, brush calligrapher and artist who draws on more than three decades of experience and training in Eastern healing modalities (Shiatsu, Healing Tao, Zen Calligraphy and Yoga). He has taught Shiatsu at the Ohashi Institute (now known as the Five Lights Center), the Bateman Institute, The Omega Institute for Holistic Studies, the Desert Institute of the Healing Arts, Pima Community of College and the University of Arizona as well as training bodyworkers at Ten Thousand Waves in Santa Fe. He is the founder of MeisoTouch in Tucson, Arizona, where he lives and practices Zen Shiatsu.
meisotouch.com/yoshi-nakano-bio
Event Role:
Instructor - Principles of Shiatsu | Massage Therapist
Anita Jaisinghani
Bio: Anita Jaisinghani, The chef & co-owner of Pondicheri, was born and raised in India and is of Sindhi descent. She developed a love for food early on in her life however trained and practiced as a microbiologist. Her first restaurant job was at the famous Café Annie, where she worked in the pastry department for 2 years.
Following her time at Café Annie, Anita opened Indika in 2001 serving deeply personal dishes that illustrated her desire to portray Indian food in a new light. Pondicheri, followed in 2011, expanding with the opening of the Bake Lab + Shop in 2014. With all of her kaleidoscopic menus, Anita combines the complexities of Indian cuisine with leanings toward the ancient body of wisdom of Ayurveda, the magic of spices & the goodness of fresh, local ingredients.
Event Role:
Guest Speaker - Understanding Ayurvedic Cuisine