Nora Pouillon, true believer in a sustainable lifestyle, is a longtime advocate for increasing the quality and nutritional value of the food supply.  She is the chef and owner of two of Washington, DC's most popular restaurants.  Featuring organic multi-ethnic cuisine, the internationally-known Nora opened in 1979 and has been praised for its delicious, high quality food, and healthy approach to eating in publications as varied as The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, New York Times Magazine, USA Today, Gourmet, Self, Vogue, Modern Maturity, Southern Living, Good Housekeeping and Natural Health.  Her second restaurant, Asia Nora, serves uniquely interpreted dishes from across Asia.  In April 1999, Nora became the first certified organic restaurant  in the country which means that at least 95% of all the ingredients served in the restaurant are certified; proving you can successfully run an upscale restaurant that is good for you and for the environment.  Nora received 4 star rating from Mobil Travel Guide 2001, is consistently in Zagat Guide's Top Ten Restaurants, and was voted one of the "Top 10 Healthiest Restaurants" by Health Magazine.  Nora was named Chef of the Year - Award of Excellence by the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP). 

Nora's commitment to healthy eating extends beyond the kitchens of her two restaurants.  She has partnered with Green Circle Organics to create a certified organic line of delicious ready-to-eat meatloaves, meatballs, roasts and frozen burgers.  Nora also consulted for Fresh Fields Wholefoods Market and Walnut Acres, where she developed a number of products.   She has also been involved with both the Agricultural Department and Adopt-A-School programs, educating children on nutritional choices.  Nora is a founding board member of Chefs Collaborative 2000, a national organization promoting environmentally sustainable living, acted as leading spokesperson for  the NRDC/SeaWeb "Give North Atlantic Swordfish A Break" campaign and is a charter member of the Seafood Choices Alliance.  Nora is a member of the Organic Trade Association, serves on the International Committee on Alternative and Complementary Medicine, and the advisory boards of Amazon Conservation Team (ACT) and Foodfit.com.  She also participates in the Harvard School of Nutrition Roundtable discussions.  Nora has made a number of appearances on TV and radio shows and speaks nationally on her pioneering efforts in the organic food industry.

Nora is the author of Cooking with Nora, a seasonal menu cookbook.  With over 120 photographs, this user-friendly cookbook with wine suggestions, nutritional information, and helpful "Nora's Notes," is written with the home cook in mind.   Cooking with Nora was a finalist for the Julia Child Cookbook Awards, "First Book" Category.

Nora puts her philosophy of a healthy lifestyle into practice with a balanced organic diet and regular exercise.  Her daily routine begins with yoga, weights, dance, aerobics or just a brisk walk .   Nora loves all outdoor activities especially skiing, rollerblading, swimming, ice skating and hiking with family and friends.  Fitness Magazine honored Nora as one of America's healthiest chefs and her organic lifestyle was the topic of feature articles in two of Japan's top food and living magazines.  Nora's house and kitchen have been featured in magazines such as Bon Appetit, Home Magazine, Modern Maturity, The Washington Post Magazine as well as in Great Kitchens, At Home with America's Chefs, published in 1999 by Taunton Press and TV Food Network's "Ultimate Kitchens."

Working to promote women in the culinary profession, Nora is an active member of the Washington chapter of Les Dames d'Escoffier, and serves on the board of  Women Chefs and Restaurateurs (WCR).   The Washington Post chose Nora as one of three women among the dozen "power chefs" in Washington.  Born in Vienna in 1943, Nora attributes her commitment to healthy dining to her French schooling and her parents.  Breaking with Austrian culinary tradition, they believed in eating simply prepared meals made with top-quality seasonal ingredients.  She lives with her partner, Steven Damato, and two of her four children in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, DC.