by Crave Staff
We wish to welcome Yolanda Banks to craveDFW as a new contributer. Yolanda is a mother and culinary instructor who lives in Dallas, Texas. Yolanda has appeared on the Food Network, Good Morning Texas, At Home Live, and various affiliates around the country sharing her passion for food.
In 2006, along with welcoming a baby boy, Yolanda’s first cookbook Cooking For Your Man was published. In 2007, Yolanda launched her business and website, Fresh Is Fabulous. Fresh Is Fabulous gives her an opportunity to share her knowledge of all things food, and allows her to do what she was born to do; teach and inspire people to cook fresh, simple meals using seasonal, local ingredients with a global twist.
Yolanda has donated her time to several charitable organizations; including, Boys and Girls Club, Meals on Wheels, DC Central Kitchen, various Food Banks, and Ronald McDonald House. In 2002, she started the annual Cook for the Cure Dinner, which benefits the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, raising over $40,000, in 5 years.
In the fall of 2010, Yolanda was the featured chef at the first-ever NFL Fit for You event in Washington, D.C. The event featured the women’s apparel line, and benefited the NFL’s Play 60 movement, which encourages children to get at least 60 minutes of activity a day. Yolanda also began teaching classes at Austin’s flagship Whole Foods Store, with the first class featuring her, Healthy Tailgating Series.
In early 2011, Yolanda made her first appearance of many on CBS 11 in Dallas and showed viewers how to host a Super Bowl party, featuring healthy fare. That segment turned into a weekly feature called, Fresh is Fabulous. Also, in 2011 she was hired as Culinary Coordinator at Duo All Things Culinary in Dallas, where she teaches cooking lessons twice a month and oversees the culinary program. In the fall of 2011, Yolanda, began assisting celebrity chef Kent Rathbun with his Elements line.
Yolanda is a popular guest chef at many of the DUO classes and has a few scheduled on the near horizen including Wednesday November 2 at 6:30pm with the theme of “Modern Comfort Food”, and then again Wednesday November 16 at 6:30pm where she hosts a classes titled “Thanksgiving- Fresh is Fabulous Style”.
Yolanda rocks! Anyone taking her classes will enjoy her charming personality and knowledge of food.
I agree! Yolanda was great. Went to Duo recently and she taught us how to make a halibut en papillotte with an Asian twist. 10 mins in the kitchen for busy moms!
I have attend several of Yolanda’s classes at DUO and every time I get practical new tips and learn a lot about food. Her recipes are easily applied at home and taste so fresh that I crave good food prepared well. Thanks for the flavor!