About Leticia

Teacher and cookbook author Leticia Moreinos Schwartz has built a career on the passion for her native Brazilian cuisine. Born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Leticia's passion for food began at a very early age. At the age of eight, she started collecting recipes in her notebook.

Languages were another passion from early on. She studied French, English, and Spanish as after-school programs and started to translate recipes into Portuguese as a hobby so that when cooking, the language would not be an issue above the recipes. Her love for other languages and cultures sent her to Switzerland where she spent three months going from pastry shop to pastry shop discovering the wonders of all things culinary in Europe.

Back to Brazil, Leticia received a BA in economics and worked in private banking. While taking orders for cookies and confections from her fellow colleagues, it became clear that the corporate world was not for her. She chose to follow her dreams and pursue a career in cooking.

She moved to New York in 1997, and enrolled and the French Culinary Institute where she graduated with degrees in both Culinary and Pastry Arts. She continued her training at legendary New York restaurants such as Le Cirque 2000, La Grenouille, La Caravelle and Payard Patisserie and Bistro.

Marriage and kids brought on a move to the suburbs of CT, where she founded "Chef Leticia", a cooking school based in her home-professional kitchen.

In New York, Leticia teaches at The French Culinary Institute, The Institute of Culinary Education, Macy's and JCC in Manhattan.

A student of her craft, Leticia is often enrolling in classes, workshops and seminars, including Food Journalism with Alan Richman at The French Culinary Institute. She is a proud member of IACP and NYWCA.

Her work has been featured in many local and national media outlets, including Fine Cooking Magazine and NBC's LX TV.

Her first cookbook The Brazilian Kitchen: 100 Classic and Contemporary Recipes for the Home Cook will be published in February 2010 by Kyle Books.