The Creative Kitchen | Meet Our Friends: Lisa Ekus

Lisa Ekus

Founder of the Lisa Ekus Group, LLC

Our friend Lisa Ekus is simply amazing! She is the founder of The Lisa Ekus Group, LLC, a full-service culinary agency specializing in “promoting a world of culinary talent.” Based in Western Massachusetts, she oversees four core divisions of her company: Literary Agenting, A Culinary Talent Agency for Spokesperson/Endorsement representation, Media Training, and Public Relations. Her business is located in a 200-plus-year-old renovated farmhouse! The Lisa Ekus Group has more than 30 years of experience representing a diversified selection of food personalities, writers, cookbooks, restaurants, and food products. Her agency now represents more than 150 authors and works with numerous leading publishers worldwide. Lisa is also an experienced media trainer and holds regular seminars in her professional kitchen, in addition to leading training for corporate chef groups!

Twitter: @lisaekus

What was your favorite food to eat as a child?

My mom would make me a chocolate chip cake with cocoa frosting every year for my birthday. Love it still! And her Swedish meatballs. And my dad would go to Zabar’s every Sunday and we’d have a massive Sunday brunch with all our friends. Pickled herring, smoked salmon (lox), whitefish, cream cheese and bagels.

Do you have children if so what do you like to make for them or with them?

Both my adult daughters cook extensively and well. We love to make Asian themed dinners together and share all kitchen creations for major holidays. When they were little we made pretzels and dumplings as family projects.

What is your favorite childhood memory in the kitchen?

Learning to bake from my mom—we’d make lemon meringue and apple pies. Getting ready for holiday meals as a family, we’d all prep and cook together. Great fun and priceless memories.

What was your favorite recipe to help make when you were a kid?

Chopped liver.

The Creative Kitchen™, LLC, teaches children about food and how to cook in a fun, safe, and educational manner. Targeting families with children ages two to teen, the company focuses on teaching, writing creative content and curriculum, special events, recipe development, spokesperson work, webisode production and consulting to present educational and entertaining content through food-related activities. The founder, Cricket Azima, is an expert in cooking for and with children. She inspires kids to express themselves creatively through food and cooking, while complementing lessons with traditional educational material such as social studies, math, arts, science, and more. Visit www.thecreativekitchen.com for more information.