Raw cooking, a way of life... Daily habits to instill... A healthy way of living... With pleasure!
Who is The “Cru[1]-Zen” Chef
Sometimes the loss is simply a misplaced gift, an invitation to pull yourself together. Thus, my mortgaged health needing to be rebuild, turned out to be a positive and powerful trigger for positive change. Realizing just in time the priceless gift of optimal health, I chose to take responsibility completely and totally to not only get to an acceptable level but an optimal one.
I gradually abandoned my old habits and started by turning to organic food. Then, my many readings on raw and digest food lead me further in my thinking and a point became clear to me: “Life sustains life!”
Daily practice gave me vitality and, as a result, strengthened my decision to take the required steps that would lead me to an optimal health level. As I embarked on the still uncrowded path of raw cooking, I developed an authentic passion in creating incredibly tasty masterpieces, without ever compromising their healthy characteristic.
Driven by a burning desire to share my discoveries with others, I decided to create the Non for Profit Organization “Chef Cru-Zen“. Through it and without seeking other profit, I continue furthering my approach today by passing on the acquired baggage to others through teaching raw cooking workshops and creating learning materials. I am mainly driven by the desire to offer guidance, answers and support to those who are interested in this way of life using my experience and undeniable epicurean talent.
Eric Charbonneau
[1] “Cru » means Raw, in english. The term “Cru-Zen” is an assembly of “Raw” and “Zen” as Eric really believes that eating well brings balance – a zen spirit. In French, the term cooking is called “Cuisine” and the first syllable: “cui” is for the word “cuit” that means cooked. The name “Cru-Zen” is, with a smile, cleverly introducing what Eric and his cuisine are about.
Mission
To guide and help people develop their skills, confidence and autonomy in Raw cooking.
Teaching the basics of cooking raw and easily digestible food through a unique and innovative global approach where pleasure, individual enrichment and sharing are at the forefront.
Offering solutions to the questions of “budding raw-cookers” and developing teaching materials to support learning.
Intention
Offer you a unique and positive experience on the path to cooking raw and easily digestible food.
Vision
Inspiring, guiding and supporting people that are progressing towards true health so that each person can become a better version of themselves.
Experiment with Raw cooking
Festive Theme Ebooks: A festive adventure adjusting to each period of the year
Issued out by period and with a limited duration only (example: Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Easter, Halloween, etc.)
Initiation Ebook: Learning the basics with great recipes
- Juice – Smoothie – Hot Chocolate – Soup – Salad and Sprouts – Veggie Pasta – Creamy Nut Cheese – Dessert – Candy – Frozen Delights
Basic Ebooks: Next steps to explore the full potential of raw cooking
- Vegetable and Fruit Juices – Soups and Pottages – Flavored Milks – Smoothies – Comforting Warm drinks (Coffee and Hot Chocolates)
- Buddha Bowls – Salads and Dressings
- Veggie Pastas of all sorts: Lasagnas with nuts and vegetables, linguinis, macaronis, pappardelles, raviolis, spaghettis, spaghettinis and tagliatelles.
- Crackers – Vegetable Chips – Veggi-Wraps
- Breads – Sandwiches – Pizzas
- Creamy (Nut based) Cheeses – Nuts and Vegetable Terrines – Dips – pâtés
- Lacto-fermentation – Hydromel and Cocktails – Stuffed Medjool Dates
- Condiments – Seasonings – Spices
- Desserts – Candy – Nuts and Fruit Bars – Dried Fruit Nut Breads
- Iced Delights: Granite, Sorbet, Fruit ice-cream, lollipops, Ice Cream Sandwiches and Assorted Chocolates (“Turtles” to enjoy slowly, Fondue in good company, Chocolate Bars for all ages)
Advanced raw cooking: Anchoring basics and expanding expertise & horizons
- Sushi and friends with an Asian flavor
- “Fast” food (healthy of course!)
- Refined pastries
- Creating a 5-course thematic gastronomic adventure
- Flavors of the World – International cuisine
Testimonials
I have been feeding on raw food since 2015. And since 2017, I had the pleasure of discovering and enjoying the delicious recipes of “Chef Cru-Zen”. I have witnessed his constant evolution as a chef, both in the choice of food and in the development of different raw cooking techniques. The secret is in his commitment, his passion and above all in the fact that he constantly searches to evolve his art. Several years later, I am still amazed by the quality and refinement of his vintage creations! I recently enjoyed a meal that he cooked... I tasted and tears came to my eyes! It's a really surprising sensory and emotional experience.
Eric (The Chef) was the first to tell me about the importance and benefits on the body of eating raw food in order to cultivate the living and vitality in us. Then, I had the privilege of tasting several of his tastiest creations. In addition to being an excellent Raw Chef, constantly looking to create a “wow” effect in the mouth, Eric knows how to teach us his best tricks and simplify everything so that we can easily reproduce them at home.
I was delighted by the taste of the recipes that Eric presented to us. A real treat for the taste buds.
Through time and passion, Chef Cru-Zen inspired me to discover this healthy lifestyle. I have now adopted it since a few years already. I followed his path and lately I had again the privilege of tasting some of his most recent creations. “Wow!” I too had the urge to burst in tears (ref. to Martine Poirier’s testimony), it was succulent.... Oh yes, I love good food by nature! I really love to eat well! Thank you so much for being one of those who makes a difference!
With Eric's recipes, I finally managed to enable my food change towards live-food at 110%. If you've never had a “Wow!” when eating, with Eric's recipes, get prepared for it to happen often! Wow!
Chef Cruzen is royally passionate about RAW COOKING. He invents recipes with only quality fruits, vegetables or nuts that are simply mind-blowing and evoke pleasure for the 5 senses. With Chef Cru-zen, it's uncompromisingly fine dining. And your body will say: “THANK YOU”.
A pure delight while being optimal for our bodies.
Before I met “the Chef”, it was already clear to me that a diet based on fruits, vegetables, seeds and nuts, was what my body needed. However I was drinking juices made of fresh fruit and vegetables and raw veggies ‘as-is”. You can imagine that I was sad to say “goodbye” to the many pleasures gastronomy had to offer. So when I met “the Chef” in the fall of 2017 and it was a revelation for me - I finally had the opportunity to eat without any compromise on health or pleasure.
So, participating in one of his workshops was the only logical next step. I confess that I was not prepared for what was awaiting me that day. It was a shock for me to find that his house was overflowing with food, vibrant, in addition to being raw and digestible, it was an abundance of flavor. I had found the resource I so needed to support me in my diet and allow me to eat healthily and hold it through time as I did not develop frustrations. Thank you Chef Cru-Zen!
