Andrew Hammerstein

CHEF

Andrew Hammerstein was born in Santa Monica, California. His mother was a public school teacher, informing the value and significance of education in the lives of children. He attended college at the University of California Santa Cruz, where he studied food and agriculture, developing a passion for farming and a devotion to the critical role food plays in our lives.

He has spent 15 years as a Biodynamic and Regenerative farmer in Oregon, Australia, Israel, South America and California. He believes that connecting to the processes that create healthy and balanced plants and livestock through ecologically and spiritually informed agriculture can help create and sustain balanced and grounded individuals. Andrew has founded and managed many vegetable and specialty herb farms serving CSA’s, farmers markets and chefs. Organizing and cooking for farm to table events has played an integral role on his farms in building local community and culture around the food grown there. He has always had an interest in how to transmute the food he grows into delicious and nutritious food. He is excited to bring his experience and intimate connection to high quality food into the kitchen here at Living Oaks.  

His study and work in biodynamics and anthroposophy has brought him into many Waldorf communities and revealed to him the importance and power of this educational pedagogy. His wife, Veronica Hammerstein is the middle school teacher here at Living Oaks and his Daughter, Rainin is a student in the Early Childhood. 

He is looking forward to supporting the community here at Living Oaks through his sourcing and preparation of nutrient rich and delicious food for our children and community.