About Our Instructors

Melanie Armstrong

Melanie Armstrong is a wine educator and writer who seeks to entertain and empower people on the often-daunting world of wine. She is certified to teach the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET) Intermediate and Advanced certificates in Nashville and Atlanta, and was commissioned to develop wine curriculum for Viking Culinary Centers across the country. Melanie spends much of her time now planning private wine parties, where she brings the classroom to her customers. She can help you host an intimate wine dinner for six, a high-energy living room party for friends and neighbors, or speak to large groups in a business setting. No matter the venue, Melanie makes the show informative and above all fun! Melanie also writes for the Nashville Wine Press, A List, The Scene, and a wine calendar in conjunction with Wine Bible author Karen McNeil.  Melanie is most excited about a wine TV project she is currently involved in making.  Ultimately she aspires to be the “Rachel Ray” of the wine world, making wine more accessible and welcoming, and bringing her infectious enthusiasm to a global market.

Cindy Chambers

Cindy Chambers has devoted her teaching career to the art of healthy cooking and using natural and organic products. She has taught thousands of students how to cook in today’s busy lifestyles and while a culinary instructor for companies such as The Viking Culinary Arts Center, Wild Oats Natural Market Place, and Inspired Chef, a division of KitchenAid, among others. Cindy’s media career includes long stints on both local and national television shows.  She was featured on the Shop at Home Network’s Cook’s Corner and was a regular chef on the popular local show, Talk of the Town. In addition she served as a food stylist for the Great American Country Network’s Celebrity Kitchen where she cooked for numerous country stars. Cindy has joined the Salud! team as an instructor and school administrator and enjoys cooking up innovative ways to satisfy the needs of today’s cooking enthusiasts.

Malcolm Morrison

Born in the United Kingdom, Malcolm Morrison was raised and educated in London and has worked as a teacher for 31 years. Focusing on Mediterranean cuisines, Malcolm has developed and honed his culinary skills into an extensive repertoire of authentic Spanish, Italian and southern French recipes. These reflect the healthy and nutritious values of the much celebrated Mediterranean diet. Malcolm’s media experience includes working with Lorianne Crook, local television personality on Celebrity Kitchen, a high profile national program on GAC. He is a private dinner party chef, an interactive culinary arts teacher presenting authentic Mediterranean cuisine to a wide range of business and political clients. He also has a MA in Culinary Arts from the prestigious Johnson and Wales University in Rhode Island.

Merijoy Lantz Rucker

Merijoy Lantz Rucker has been involved in the food world for over 30 years, working with food personalities such as Julia Child, Jacque Pepin, Bert Greene and Paul Prudhomme among others. She has been a guest teacher at numerous cooking schools throughout the South and has been featured in publications including Southern Living, Woman’s Day and Ladies Home Journal. While living in Atlanta, Mrs. Rucker hosted a local television series Atlanta’s Cooking for over 2 years and developed and taught a 3 year catering program for students at Atlanta Technical College. She was also the owner and operator of Food, Etc!, a store-front catering business whose clients included Turner Broadcasting, NationsBank, Top Entertaining and Post Properties. Her company was responsible for catering the Good Will Games for Turner Broadcasting as well as the winter Olympics and the NBA games. Her philosophy about cooking is that if you use the highest quality product available while practicing good techniques, the food will speak for itself!