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Cooking coaches educate grocery shoppers

The real bargain at your local grocer? Cooking coaches, staff nutritionists and even food summits.

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Strategically positioned in the bulk foods section, Michael Kiss is not merely a team member, as Whole Foods employees are known. He is also the in-store cooking coach, a pioneer in the company's effort to enhance food shopping with the one-on-one experience of, say, an Apple Genius Bar.

Evy Mages / For The Washington Post

Netherland Washington of Rockville and her daughter, Chloe, return to the store to seek Kiss’s guidance — this time about fava beans.

Netherland Washington of Rockville and her daughter, Chloe, return to the store to seek Kiss’s guidance — this time about fava beans.

Evy Mages / For The Washington Post

At the Whole Foods store in Rockville, iPads are available for searching the store's and Food 52's recipe databases.

At the Whole Foods store in Rockville, iPads are available for searching the store's and Food 52's recipe databases.

Evy Mages / For The Washington Post

A tattoo on Kiss's forarm shows a twisted fork, a copy from an object he found and that came to symbolize his transition from art to cooking.

A tattoo on Kiss's forarm shows a twisted fork, a copy from an object he found and that came to symbolize his transition from art to cooking.

Evy Mages / For The Washington Post

Kiss, a 35-year-old trained chef, spends five days a week engaging people in conversations about food.

Kiss, a 35-year-old trained chef, spends five days a week engaging people in conversations about food.

Evy Mages / For The Washington Post

Ryan Hackett of Kensington learns from Kiss that buying powdered ginger from the bulk spices display would be more cost effective than buying it by the jar.

Ryan Hackett of Kensington learns from Kiss that buying powdered ginger from the bulk spices display would be more cost effective than buying it by the jar.

Evy Mages / For The Washington Post

Kiss helps customers grind their own flour.

Kiss helps customers grind their own flour.

Evy Mages / For The Washington Post

Theresa Yee of Rockville grinds flour with the help of Whole Foods Market cooking coach Michael Kiss. She asked for advice on which organic grains would be best for seven-grain bread.

Theresa Yee of Rockville grinds flour with the help of Whole Foods Market cooking coach Michael Kiss. She asked for advice on which organic grains would be best for seven-grain bread.

Evy Mages / For The Washington Post

Whole Foods looks for coaches with a culinary background, the ability to problem-solve and excellent people skills.

Whole Foods looks for coaches with a culinary background, the ability to problem-solve and excellent people skills.

Evy Mages / For The Washington Post

When helping customers, Kiss listens, nods, answers lots of questions and jots things down on a special prescription pad. He may also direct them to a row of reference books on his work table: 'Veganomicon,' 'How to Cook Everything,' 'Spice and Herb Bible,' among others.

When helping customers, Kiss listens, nods, answers lots of questions and jots things down on a special prescription pad. He may also direct them to a row of reference books on his work table: "Veganomicon," "How to Cook Everything," "Spice and Herb Bible," among others.

Evy Mages / For The Washington Post

Kiss may have as many as 50 interactions, ranging from a simple answer about how to cook beans that ends with his offering a helpful Whole Foods pamphlet on the subject, to a 15-minute troubleshooting session on lamb curry.

Kiss may have as many as 50 interactions, ranging from a simple answer about how to cook beans that ends with his offering a helpful Whole Foods pamphlet on the subject, to a 15-minute troubleshooting session on lamb curry.

Evy Mages / For The Washington Post

Kiss tastes a small amount of one of the several vinegars at Whole Foods available for consumers to buy in bulk.

Kiss tastes a small amount of one of the several vinegars at Whole Foods available for consumers to buy in bulk.

Evy Mages / For The Washington Post

Kiss shows a large row of bulk foods and herbs at the Whole Foods store in Rockville.

Kiss shows a large row of bulk foods and herbs at the Whole Foods store in Rockville.

Evy Mages / For The Washington Post

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