Timothy Harlan

Dr. Timothy Harlan is a board certified internist, as well as a chef and an author. He has written several books including It’s Heartly Fare, Hand on Heart, The Dr. Gourmet Diet for Coumadin Users and Just Tell Me What to Eat!. He has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and on CNN, among other top-tier media outlets. In 2002, Dr. Harlan won an Emmy award for excellence in medical programming for his “Dr. Gourmet Show” television program.

Early Life

At the age of eleven, Dr. Harlan began working as dishwasher in a restaurant. He attended Admiral Farragut Academy in New Jersey for high school and continued to work in the restaurant business during his teenage years. This experience taught him cooking techniques from many top chefs.

At the age of eighteen, Dr. Harlan became the manager of his first restaurant. When he was twenty-two, he opened his own restaurant, Le Petit Cafe, in Athens, Georgia. He created the menus for his restaurant, worked as a chef and taught cooking classes. When Dr. Harlan decided to go back to school, he closed his French bistro.

Education

Dr. Harlan originally planned to earn a degree in hotel and restaurant management but family illness led him to become a physician instead. From 1985 to 1987, he attended Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia and pursued a double major in biology and anthropology.

After he graduated, he remained in Atlanta, Georgia and attended Emory University School of Medicine from 1987 until 1994. During this time, he worked as a caterer and wrote his first book, It’s Heartly Fare, for patients with cardiovascular disease.

Dr. Harlan completed his residency at Emory University School of Medicine Affiliated Hospitals.

Career

Since May 2007, Dr. Harlan has been the Associate Chief of General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics for Outpatient Programs at the Tulane University School of Medicine. He has also been the Medical Director of the Tulane University Medical Group since December 2008. In addition, he is the owner of Harlan Bros. Productions and publishes his website, Dr. Gourmet.com

Books

Dr. Harlan’s first book, It’s Heartly Fare, is a food manual for patients with cardiovascular disease. It’s Heartly Fare was first published by Pritchett Hull & Associates in September 1991 and the fifth edition was released in fall 2006. The main focus of the book is to learn a new way of eating that cuts down the saturated fat, sugar and salt in a person’s diet.

His second book, Hand on Heart, was published in September 2004 by ENDpapers publishing. Hand on Heart teaches readers how to eat a balanced diet and create meals that are healthy and delicious. The book includes many healthy versions of familiar recipes, as well as an 'Equipment Starter Kit' and a 'Healthy Pantry' list to share with readers which materials and ingredients they will need to make the recipes.

The Dr. Gourmet Diet for Coumadin Users was published in 2009 by Harlan Bros. Productions. The book contains six weeks worth of recipes for meals, as well as shopping lists, recipe nutrition facts, and ingredient and cooking tips that allow Coumadin users to follow a normal and healthy diet.

Dr. Harlan’s latest book, Just Tell Me What to Eat!, will be released on June 7, 2011, by Da Capo Press, a member of the Perseus Books Group. Just Tell Me What to Eat! offers a six week weight loss plan that is based on the Mediterranean diet. The book informs readers how to lose weight by following a sustainable and healthy diet instead of a fad diet.

Television

Dr. Harlan has been an on-air consultant to the TV Food Network show Cooking Thin, as well as a host for the show AskDIY, aired by the DIY Network. He also has had his own television program called The Dr. Gourmet Show, which won an Emmy award for excellence in medical programming after being aired on a regional public station.

Dr. Gourmet Persona

In January 1984, Dr. Harlan created his Dr. Gourmet website based on his interest in good health and good food. Using several media outlets through his company, Harlan Brothers Productions, Dr. Gourmet acts as a positive and encouraging resource for those who want to lose weight, lower their cholesterol or just learn how to eat healthy.

His website, DrGourmet.com includes a free, interactive diet planner, “The Dr. Gourmet Diet Plan”, to help people create weekly meal plans with the help of recipes and shopping lists. “The Dr. Gourmet Diet Plan” focuses on the main goal of Dr. Gourmet: to provide information to people on how to eat healthy, delicious food while accommodating those with food allergies, gastroesophageal reflux disease, lactose intolerance, and those who use Coumadin (warfarin).

Personal Life

Dr. Harlan currently lives in New Orleans, Louisiana. He has been a member of the Rotary International since 1996. Since 1995 he has been a member of board of trustees for Randolph-Macon Academy, a military school in Front Royal, Virginia, and he served as an advisory board member for Livestrong.com from May 2008 until May 2009.