Women in the Kitchen

Twelve Essential Cookbook Writers Who Defined the Way We Eat, from 1661 to Today

By: Anne Willan

Narrated by: Imogen Church

Culinary historian Anne Willan “has melded her passions for culinary history, writing, and teaching into her fascinating new book” (Chicago Tribune) that traces the origins of American cooking through profiles of twelve influential women—from Hannah Woolley in the mid-1600s to Fannie Farmer, Julia Child, and Alice Waters—whose recipes and ideas changed the way we eat.

Anne Willan, multi-award-winning culinary historian, cookbook writer, teacher, and founder of La Varenne Cooking School in Paris, explores the lives and work of women cookbook authors whose essential books have defined cooking over the past three hundred years. Beginning with the first published cookbook by Hannah Woolley in 1661 to the early colonial days to the transformative popular works by Fannie Farmer, Irma Rombauer, Julia Child, Edna Lewis, Marcella Hazan, and up to Alice Waters working today.

Willan offers a brief biography of each influential woman, highlighting her key contributions, seminal books, and representative dishes. The book features fifty original recipes—as well as updated versions Willan has tested and modernized for the contemporary kitchen.

Women in the Kitchen is an engaging narrative that seamlessly moves through the centuries to help readers understand the ways cookbook authors inspire one another, that they in part owe their places in history to those who came before them, and how they forever change the culinary landscape. This “informative and inspiring book is a reminder that the love of delicious food and the care and preparation that goes into it can create a common bond” (Booklist).

Critic reviews

"Imogen Church's lively narration pairs well with Willan's informative, often playful survey of women cookbook writers (in the UK and US) who changed culinary history. Church's deliciously entertaining and painlessly educational interpretation serves up fascinating insights about food and its preparation. The audiobook traces changes in kitchens from Hannah Woolley's hearth fires of the mid-1600s to today's stovetops presided over by well-known giantesses Julia Childs and Alice Waters, noting what each profiled author offers as distinct contributions. Church's amiable British voice exudes enthusiasm; her beautiful pacing, with its ample emphasis and pausing, helps listeners digest many historical insights. She even enlivens the delivery of iconic recipes associated with each chef—and the audiobook comes with a pdf of recipes adapted for the modern kitchen."

Book review

A good read , very Knowledgeable . And interesting. I recommend it. I am a chef myself so I relate to this book and always looking for good chef books to read/listen.

a glancing survey of cookbooks and their authors

There were some interesting facts and a few recipes that might be fun to try, but I felt the history was superficial--this felt less like a book and more like a glossy magazine article (which may be just what the publisher wants). Anne Willan is an expert in historic cookbooks ("The Cookbook Library" which she also wrote is far better) and I would have liked a more in depth history of these cookbooks and their writers. Whatever shortcomings the writing has, the reader was worse. Her chirpy delivery and forced enthusiasm--at some points she was almost giggling--was at best distracting and more often annoying. I think I will avoid any book she narrates in the future.