Anne Willan (born 26 January 1938 in

Newcastle upon Tyne, England Newcastle upon Tyne ( RP: , ), or simply Newcastle, is a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. The city is located on the River Tyne's northern bank and forms the largest part of the Tyneside built-up area. Newcastle is a ...

) is the founder of the École de Cuisine La Varenne, which operated in Paris and Burgundy France, from 1975 until 2007. La Varenne classes continued in Santa Monica, California, through 2017. Willan is a recognised authority on French cookingRuss Parsons, "Anne Willan's Movable Feast Hits LA," ''The Los Angeles Times'', 13 February 2008 and has more than 50 years of experience as a teacher, author and culinary historian. In May 2013, Willan was inducted into the

James Beard Foundation The James Beard Foundation is a New York City-based national non-profit culinary arts organization named in honor of James Beard, a prolific food writer, teacher, and cookbook author, who was also known as the "Dean of American Cookery." The prog ...

Hall of Fame for her “body of work.” In July 2014, Willan was awarded the rank of ''Chevalier'' in the French Legion of Honor for her accomplishments in promoting the gastronomy of France. She has written more than 30 books, including the influential
La Varenne Pratique
' and the 17-volume, photo-illustrated ''Look and Cook'' series which was turned into a 26-part PBS program. Willan's
The Country Cooking of France
' received two 2008 James Beard Foundation book awards for best international cookbook and best cookbook photography. ''

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'' magazine named Willan its cooking teacher of the year in 2000. She was honored with a lifetime achievement award by the

International Association of Culinary Professionals The International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) is a United States-based not-for-profit professional association whose members work in culinary education, communication, or the preparation of food and beverage. History The organizati ...

(IACP) in 1999 for her contributions to the world of food writing, culinary education and to the IACP itself. Willan received her master's degree in economics from

Cambridge University , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

, then studied and taught cooking in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

and

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

before moving to the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

where she became an associate editor of ''

Gourmet Gourmet (, ) is a cultural idea associated with the culinary arts of fine food and drink, or haute cuisine, which is characterized by refined, even elaborate preparations and presentations of aesthetically balanced meals of several contrasting, of ...

'' magazine and food editor of the ''

Washington Star ''The Washington Star'', previously known as the ''Washington Star-News'' and the Washington ''Evening Star'', was a daily afternoon newspaper published in Washington, D.C., between 1852 and 1981. The Sunday edition was known as the ''Sunday Star ...

''. In 1975, she moved to Paris and founded l'Ecole de Cuisine La Varenne, which later expanded to offer programs at

The Greenbrier The Greenbrier is a luxury resort located in the Allegheny Mountains near White Sulphur Springs in Greenbrier County, West Virginia, in the United States. Since 1778, visitors have traveled to this part of the state to "take the waters" of the ...

and at her home in

Burgundy Burgundy (; french: link=no, Bourgogne ) is a historical territory and former administrative region and province of east-central France. The province was once home to the Dukes of Burgundy from the early 11th until the late 15th century. The c ...

, the Château du Fëy. The Burgundy campus was in operation until 2007. Most of her books have been widely published in the United States and the UK and have been translated into more than 24 languages. Willan was married to Mark Cherniavsky, an executive with the World Bank, who died in 2017. They have two children, Emma and Simon, and five grandchildren. As of 2017, Willan lives in London and France.

Bibliography

* ''Edible Monument: The Art of Food for Festivals, '' Contributor (2015) * ''Secrets from the La Varenne Kitchen'' (2014) * ''One Soufflé at a Time: A Memoir of Food and France '' (2013) * ''The Cookbook Library: Four Centuries of the Cooks, Writers, and Recipes That Made the Modern Cookbook'' (2012) * ''The Country Cooking of France '' (2007) * ''A Cook’s Book of Quick Fixes & Kitchen Tips '' (2005) * ''The Good Cook'' (2004) * ''Good Food No Fuss'' (2003) * ''Cooking with Wine'' (2001) * ''From My Château Kitchen'' (2000) * ''In and Out of the Kitchen in Fifteen Minutes or Less (1995)'' * ''Cook It Right'' (1998) * ''Look and Cook'', 17 Volume Series, (1992–1995) * ''La Varenne Pratique'' (1989) - also in e-book * ''French Regional Cooking'' (1981) * ''Grand Diplome Cooking Course'' (1979) * ''Great Cooks and Their Recipes'' (1977, republished 1992)

Board memberships

* Member of the Advisory Council of the Julia Child Foundatio

* Former president o
International Association of Culinary Professionals
* Honorary trustee o
The IACP Culinary Trust

Awards

* Appointed "Chevalier" of the French Legion of Honor, 2014 * James Beard Hall of Fame for "Body of Work," 2013 * Won two ''

James Beard Foundation Award The James Beard Foundation Awards are annual awards presented by the James Beard Foundation to recognize chefs, restaurateurs, authors and journalists in the United States. They are scheduled around James Beard's May 5 birthday. The media award ...

''s for Country Cooking of France, 2008 * ''

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'' Cooking Teacher of the Year Award, 2000 * Lifetime Achievement Award of International Association of Culinary Professionals, 1999 * Inducted into Hall of Fame at Australia's World Food Media ceremonies, 1999 * Honored in 1995 as Grande Dame of Les Dames d'Escoffier International, 1995 * Elected to the Who's Who of Food and Beverage in America in 1986

References

External links

LaVarenne.com bio

Epicurious.com Feature page
{{DEFAULTSORT:Willan, Anne 1938 births Living people British food writers Women food writers Women cookbook writers English chefs Women chefs James Beard Foundation Award winners