Alice Waters

Background

Alice Waters, restaurateur, author, activist, and proprietor of Chez Panisse Restaurant and Café in Berkeley, California, is a pioneer of a culinary philosophy based on using organic products served only in season. Over the course of 40 years, Chez Panisse has inspired chefs and leaders of the food movement around the world. The restaurant developed a network of local farmers and purveyors whose dedication to sustainable agriculture assures the restaurant a steady supply of fresh ingredients. In 1996, the 25th anniversary of Chez Panisse, Alice Waters created the Edible Schoolyard, which became a national model for teaching students all aspects of the food cycle. From a vacant lot, she created a one-acre garden and kitchen classroom at Berkeley’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School dedicated to instilling “the knowledge and values students need to build a humane and sustainable future.” The program integrates gardening, cooking, and sharing school lunch into the core academic curriculum. Waters has authored 11 books including The Art of Simple Food (2007) and 40 Years of Chez Panisse: The Power of Gathering (2011). Waters has received many awards. In 1992, the James Beard Foundation named Waters Best Chef in America. Gourmet magazine recognized Chez Panisse as Best Restaurant in America in 2001. In 2008, she was inducted into the California Hall of Fame. In 2010, Waters was elected into the French Legion of Honor. The only other American chefs so honored include Julia Child and Thomas Keller. This past speaker page shares her podium presentation as well as the Q&A.