The Edna Lewis Cookbook

Edna Lewis was one of the greatest and most influential chefs in American history. An African-American woman who rose from humble beginnings, she became famous for reviving the almost forgotten world of refined Southern cooking. The Edna Lewis Cookbook was her first book, published in 1972, and contains over 100 recipes, arranged in menu form and organized according to the season of the year. Edna Lewis was recently honored with the issuance of a postal stamp by the US Post Office. She is renowned as one of the greatest American chefs and as an African-American woman who almost single handedly revived a forgotten world of refined Southern cooking. Another celebrated American chef, James Beard, remarked: “Edna Lewis makes me want to go right into the kitchen and start cooking.” Lewis won many industry awards and was often referred to as “the Grande Dame of Southern Cooking” and the “South’s answer to Julia Child.” Lewis (1916-2006) also had a remarkable life story. She was born and gre