Alice Waters

Alice Louise Waters is a prominent American chef, restaurateur, and author, widely recognized for her influential role in the culinary scene. In 1971, she established Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California, a restaurant celebrated for its pivotal role in launching the farm-to-table movement and for shaping California cuisine.

Waters has penned several acclaimed books, collaborating with Paul Bertolli on "Chez Panisse Cooking," and releasing notable titles like "Chez Panisse Vegetables," "Chez Panisse Fruit," "The Art of Simple Food I and II," "In the Green Kitchen: Techniques to Learn by Heart," "40 Years of Chez Panisse," and her personal memoir, "Coming to My Senses: The Making of a Cook."

In 1996, she founded the Chez Panisse Foundation and initiated the Edible Schoolyard program at Martin Luther King Middle School in Berkeley, a groundbreaking initiative that has expanded to over 4,000 schools, promoting garden-based education. As a passionate advocate for public policy, Waters champions universal access to healthy, organic foods, significantly influencing initiatives such as Michelle Obama's White House organic garden.

Since 2002, she has held the position of vice president at Slow Food International, an organization committed to safeguarding local food traditions, enhancing biodiversity, and advocating for small-scale quality food production globally. Waters' contributions to the culinary world and her dedication to sustainable food practices have left a lasting legacy.