Deborah Madison

Deborah Madison is an American chef, cookbook author, and teacher. She is best known for her work in the field of vegetarian cooking and her efforts to promote the use of locally sourced, organic ingredients.

Madison began her career in the culinary field in the 1970s, working at Chez Panisse before becoming the founding chef of Greens Restaurant in San Francisco, one of the first restaurants in the US to focus on organic and locally sourced ingredients. After leaving Greens and Zen Center, Madison published her first cookbook, "The Greens Cookbook," which became a classic in vegetarian cooking.

After this, Madison joined Café Escalera in Santa Fe, New Mexico, as their first pastry chef and co-founder. The restaurant was known for its focus on local and seasonal ingredients. During Madison's first move to Santa Fe, she organized the farmers' market, which is why the restaurant got locally grown food.

Madison published 14 cookbooks, including "Local Flavors: Cooking and Eating from America's Farmers' Markets" and "What We Eat When We Eat Alone." She also published one memoir, "An Onion in My Pocket: My Life with Vegetables," telling the story of her life in food and the vegetarian movement.

In addition to her work as a chef and cookbook author, Madison has also been a teacher, leading cooking classes and workshops throughout the US.

Madison's cookbooks and recipes are known for being approachable and accessible, and flavorful. She has been credited with helping to bring vegetarian cooking into mainstream American cuisine and for helping to popularize the use of local and organic ingredients. In addition, her cookbooks have been praised for their ability to bring people together around food and for educating readers about sustainable living and cooking with a focus on seasonality.

She has received many awards for her contributions to the culinary field, such as the James Beard and IACP awards. In addition, she continues to inspire the culinary world.