2015 Who's Who Inductee: Nathalie Dupree

The James Beard Foundation’s Who’s Who of Food and Beverage in America is a cadre of the most accomplished food and beverage professionals in the country. Though they represent a diverse cross-section of the food and beverage industry—from chefs to journalists to farmers to business executives to scholars—each has been identified by his or her peers as having displayed remarkable talent and achievement. Every member of the Who’s Who has contributed in some substantial way to America’s constantly evolving culinary scene.

NATHALIE DUPREE / COOKBOOK AUTHOR AND TELEVISION PERSONALITY / CHARLESTON, SC

Nathalie Dupree is the author of 14 cookbooks and the host of more than 300 national and international cooking shows that have aired on PBS, the Food Network, and the Learning Channel. She has earned wide recognition for her work, including three James Beard Awards and numerous other honors. Dupree is best known for her approachability and her deep understanding of Southern food; her 1986 book, New Southern Cooking, and television series of the same name helped introduce the rest of the country to both traditional and modern Southern cuisine. A former chef, Dupree spent ten years directing Rich’s Cooking School in Atlanta, where she taught thousands of students. She is a founder and past president of the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP), a founder and board member of Southern Foodways Alliance, and a founder and past president of two chapters of Les Dames d’Escoffier, which awarded Dupree the prestigious honor of “Grande Dame.” The Maître Cuisiniers de France gave Dupree its 2013 Woman of the Year award. She continues to write about food and is currently working on a memoir.

Watch the short video above, which celebrates Dupree's career and aired at the 2015 James Beard Awards, and stay tuned for videos about our other 2015 inductees!