Mary Jane Innes took over the management of the Te Awamutu Brewery, brewing ale and producing aerated waters. Showing considerable business acumen, in November 1889 she announced that she had taken over the management of the Waikato Brewery as well.
During her early years she wrote poetry, but she is remembered as one of the first women to prepare a cookbook.
Elizabeth Messenger’s novels, once popular enough to be serialised and translated into other languages, are now difficult to obtain. Her recipe books appear to have been more durable.
Mollie Orshansky was an American economist and statistician who developed the Orshansky Poverty Thresholds, used for measuring household incomes.
German abbess and mystic who organized a school of nurses for service in the hospitals; noted composer whose works are still performed today, as well as a brewer and herbalist who described using hops in beer.
Famous chef, author, and television personality, Julia Child made French cuisine accessible to American audiences. She was one of the first women to host her own cooking show on television, providing tips and lessons on how to prepare French food simply and easily.
As an admired chef and cookbook author, Edna Lewis taught the American public to appreciate southern meals in a new way. Known as both the Grande Dame and Grande Doyenne of southern cooking, Lewis was among the first African American women from the south to write a cookbook that did not hide the author’s true name, gender or race. Combining her love of food preparation and her deep knowledge of African American history, Lewis’ legacy taught countless others the importance of traditional southern cuisine.
As a well-recognized chef, television personality, and restaurant owner, Joyce Chen introduced Chinese food to the American public. She made such a large impact on American culture, that her photo was included on a US stamp in 2014 and a “Festival of Dumplings” is held in Cambridge, Massachusetts every year to honor her birthday. By developing new ways of cooking authentic and healthy meals, her cookbooks, cooking classes, and microwavable “Soup Dumplings,” made it easy for people to learn how to make Chinese cuisine worldwide.