James Beard: The Quintessential American Epicure

If you're of the gormandizing ilk there's an event at the New School that should be on your radar. It costs less than a movie and is guaranteed to enlighten your mind as well as your palate.

James Beard: The Quintessential American Epicure
Thursday, February 12, 2009 6:00 p.m.

James Beard, called “the quintessential American cook” by Julia Child, laid the groundwork for the gastronomical revolution that surged in the second half of the 20th century. Beard trained as an actor but found his life’s work in food: he was the author of 27 cookbooks, founded his own cooking school, and made history in 1946 by hosting the first cooking show on television. Anointed the “dean of American cookery” by the New York Times, Beard is now associated with the best in American restaurants and cooking. His most important legacy is his celebration of American food and food traditions. Speakers: Mitchell Davis, vice president of the James Beard Foundation; writers Betty Fussell, Barbara Kafka, and Judith Jones; and Dana Polan, professor of Cinema Studies at New York University. The moderator is Andrew F. Smith, editor of the Oxford Companion to American Food and Drink and member of the New School faculty. Location: Wollman Hall, Eugene Lang Building, 65 West 11th Street, 5th floor (enter at 66 West 12th Street).

Admission: $5; free to all students and New School faculty, staff and alumni with ID. Reservations and inquiries can be made by email boxoffice@newschool.edu or calling 212-229-5488.

Notes:

Special thanks to Andy Smith, for passing the event information along. Mr. Smith is author of Hamburger: A Global History. The book is distributed by the University of Chicago Press and is part of Reaktion Books' "edible" series (which includes books on the history of pancakes and pizza as well).