Waters, Alice, 1944–, American chef and author whose advocacy of organically grown, locally produced seasonal food and of sustainable agriculture has influenced America's approach to food, b. Chatham, N.J., grad. Univ. of California, Berkeley (B.A., 1967). Her interest in cooking was piqued during a trip to France when she was 19. In 1971 she opened the restaurant Chez Panisse in Berkeley, originating what came to be called California cuisine, and Waters' principles gradually became integral parts of modern American cuisine. She has written several cookbooks, e. g., Chez Panisse Menu Cookbook (1982) and The Art of Simple Food (2007), and has been active in promoting education about food, farmers' markets, and community gardens.
See her Coming to My Senses: The Making of a Counterculture Cook (with C. Mueller and B. Carrau, 2017); T. McNamee, Alice Waters and Chez Panisse (2007).
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