About the Author

Peggy Knickerbocker lives in two of the greatest food cities in the world, Paris and San Francisco, and loves to give dinner parties wherever she is.

She is a free-lance food and travel author, a long-time contributing editor to Saveur, and has received a James Beard Foundation nomination for her article “Old Stoves of North Beach”. As Contributing Editor to Gourmet, she posts to their food blog and writes on a regular basis as the San Francisco scout. She has written for Food and Wine, House and Garden, The San Francisco Chronicle, The Los Angeles Times and The New York Times.

Peggy is a popular cooking teacher (Ramekins in Sonoma, Draegers in Menlo Park, Central Market in Texas, Ritz Carlton-Half Moon Bay), offers private lessons and consultations, and is a writing coach and cooking coach. She has been Sofia Coppola’s private cooking teacher, and has been a guest speaker at classes in food writing at the University of California and a course on food and politics at the Institute of Political Science in Paris. She has also reviewed books for the food journal Gastronomica.

In 2005, Simple Soirees, Seasonal Menus for Sensational Dinner Parties (Stewart, Tabori and Chang) was honored with the James Beard Award, was listed as one of the New York Times Notable Books of the Year, and was nominated from a list of 400 cookbooks for the International Association of Culinary Professionals annual cookbook award. Her latest book, The Ferry Plaza Farmers’ Market Cookbook, published by Chronicle Books in 2006, had multiple printings within the first year.

Peggy's previously published books include Olive Oil From Tree to Table, (Chronicle Books, 1997, soon to be re-released with a new cover), The Rose Pistola Cookbook with chef Reed Hearon (Broadway Books, 1999), and Champagne, The Spirit of Celebration ( Chronicle Books, 1995).

Her work has been reviewed enthusiastically in magazines including Saveur, Food & Wine, and Gourmet, and in various newspapers throughout the country. Olive Oil, From Tree to Table has sold over 40,000 copies to date and was nominated for best single subject cookbook by IACP in 1997.

Peggy Knickerbocker sits on the board of the Chez Panisse Foundation and is Vice President of the board of CUESA of the Ferry Plaza Farmers’ Market.

 © 2005 Peggy Knickerbocker. All Rights Reserved. Photos by Christopher Hirsheimer. Design by Elsa.