Marion Cunningham (1922--2012) started her professional career at age 50 after taking a cooking class with James Beard. He was so impressed with her cooking that he hired her as his assistant, a position she held for the next 11 years. On Beard's recommendation, Random House selected Cunningham to edit the 13th edition of The Fannie Farmer Cookbook (1979). Its success inspired Cunningham to write her own cookbooks, including two for people who have never cooked before. Her dedication to home cooking led former Gourmet editor Ruth Reichl to proclaim, "If Beard was the father of American cooking, Cunningham became its mother."

The Food Studies program at The New School draws on a range of disciplines to explore the connections between food and the environment, politics, history, and culture. Food Studies | http://www.newschool.edu/ce/foodstudies

The Inquisitive Eater (New School Food) | http://www.inquisitiveeater.com

Speakers include Judith Jones, senior editor and vice president, Knopf; Laura Shapiro, author of Something from the Oven; and Anne Mendelson, author of Milk: The Surprising Story of Milk Through the Ages. Moderated by New School Food Studies faculty member Andrew F. Smith.

Bachelor's Program for Adults and Transfer Students | http://newschool.edu/public-engagement/bachelors-program

The Culinary Luminaries series celebrates outstanding figures in the world of food and gastronomy. Past panels have been devoted to James Beard, Julia Child, M.F.K. Fisher, Craig Claiborne, Joseph Baum, Clementine Paddleford, Pellegrino Artusi, Robert Mondavi, and Henri Soulé.

THE NEW SCHOOL FOR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT | http://www.newschool.edu/public-engagement

Location: Theresa Lang Community and Student Center, Arnhold Hall
02/21/2013 6:00 p.m.