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Phyllis Larsen, the
Food artist
At the age of 16, Phyllis Larsen moved to sunny California where she
went on to graduate from San Leandro High School. Because of family
business, she experienced life in five different states before returning
to California decades ago to her permanent home in San Francisco.
Chicago, IL
B.A. degree in Home Economics from Coe, a small liberal arts college in
Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Good training for a life career in her favorite
subject: food and cooking.
With a B.A. degree in Home Economics from Coe, a small liberal arts
college in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, her education trained her for a life
career in her favorite subject: food and cooking. "I started teaching in
Iowa where I was principal of a small high school. Moving on, (I needed
a big change from teaching foods and nutrition to kids in Portland,
Oregon). I ventured back to my favorite city, San Francisco, to seek my
fortune in the business world of food.
A favorite early job was in the PR division for General Foods
Corp., traveling the 11 western states contacting chefs, food managers
and giving cooking demonstrations for school lunch employees, flying
first class. “Those days are gone forever! However, my home economics
degree has given me the education to explore different food related jobs
in the Bay Area”.
The envy of all chocoholics, Larsen worked for Ghirardelli Chocolate Co.
for over 20 years. (At that time it was owned by Golden Grain Macaroni
Co.). She created recipes for leaflets and chocolate labels, many still
on the packages. "My greatest achievement was supervising the
Ghirardelli Chocolate Manufactory, soda fountain and candy shop in
Ghirardelli Square. I set up the customer self service system, developed
gift items, supervised union employees, created new fountain items, etc.
I must confess that when I left Ghirardelli, I lost ten pounds without
even trying!"
Larsen wrote the Ghirardelli Original Chocolate Cookbook which sold
200,000 copies, now out-of-print but available at Amazon.com.
As a food consultant, Larsen has had time for her second passion,
watercolor painting. She enjoys combining her two favorite things for a
career in cooking and painting. "Presently, I am interested in working
with California fresh fruits and vegetables. I write a food article
based on one subject --like winter squash-- experiment, create recipes
and then paint a colored picture of the vegetable. Six of these food
trio stories were printed on the food pages of the SF Examiner. My
interest now is writing for food magazines as I did for Safeway Select
magazine. I also develop recipes for different food companies to
increase sales of their products. I like to do different short jobs.
Recently, I was a personal chef for a Russian Hill woman who had surgery
and could not drive or cook for a month. I also write food articles for
senior publications and in-between paint pictures.
Some of her food pictures have been contributed to SFPFS charity
auctions. If you ever attend a Special Interest Group (SIG) at the home
of our past president, Nancy Kux, look for Larsen’s wine and food
picture hanging in the kitchen. Carol Crawford exhibits two of her apple
paintings in her kitchen. “It's fun to "visit" my paintings at friend's
homes. I donated a watermelon picture for the last BBQ auction. I call
my work kitchen art, but I do like to paint flowers and abstracts also”. Flo Braker is also a fan and owner of an apple kitchen watercolor.
:
“As a member since 1985, the Society has given me inspiration, education
on specialty foods and professional and social contacts. For ten years,
I was an active member of the program committee. SIG meetings such as
the food writing group have been valuable to me. I really enjoy the
dining out dinner meetings exploring new venues.
My goal is to keep painting fresh produce, create recipes with food
articles, a 3-part story. I created my own web page with one of my
veggie paintings illustrated here."
http://community.webtv.net/thefoodartist |
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Phyllis
Larsen
Phyllis
Lucas-Haddow
Richard
Tarlov
Janice
Nieder |
