Pamela Sheldon Johns

[Jason Perlow]

After earning a Master's Degree in Education/Administration, Pamela taught cooking and food service to students with disabilities for ten years. She took a leave of absence in 1986 to pursue a love for cooking which began with employment with one of L.A.'s finest chefs, Joachim Splichal. This led to a management position with Ma Cuisine Cooking School (the cooking school of Ma Maison restaurant, Los Angeles) for two years. When Ma Cuisine closed in 1989, Pamela embarked on a freelance career that, over the last fifteen years, has included teaching, food styling, cooking school administration, and food writing.

In 1992, Pamela and her husband, Courtney Johns, moved to Santa Barbara where she started the Cooking School at Jordano’s Marketplace. At this same time, she also began working as the representative of an Italian culinary program, and her first cookbook, Healthy Gourmet, was published. When Jordano’s Marketplace moved in 1996, the cooking school was closed. This created the opportunity to further develop the culinary workshops in Italy and devote more time to food writing.

A regular visitor to Italy since 1983, Pamela now lives full-time in Tuscany and coordinates wine and food workshops in various regions: Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna, Campania, Sicily, Veneto, Abruzzo, and Piemonte as well as managing an olive oil-producing farm and agriturismo (bed & breakfast inn). Details at www.FoodArtisans.com

Her books include:

Healthy Gourmet (Collins, 1994), nominated for a James Beard Cookbook Award

Parmigiano! (Ten Speed Press,1997), received a foreign journalism award from Maria Luigia, Parma. Translated and published in German.

Williams Sonoma Lifestyles: Vegetarian for All Seasons (Time-Life, 1998)

Balsamico! (Ten Speed Press,1998). Translated and published in German and French

Italian Food Artisans (Chronicle Books, 1999) International Cookbook Revue awarded in the top three Italian cookbooks in the world. Translated and published in German.

Pizza Napoletana (Ten Speed Press,1999)

Gelato! (Ten Speed Press,2000)

Pasta! (Ten speed Press, 2001). Translated and published in French

Williams Sonoma Risotto (Simon & Schuster, 2002)

Holiday Hearts (Ten Speed Press,. 2003)

Williams-Sonoma Italian Collection (Simon & Schuster, 2003)

Festive Picnics (Ten Speed Press, 2004)

Her newest book, Prosciutto, Pancetta, and Salame will be published by Ten Speed Press in Spring 2005.