Woman of Steel

Julia Child famously proclaimed that “People who love to eat are always the best people.” It’s been my experience during my tenure as a writer for Edible Sarasota that the best people are in the food industry. Recently I was honored to be tasked with interviewing global food leader Tanya Steel, a recent Sarasota transplant.

Tanya Steel is a James Beard Award–winning food journalist; formerly an adjunct professor at NYU; author of an “Amazon Best Children’s Book of the Year” selection; and a celebrated food activist. Tanya partnered with former First Lady Michelle Obama for five years presenting the Healthy Lunchtime Challenge & Kids’ “State Dinner” at the White House. She appeared frequently on the TV series “Hell’s Kitchen” as a guest judge, and her cookbook The Epicurious Cookbook debuted on the New York Times bestselling list. She was an editor at Bon Appetit and Food & Wine, and she wrote for the New York Times for four years. Tanya is currently executive director of C-CAP (Careers through Culinary Arts Program) and the award director for the Julia Child Award.

Tanya’s resume and bio are impressive and extensive tributes to a woman who has enjoyed a long and illustrious career in the food industry. Limited space prevents me from mentioning every accolade and accomplishment—thankfully there’s always Google. I’d rather introduce you to the inspiring woman behind the CV.

Tanya Steel is the mother of twin sons, William and Sanger. When I ask her what she loves to eat the most, she says, “It’s a hokey mom answer but anything my kids cook for me is my favorite because cooking for someone is an expression of love.”

Tanya did not grow up with a love for her mother’s cooking, however. “My mom wasn’t a good cook, and she still isn’t. We moved to New York from London when I was a child and one day I turned on PBS and Julia Child was cooking—and that’s when I started preparing the meals for my family.” Later, when I ask her about her work as the award director for the Julia Child Award, she says fondly, “We always speak in her voice in our meetings because we all knew her.”

What is her favorite thing to cook for herself? “Cottage cheese pancakes. It’s a Swedish recipe. I started making them at 10 years old I and still make them—they’re high protein and yummy.” I point out that cottage cheese recipes are having a moment on TikTok (seriously, have you tried cottage cheese ice cream yet?) and we marvel at the cyclical nature of food trends.

Tanya is in the early planning stages for two books. The first book is a guide to caring for a sick loved one. Tanya’s husband suffered from Frontotemporal Degeneration, the same devastating form of dementia that actor Bruce Willis was recently diagnosed with. Tanya’s husband passed away at the age of 58 and his death precipitated her move here. “I wanted to live in a new place—to heal. I wrote down what I needed, and the answer was Sarasota.”

The second book is an anti-inflammatory cookbook. “Your gut health is so important, it’s the furnace from which the entire body operates. Your emotions are connected to your gut. Medications may not even help you with certain things if your gut is not in order.”

Is it easy to develop recipes for a cookbook? Tanya says no. “Everything has been done. You’re always going to be appropriating someone else’s work. I tend to be inspired by seasonality. My approach to cooking is very practical: less ingredients + less time = a better dish.” Tanya also ascribes to Michael Pollan’s food philosophy “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” That’s not to say that she believes in restrictive diets; in fact, she encourages you to eat something that you love every day. The advice is about moderation. It’s also about modeling healthy eating for our children and protecting the future of our planet.

I’m not sure when Tanya will find the time to write the two books that she’s planning. It seems to me that Sarasota’s “Woman of Steel” has her hands full as the executive director of the nonprofit organization C-CAP, which has provided underserved teens a pathway to success through workforce development for over 30 years. C-CAP has locations in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., and Arizona, with plans to open in Miami and Baltimore. C-CAP provides critical culinary and wellness education as well as opportunities for employment and college scholarships to diverse, underserved teenagers across our country.

People who work in the food industry really are the best people and people like Tanya Steel, who use their platforms to make life easier and more palatable for the rest of us, are the best of the best. I think Julia Child would agree.

For more information about C-CAP, visit ccapinc.org and follow @ccapinc and #CCAPisCooking.