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Antonia Allegra
Antonia "Toni" Allegra (antonia@fcs.net) has dedicated her life to empowering
professionals in the culinary world. She is a culinary coach who works
with food professionals regarding their writing and their careers.
Since formal coaching training in 1998, she has coached over 1200
professionals to success, with their published books, magazine columns,
new food products and other endeavors giving proof. She is a wine/food
and travel writer. As an active communitarian in the food industry, she
founded and directs the annual Symposium for Professional Food Writers
at The Greenbrier and the Symposium for Professional Wine Writers at
Meadowood Napa Valley. Antonia is Culinary Director of La Cocina Que
Canta Culinary Center at Rancho La Puerta in Tecate, Baja California,
Mexico. Over the last 33 years, Toni has been featured internationally
as a lecturer and teacher.
She is author of Napa Valley: The Ultimate Winery Guide, now in its fourth edition, and is author/narrator of the Napa Valley Expedition Guide, the first multimedia book/CD/CD-ROM of the Napa Valley as well as The Wine Country Deck. She was founding Editor-in-Chief of Vine Napa Valley and Appellation, both Maggie award-winning publications, and during the 70s and 80s she was the award-winning Food Editor of San Diego Tribune, a daily newspaper, and food editor of San Diego Home/Garden magazine. She also helped conduct the first internet radio interviews in wine and food. A distinguished lecturer, Toni has been featured internationally, as well as in her role as wine country host on CBS/KPIX-TV "Evening Magazine" and Napa Valley "tipster" for KRON-TV "Bay Area Back Roads."
Antonia is a launch specialist, having created educational and networking associations within the food industry. She served as a member of the launch team for the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in the Napa Valley from 1991-95 and, having directed her own cooking school in San Diego for eight years (1974-82), served as Culinary Director of Beringer Vineyard's School for American Chefs with Madeleine Kamman in the late 80s.
She also founded the Napa Valley Culinary Alliance (1989), is a co-founder of C4: Culinary Coaches and Consultants Collaborative, and initiated the Teleforum for Food Writers/Editors/Publishers and other culinary sections of the International Association for Culinary Professionals. She served on the Board of Directors of the IACP 1991-98, as president from 1997-98 and she was president of the San Francisco Chapter of Les Dames d'Escoffier in 1992. She is also a member of the Association of Food Journalists (AFJ), the San Francisco Professional Food Society (SFPFS) and the International Coaches Federation. She is a Certified Culinary Professional (CCP) and was inducted into the Culinary Hall of Fame in 2006.
Known as a creative maverick in the field, Toni lives with her husband Donn Black in a "treehouse" in St. Helena, in California's Napa Valley.
Visit Toni at: http://www.antoniaallegra.com/index.htm
Note: This information was accurate when it was published. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the businesses in question before making your plans.
