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A Woman's Place: The Inventors, Rumrunners, Lawbreakers, Scientists, and Single Moms Who Changed the World with Food
Discover the trailblazing women who changed the world from their kitchens.If "a woman's place is in the kitchen," why is the history of food such an old boys' club? A Woman's Place sets the record straight, sharing stories of more than 80 hidden figures of food who made a lasting mark on history.In an era when women were told to stay at home and leave glory to the men, these rebel women used the transformative power of food to break barriers and fight for a better world. Discover the stories Georgia Gilmore, who fueled the Montgomery Bus Boycott with chicken sandwiches and slices of pieHattie Burr, who financed the fight for female suffrage by publishing cookbooksKamaladevi Chattopadhyay, who, with just a few grains of salt, inspired a march for the independence of IndiaThe inventors of the dishwasher, coffee filter, the first buffalo wings, Veuve Clicquot champagne, the PB&J sandwich, and more.With gorgeous full-color illustrations and 10 recipes that bring the story off of the page and onto your plate, this book reclaims women's rightful place--in the kitchen, and beyond.
183 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 5, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
March 12, 2019
"The book began with a question. If a woman's place has always been in the kitchen, then why does culinary history read like the guest list of some old boys club?"
The book goes on to highlight the many women who should be remembered for their cooking skills, many whose cooking also served another purpose. Some I had heard of like: Julia Child, the brand Betty Crocker and M. F. K. Fisher. Many I had not, some in the present, many in the past. I will describe just two whose cooking served another purpose besides just feeding the people.
Georgia Gilmore 1920-1990. She started making, and selling chicken sandwiches in Montgomery during the bus boycott. What an industrious woman, using what she did so well, and giving the boycott a better chance to work.
Hattie Burr and the Suffragettes 1880-1920. Having recently finished the book, The woman's hour, this entry stood out. The fight for suffrage was costly, women ran bake sales using their culinary talents, and decided to make more money by publishing a cookbook. The cookbooks though served another purpose, "Through them, suffragettes could communicate across distances and demonstrate support. Call it a turn of the century Twitter."
Many women are mentioned. Each get one to three pages, beautifully colored illustrations, divided into different categories. Many include recipes. This was a perfect book for woman's month and an absolute joy to read.
The book goes on to highlight the many women who should be remembered for their cooking skills, many whose cooking also served another purpose. Some I had heard of like: Julia Child, the brand Betty Crocker and M. F. K. Fisher. Many I had not, some in the present, many in the past. I will describe just two whose cooking served another purpose besides just feeding the people.
Georgia Gilmore 1920-1990. She started making, and selling chicken sandwiches in Montgomery during the bus boycott. What an industrious woman, using what she did so well, and giving the boycott a better chance to work.
Hattie Burr and the Suffragettes 1880-1920. Having recently finished the book, The woman's hour, this entry stood out. The fight for suffrage was costly, women ran bake sales using their culinary talents, and decided to make more money by publishing a cookbook. The cookbooks though served another purpose, "Through them, suffragettes could communicate across distances and demonstrate support. Call it a turn of the century Twitter."
Many women are mentioned. Each get one to three pages, beautifully colored illustrations, divided into different categories. Many include recipes. This was a perfect book for woman's month and an absolute joy to read.
March 26, 2019
With women’s history month (2019) coming to an end soon, I decided to take a step back and read an anthology of the history of women cooks. All through history we have been told that “a woman’s place is in the home,” which includes the kitchen, yet all the notable cooks who stand out have been men. Deepi Ahluwalia and Stef Ferrari, both editors at Thyme Magazine, decided to pay homage to the famous and not so famous female chefs throughout history who paved the way for them to be where they are today.
A Woman’s Place is divided into three sections: innovators, instigators, and inventors. Each cook or group of cooks is given three pages describing her role in culinary history, complete with full page illustrations that highlight her accomplishments. As one who enjoys both cooking and history, I learned a variety of new historical facts and trivia that will make for intriguing discussions at my supper table. Some that stood out, but not limited to, included:
•Georgia Gilmore formed the Club from Nowhere in Montgomery. Along with a team of women, they sold African American soul food all over Montgomery to raise money for their brethren to get to work during the city’s bus boycott.
•Leah Chase fed generations of civil rights leaders at her family’s Dooky Chase’s Restaurant. The Queen Of Creole provided the first integrated restaurant in New Orleans and was later immortalized in the Disney movie The Princess and the Frog.
•In 1917 the Girl Scout troop in Muskogee, Oklahoma wanted to send gifts to soldiers but needed funds to do so and decided to hold a bake sale to raise money. The Girl Scout cookie was born and one hundred years later the annual sale has grown to an $800 million venture.
•Nancy Johnson and Agnes Marshall invented a modern method to make ice cream in the 19th century, allowing the masses to eat a food that before had only been enjoyed by the wealthy. For this, I am eternally grateful.
•Josephine Cochrane introduced the dish washer at the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago. By the 1950s this appliance was found in every American home, freeing up women to enjoy leisure time and begin to contemplate a movement that would lead to glass ceilings shattering everywhere.
A Woman’s Place ended up being a fun ride through women’s history in a how we got to now format. I was interested in the cooks’ stories and captivated by the illustrations. Some of the recipes including Girl Scout Cookie cake and Sweet and Spicy Beer Chili look easy enough to try at home. My daughters are interested in this book as well and will be engaging it and then hopefully trying some of the recipes in our kitchen. Thank you to my goodreads friend Diane for alerting me to this book. As a cook, this ended up being a highlight of my Women’s History Reading month.
4 stars
A Woman’s Place is divided into three sections: innovators, instigators, and inventors. Each cook or group of cooks is given three pages describing her role in culinary history, complete with full page illustrations that highlight her accomplishments. As one who enjoys both cooking and history, I learned a variety of new historical facts and trivia that will make for intriguing discussions at my supper table. Some that stood out, but not limited to, included:
•Georgia Gilmore formed the Club from Nowhere in Montgomery. Along with a team of women, they sold African American soul food all over Montgomery to raise money for their brethren to get to work during the city’s bus boycott.
•Leah Chase fed generations of civil rights leaders at her family’s Dooky Chase’s Restaurant. The Queen Of Creole provided the first integrated restaurant in New Orleans and was later immortalized in the Disney movie The Princess and the Frog.
•In 1917 the Girl Scout troop in Muskogee, Oklahoma wanted to send gifts to soldiers but needed funds to do so and decided to hold a bake sale to raise money. The Girl Scout cookie was born and one hundred years later the annual sale has grown to an $800 million venture.
•Nancy Johnson and Agnes Marshall invented a modern method to make ice cream in the 19th century, allowing the masses to eat a food that before had only been enjoyed by the wealthy. For this, I am eternally grateful.
•Josephine Cochrane introduced the dish washer at the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago. By the 1950s this appliance was found in every American home, freeing up women to enjoy leisure time and begin to contemplate a movement that would lead to glass ceilings shattering everywhere.
A Woman’s Place ended up being a fun ride through women’s history in a how we got to now format. I was interested in the cooks’ stories and captivated by the illustrations. Some of the recipes including Girl Scout Cookie cake and Sweet and Spicy Beer Chili look easy enough to try at home. My daughters are interested in this book as well and will be engaging it and then hopefully trying some of the recipes in our kitchen. Thank you to my goodreads friend Diane for alerting me to this book. As a cook, this ended up being a highlight of my Women’s History Reading month.
4 stars
June 17, 2019
This was a beautifully-illustrated, informative, and fun book on women who have made a difference in the culinary world. Although it was mostly western, there were a good number of women of color. I read a few pages each night before bed as a very enjoyable way to wind down at the very end of the day.
Recommended for anyone (10 and up maybe) interested in food or women’s history!
Recommended for anyone (10 and up maybe) interested in food or women’s history!
November 6, 2021
“If a woman’s place has always been in the kitchen, then why does culinary history read like the guest list of some old boys’ club?”
This is the question that inspired Deepi Ahluwalia and Jessica Olah, who have four decades of experience in the food industry, to author A Woman’s Place aiming to share the stories of more than 80 women who have left a lasting mark on history, and whose contribution to the culinary world is often overlooked.
A Woman’s Place is divided into three sections, headed Innovators, Instigators, and Inventors. Accompanied by full page illustrations, the biographies of each woman, or group of women, are quite short, no more than a page or two, and highlight their connection to food. Recipes accompany some of the entries.
As I was reading I decided to make a note of the entries that surprised or intrigued me to mention in this review, but the list quickly became very long. Ahluwalia and Olah start with Catherine de’ Medici who introduced both Italian ingredients and the use of the fork to the French in the 1500’s, and ends with the San Antonio Chili Queens who sparked the development of Tex-Mex, a popular and uniquely American cuisine. In between are women from varying countries and cultures, through the ages. It’s a joy that women’s historic contributions are finally being recognised and lauded.
A Woman’s Place can be read in one sitting, or browsed when you have a few spare minutes. It is suitable for a wide range of ages, and should appeal not only to foodies but readers interested in history, culture or feminism.
This is the question that inspired Deepi Ahluwalia and Jessica Olah, who have four decades of experience in the food industry, to author A Woman’s Place aiming to share the stories of more than 80 women who have left a lasting mark on history, and whose contribution to the culinary world is often overlooked.
A Woman’s Place is divided into three sections, headed Innovators, Instigators, and Inventors. Accompanied by full page illustrations, the biographies of each woman, or group of women, are quite short, no more than a page or two, and highlight their connection to food. Recipes accompany some of the entries.
As I was reading I decided to make a note of the entries that surprised or intrigued me to mention in this review, but the list quickly became very long. Ahluwalia and Olah start with Catherine de’ Medici who introduced both Italian ingredients and the use of the fork to the French in the 1500’s, and ends with the San Antonio Chili Queens who sparked the development of Tex-Mex, a popular and uniquely American cuisine. In between are women from varying countries and cultures, through the ages. It’s a joy that women’s historic contributions are finally being recognised and lauded.
A Woman’s Place can be read in one sitting, or browsed when you have a few spare minutes. It is suitable for a wide range of ages, and should appeal not only to foodies but readers interested in history, culture or feminism.
June 25, 2019
Great for adults and middle-grade and older readers alike! I learned so much new information about women’s contribution to food and food science. The biographies are easy to read and interesting - with recipes scattered throughout. This book brings food history alive with an eye to diversity and inclusion throughout.
September 20, 2020
Beautifully illustrated, this provides an overview of lots of different women that makes you wanna research further.
August 27, 2023
THIS BOOK BEGAN WITH A QUESTION: If a woman’s place has always been in the kitchen, then why does culinary history read like the guest list of some old boys’ club? ...We knew that women had been there all along, and when we looked, we found countless women who changed the world of food. And we also found women who used food to change the world. We learned that women made the peanut butter and jelly sandwich and the modern-day doughnut, but we also learned that they made history. Some used food for protest, as a tool to make people feel something—pride, outrage, or a call to action. For these women, food was political in surprising and subtle ways: in making freshly churned ice cream a treat for everyone regardless of class; in a recipe for Chinese stir-fry that gave expatriate families a taste of home; in a fried chicken sandwich that financed a community of civil rights activists.
- From A Woman's Place: The Inventors, Rumrunners, Lawbreakers, Scientists, and Single Moms Who Changed the World with Food by Deepi Ahluwalia
A Woman's Place catalogues the many and varied women who've contributed to world history and culture through food. With concise write-ups about diverse women (in terms of geographic location, class, family status, time period, etc), it is well written, beautifully illustrated (the art style is more cartoony than realistic, but I really liked it!), interesting, uplifting, and fun. It is clearly aimed a child/juvenile audience, and I'd say that is probably appropriate for children in elementary to middle school. Younger children might need help with some of the vocab, but older kids should be able to read it just fine. This is a book I would recommend or gift to a child or their adult.
- From A Woman's Place: The Inventors, Rumrunners, Lawbreakers, Scientists, and Single Moms Who Changed the World with Food by Deepi Ahluwalia
A Woman's Place catalogues the many and varied women who've contributed to world history and culture through food. With concise write-ups about diverse women (in terms of geographic location, class, family status, time period, etc), it is well written, beautifully illustrated (the art style is more cartoony than realistic, but I really liked it!), interesting, uplifting, and fun. It is clearly aimed a child/juvenile audience, and I'd say that is probably appropriate for children in elementary to middle school. Younger children might need help with some of the vocab, but older kids should be able to read it just fine. This is a book I would recommend or gift to a child or their adult.
December 30, 2020
Had this on my "to read" list for awhile and was glad I could finally snag a copy as my library didn't have one. You're probably familiar with the concept of the woman's place being in the home (specifically the kitchen) and this turns that concept on its head a bit. Sure, did you know a woman developed the peanut butter and jelly sandwich? Also, did you know many great women have worked in/discovered things/created their inventions in the kitchen?
The covers short profiles of various women and what they did and what they contributed. Each profile is about a page or two long, with gorgeous art plus a few recipes thrown into the mix. Women include those invented things like the aforementioned PB&J, the coffee filter, buffalo wings. You'll also read about women who fed movements from the kitchen and how certain famous women (Julia Child, Betty Crocker, etc.) made their livings and incomes from working in a kitchen.
So, it was an informative book and it did turn the concept of women being in the kitchen on its head a bit. That said, the profiles are very brief (as that's the book's purpose) so if you're looking for something that's more in-depth, this isn't it. However, this might be a good idea for a culinary student, a food history class or maybe a coffee table type book.
I enjoyed it, and didn't mind buying it as a bargain book. However, all things being equal I would have probably preferred it to be a library borrow.
The covers short profiles of various women and what they did and what they contributed. Each profile is about a page or two long, with gorgeous art plus a few recipes thrown into the mix. Women include those invented things like the aforementioned PB&J, the coffee filter, buffalo wings. You'll also read about women who fed movements from the kitchen and how certain famous women (Julia Child, Betty Crocker, etc.) made their livings and incomes from working in a kitchen.
So, it was an informative book and it did turn the concept of women being in the kitchen on its head a bit. That said, the profiles are very brief (as that's the book's purpose) so if you're looking for something that's more in-depth, this isn't it. However, this might be a good idea for a culinary student, a food history class or maybe a coffee table type book.
I enjoyed it, and didn't mind buying it as a bargain book. However, all things being equal I would have probably preferred it to be a library borrow.
March 18, 2019
I am using this in the "Book You Picked Entirely Based on the Cover" category in Extreme Book Nerd.
I saw this on a celebrity chef's Instagram feed.....and I was HOOKED. I knew I had to give it a try. After all, I love food and this history of it. I enjoyed seeing the impact that women have had throughout the generations. From playing integral parts in inventing champagne, ice cream machines, and Toll House cookies to how women helped countries, political movements, and their families....this book is inspiring. It's quite interesting to note that kitchens used to be more women dominant than they are now. (Celebrity chefs, when people think of them, are often male it feels like).
The only reason I gave this four out of five stars is because I wanted more information. Perhaps I wanted it annotated so I could find the source material more easily. These tidbits averaged about two pages per woman (and with gorgeous illustrations that captured the essence of the individual!). So it made for an easy read. BUT it could have gone so much deeper......
I would recommend this book to many. I now also have learned about other female foodies that I want to do more research on.
I saw this on a celebrity chef's Instagram feed.....and I was HOOKED. I knew I had to give it a try. After all, I love food and this history of it. I enjoyed seeing the impact that women have had throughout the generations. From playing integral parts in inventing champagne, ice cream machines, and Toll House cookies to how women helped countries, political movements, and their families....this book is inspiring. It's quite interesting to note that kitchens used to be more women dominant than they are now. (Celebrity chefs, when people think of them, are often male it feels like).
The only reason I gave this four out of five stars is because I wanted more information. Perhaps I wanted it annotated so I could find the source material more easily. These tidbits averaged about two pages per woman (and with gorgeous illustrations that captured the essence of the individual!). So it made for an easy read. BUT it could have gone so much deeper......
I would recommend this book to many. I now also have learned about other female foodies that I want to do more research on.
May 22, 2019
This was a really fun read. Because of the wonderful range of types of food, cultures and time period. And because I loved the colors and illustration style. It's a collection of all kinds of stories: Nancy Johnson who invented the ice cream maker; Nitza Villapol, who celebrated Cuban cooking and culture; Melitta Benz, who invented the coffee filter.... I had to return the book to the library, but I'd like to check it out again. I wish the book had been longer and more detailed about each of the women profiled. Because I know some have cookbooks, but I'd love to read a really well-written biography. I'd also like to revisit this book with a Wikipedia editing window open to make sure these ladies are represented.
April 19, 2021
I really thought I’d like this one. The illustrations are great and it’s cool that it has recipes. I love the premise as well. But the stories are so dry. They are too short and read like a quick fact with no opportunity for me to feel engaged in any of the stories or connected to the heroines. If they had chosen fewer stories to feature and gone into much more detail, I think I would’ve been able to get interested in the stories. I couldn’t get through them all. This may be a good coffee table book, but I didn’t find it enjoyable to read.
May 31, 2019
Ooh, what lovely book. An illustrated book of women in the kitchen: the innovators, instigators, and inventors. Contained a wide selection of women from many paths in life, with a quick piece for each about their accomplishments and importance. I enjoyed it greatly, and am using it as a guide to learn more about these women. Includes a list of further reading (a favourite part of good books), and beautiful artwork. Definitely need to buy, and make everyone read!
July 22, 2019
Cool concept — I think this would be best as a coffee table book or a book sitting in a cafe or restaurant. Not really a “sit down and read” kind of book. I did really like the diversity included in the book. I would have appreciated more recipes — maybe one for each person profiled even. Final criticism was that while the illustrations were charming and colorful, they didn’t *really* look like the people they were supposed to be. But that’s just being ultra nit picky.
August 29, 2020
Negative point: why was KOSHER salt put into every recipe, including the ones that originated in 18th and 19th centuries cookery?! #fakenews
Negative point: why was (secret) Jewish wife of a Portuguese trader featured?! Did she do research into where these 'spices' came from? #cancelculture
I would have loved this totally if not for these 2 reprehensible errors of judgement.
Negative point: why was (secret) Jewish wife of a Portuguese trader featured?! Did she do research into where these 'spices' came from? #cancelculture
I would have loved this totally if not for these 2 reprehensible errors of judgement.
August 5, 2019
Really well-researched and insightful book with brief, compelling stories of some of the most influential women in food culture.
Honestly, I just wanted more -- more stories, more recipes, more everything.
Honestly, I just wanted more -- more stories, more recipes, more everything.
June 27, 2020
The title is only listed correctly on the Kindle edition. It's A Woman's Place: The Inventors, Rumrunners, Lawbreakers, Scientists & Single Moms Who Changed the World with Food and it's great! I loved the illustrations and wish it was 100 pages longer.
March 27, 2019
What a cool, fun book! I learned so much about women who have been effectively written out of history, and the illustrations were great!
April 22, 2019
This was a really good starting point to lead me to other reading or cookbooks. I was impressed by how many names I had never heard of before.
April 30, 2019
This was a really interesting book, lots of neat illustrations and also a lot of facts about amazing woman all over the world who helped create the things we know and love.
May 2, 2019
This was a quick and easy read about the women who have made an impact int he "world of food". Interesting . Each chapter is just 2-3 pages and gives quick glimpse into the contribution.
December 1, 2020
Good list of women who have had an impact on food cultures and business. Some already well known, and other more obscure. It would have been nice to have more in-depth biographies.
Read
June 18, 2021Challenge: Read a nonfiction about food
November 19, 2022
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars
August 6, 2025
Interesting if a bit abbreviated illustrated review of women critical to culinary history, medieval to modern
decided-against
September 21, 2025There's a Zionist cookbook author (Erna Meyer) in this book
January 10, 2024
I saw this book on a library display during Women's History Month and was attracted by its bright graphics and the chance to learn more about women who shaped culinary history. However, it took me a while to sit down and finally read it after renewing it and checking it out multiple times.
I'm not sure who the target audience is, the graphics, tone, and short (2 to 3-page) biographies made it seem more like a middle school book, but it was shelved in the adult section of the library. Overall it's fun and easy read. However, it's best enjoyed over some time by reading about one or two ladies each day. It's a great book for someone with an interest in woman's history, food history or trivia.
I'm not sure who the target audience is, the graphics, tone, and short (2 to 3-page) biographies made it seem more like a middle school book, but it was shelved in the adult section of the library. Overall it's fun and easy read. However, it's best enjoyed over some time by reading about one or two ladies each day. It's a great book for someone with an interest in woman's history, food history or trivia.
April 10, 2019
3.5 stars. This book was a great introduction to a lot of figures I'd never heard of, and I love the subversiveness of the title. I did find myself wishing for more depth. In hindsight I think I would have enjoyed longer entries on fewer women even more—I think each section (Innovators, Instigators, Inventors) could easily be expanded into its own volume and the profiles fleshed out.
As written, though, I think it could be an accessible adult-child read-along (perhaps with some vetting; the word badass does appear a couple of times, not without warrant). It certainly provides a jumping off point for more study, and I appreciated the Further Reading list at the end along those lines.
As written, though, I think it could be an accessible adult-child read-along (perhaps with some vetting; the word badass does appear a couple of times, not without warrant). It certainly provides a jumping off point for more study, and I appreciated the Further Reading list at the end along those lines.
July 6, 2020
"Countless women who changed the world of food ...and women who used food to change the world. A Woman's Place is about telling their stories, giving these fierce women a face and a voice. It's about changing the narrative about women in the food world."
April 24, 2019
I loved the pictures and all of the information! They really did their research!
July 28, 2019
Great history of impact women have had on the culinary arts.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews