Sheila Lukins Papers
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Abstract
Sheila Lukins (1942- 2009) was a food writer, cookbook author, grocery-store owner, and caterer. She was a co-author of The Silver Palate Cookbook, and later became the food editor of Parade magazine, succeeding Julia Child in the position and contributing to her column there, "Simply Delicious." The Sheila Lukins Papers include drafts of recipes for Parade magazine; notebooks containing writing on foods from the United States and around the world; correspondence; publicity and press clippings for Lukins, her store, and her cookbooks; issues of Parade magazine and other magazines; CD-ROMs; and videocassettes.
Biographical Note
Sheila Lukins (1942- 2009) was a food writer, cookbook author, grocer, and caterer. Born in Philadelphia, PA, and raised in Norwalk and Westport, CT, Lukins attended Tyler School of Fine Arts and the School of Visual Arts, and received a bachelor's in Art Education from the New York University in 1970. After graduating, Lukins moved to London with her husband, Richard Lukins, where she attended Le Cordon Bleu. On returning to New York in 1972, Lukins began the Other Woman Catering Company out of her apartment at the Dakota, at Central Park West and 72nd Street. In 1977, she opened the Silver Palate gourmet grocery with partner Julee Russo on the Upper West Side.
With Russo, Lukins coauthored The Silver Palate Cookbook, in 1982, which has since sold more than two and a half million copies. Lukins went on to author other bestselling cookbooks, such as The Silver Palate Cookbook, The Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook, U.S.A. Cookbook, The New Basics Cookbook, Celebrate! and All Around the World Cookbook.
In 1986, Lukins became the food editor of Parade magazine, succeeding Julia Childs in the position, and contributing to her column there, "Simply Delicious".
In 1988, The Silver Palate was sold to investors and eventually closed, in 1993. Lukins won many awards as a small-business owner and a cookbook author and was a member of Les Dames d'Escoffier, the American Institute of Wine and Food, the James Beard Foundation, and the International Association of Cooking Professionals.
References
Moskin, J. (2009, August 30). "Sheila Lukins, 66, Dies; Awakened Taste Buds." The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/31/dining/31lukins.html.
Parade. (2009, August 30). "Sheila Lukins, PARADE's Beloved Food Columnist, Dies at 66." Retrieved from http://www.parade.com/news/2009/08/sheila-lukins.html.
Nelson, V. J. (2009, September 1). "Sheila Lukins dies at 66; co-author of 'The Silver Palate' cookbook." Los Angeles Times. Retrieved from http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-sheila-lukins1-2009sep01,0,1812170.story.
Star Chefs. (2000). "Sheila Lukins." http://www.starchefs.com/SLuins/html/bio_s_lukins.shtml.
Arrangement
Material, when dated, is arranged chronologically. All undated material is arranged alphabetically by folder label in order to facillitate ease of access.
Scope and Contents
The Sheila Lukins Papers includes drafts of recipes for Parade magazine; notebooks containing writing on foods from the United States and around the world; correspondence; publicity and press clippings for Lukins, her store, and her cookbooks; issues of Parade magazine and other magazines (some of which include work by or about Lukins); cookbook CD-ROMs by Lukins; and videocassettes featuring Lukins's television appearances.
The collection is arranged into five series:
Series I: Professional Files
Series II: Photographic Materials
Series III: Media
Series IV: Periodicals and Clippings
Series V: Objects
Subjects
Conditions Governing Access
Materials are open to researchers. Please contact the Fales Library and Special Collections, fales.library@nyu.edu, 212-998-2596.
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright (or related rights to publicity and privacy) for materials in this collection was not transferred to New York University. Permission to use materials must be secured from the copyright holder. Please contact the Fales Library and Special Collections, fales.library@nyu.edu, 212-998-2596.
Preferred Citation
Published citations should take the following form:
Identification of item, date (if known); Sheila Lukins Papers; MSS 281; box number; folder number; Fales Library and Special Collections, New York University Libraries.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Audiovisual and born-digital materials have not been preserved and may not be available to researchers.
Separated Materials
The following books were removed and cataloged as part of the Fales Food Studies Book Collection. They can be located by searching "Sheila Lukins" in BobCat, the NYU catalog.
Gale, Bill. (1970). A Gentleman's Guide to Memorable Hospitality.
Fast, Barry. (1984). The Catfish Cookbook.
Gifts from the Christmas Kitchen. c. 1
Gifts from the Christmas Kitchen. c. 2
The Silver Palate Pantry Recipes.
