OK Nancy Silverton--CHEF!! I realized I hadn't featured any female chefs so I figured the first one had to be legit.No Anne Burrells, no Sandra Lees, no Giada de Laurentis', and definately no Rachel Rays.
Chef Silverton was the head pastry chef at Wolfgang Pucks Spago from 1982-1989 when she left to open the celebrated Campanille resturant and La Brea Bakery in Los Angeles with her then husband Mark Peel.
She has written three cookbooks, Desserts and Nancy Silverton's Breads from the La Brea Bakery, Mark Peel and Nancy Silverton At Home: Two Chefs Cook for Family and Friends, and The Food of Campanile.
A solid career from a pre Food Network Era Chef.