Becky Selengut

Selengut was raised in New Jersey, where she developed an early passion for cooking inspired by her grandmother.{{Cite web |last=Reeves |first=Hilary |date=2022-05-10 |title=Thea Foss chef dedicated to preserving SCA, SMA for future generations |url=https://peopleofsaltchuk.com/thea-foss-chef-dedicated-to-preserving-sca-sma-for-future-generations/ |access-date=2025-02-05 |website=People of Saltchuk |language=en-US}} She completed her alma mater at Blair Academy.{{Cite web |date=2019-10-24 |title=Chef & Author Becky Selengut '88 Visited Society of Skeptics |url=https://www.blair.edu/about-blair/publications-news/post/~board/news/post/chef-author-becky-selengut-88-visited-society-of-skeptics |access-date=2025-02-05 |website=www.blair.edu |language=en-US}} Selengut studied sociology at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, where she was also a member of the 1989-90 William Smith Basketball roster.{{Cite web |title=1988-89 William Smith Basketball Roster |url=https://hwsathletics.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/1988-89 |access-date=2025-02-05 |website=Hobart and William Smith Colleges Athletics |language=en}}

Selengut’s initial goal of becoming a surgeon led her to a career in public health. She later moved to Seattle from Washington, D.C., to enroll in the University of Washington's School of Medicine. She worked at a doctor's office while waiting to establish residency for in-state tuition. She became interested in culinary arts after seeing chefs in the area, eventually pursuing this new path. She graduated from the Seattle Culinary Academy with top honors in 1999.{{Cite web |date=2013-03-25 |title=Becky Selengut – Quillisascut |url=https://quillisascut.com/2013/03/25/becky-selengut/ |access-date=2025-02-05 |language=en-US}}

After completing her studies at the Seattle Culinary Academy, Selengut worked in various Seattle restaurants, including the internationally renowned Herbfarm Restaurant, where she worked under chef Jerry Traunfeld.{{Cite web |last=Silva |first=Jenise |date=2024-06-14 |title=New memoir and cookbook 'The Spirit of The Herbfarm Restaurant' celebrates PNW icon |url=https://seattlerefined.com/eat-drink/new-memoir-and-cookbook-the-spirit-of-the-herbfarm-restaurant-celebrates-beloved-journey-founder-ron-zimmerman-fall-city-woodinville-carrie-van-dyck-farm-to-table-pioneers-pnw |access-date=2025-02-05 |website=Seattle Refined |language=en}} She also worked under Chef Sabrina Tinsley at La Spiga.{{Cite web |date=2024-01-11 |title=Becky Selengut Going Out Of Her Way |url=https://www.spiritoftheherbfarm.com/blogs/supporter-spotlight/becky-selengut-going-out-of-her-way?srsltid=AfmBOorKAHjN4D3oilx7rQFmZ_1C9-uVsU8JUrUnn_iinfZRqabI9Gf8 |access-date=2025-02-05 |website=The Spirit of The Herbfarm Restaurant |language=en}}

In 2004, she transitioned into private chef work and culinary education, founding her business Cornucopia, which offers private chef services and cooking classes.{{Cite web |last=Mag |first=Seattle |date=2011-05-02 |title=Sustainable seafood expert Becky Selengut's new cookbook |url=https://seattlemag.com/food-and-culture/sustainable-seafood-expert-becky-selenguts-new-cookbook/ |access-date=2025-02-05 |website=Seattle magazine |language=en-US}}

In 2006, she created the educational website Seasonal Cornucopia, which provided resources on seasonal ingredients and their culinary uses.{{Cite web |date=2011-06-16 |title=Becky Selengut Good Fish Book Signing |url=https://patch.com/washington/kirkland/amp/7470262/becky-selengut-good-fish-book-signing |access-date=2025-02-05 |website=Kirkland, WA Patch |language=en}}

In addition to her work as a private chef, Selengut has engaged in diverse culinary projects, such as cooking aboard a yacht, foraging tours, and working with immigrants and refugees to help them find employment in the food industry.{{Cite news |last=Condor |first=Bob |title=Living Well: Chef's Web site fills in the blanks on local foods |url=https://www.seattlepi.com/lifestyle/health/article/Living-Well-Chef-s-Web-site-fills-in-the-blanks-1193343.php |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}

She has also taught cooking classes at various institutions, including Bastyr University and PCC Natural Markets.

Selengut taught at The Pantry Cooking School for 10 years, where she developed and taught courses such as the 'Misunderstood Vegetables' class.{{Cite web |date=2024-02-09 |title=A new cookbook celebrates vegetable diversity and inclusion, with humor |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/pacific-nw-magazine/a-new-cookbook-celebrates-vegetable-diversity-and-inclusion-with-humor/ |access-date=2025-02-05 |website=The Seattle Times |language=en-US}}

She has authored several cookbooks, primarily focusing on sustainability, foraging, and exploring underutilized food items.{{Cite web |last=Swartz |first=Meghan |date=2018-10-25 |title=Visiting Seattle chef highlights sustainable seafood |url=https://www.postguam.com/island_life/maila_ta_fan_boka/visiting-seattle-chef-highlights-sustainable-seafood/article_395038a2-d72a-11e8-ab05-2fe0998c95f6.html |access-date=2025-02-05 |website=The Guam Daily Post |language=en}}

Selengut co-authored The Washington Local and Seasonal Cookbook in 2008, highlighting regional and seasonal ingredients.{{Cite web |title=Becky Selengut with Bethany Jean Clement: Misunderstood Vegetables at Town Hall Seattle in Seattle, WA - Wednesday, April 3, 2024 |url=https://everout.com/seattle/events/becky-selengut-with-bethany-jean-clement-misunderstood-vegetables/e172491/ |access-date=2025-02-05 |website=EverOut Seattle}} Her second book, Good Fish: Sustainable Seafood Recipes from the Pacific Coast (2011), emphasizes the importance of sustainable seafood practices and was an IACP (International Association of Culinary Professionals) book award finalist. Good Fish was also named one of the best cookbooks of 2011 by Seattle Magazine and a notable read by NPR. The book was later rereleased in an updated edition in 2018.{{Cite news |title=Back To Basics: 2011's Simple, Summery Cookbooks |url=https://www.npr.org/2011/06/05/136862764/back-to-basics-2011s-simple-summery-cookbooks |access-date=2025-02-05 |work=NPR |language=en}}

In 2014, Selengut published Shroom: Mind-Bendingly Good Recipes for Cultivated and Wild Mushrooms, named one of NPR's top 10 cookbooks of the year.{{Cite web |last=Weaver |first=Stephanie |date=2014-12-23 |title=Cookbook review: Shroom by Becky Selengut |url=https://migrainereliefrecipes.com/cookbook-review-shroom-becky-selengut/ |access-date=2025-02-05 |website=Migraine Relief Recipes |language=en-US}} This book explores the culinary uses of cultivated and wild mushrooms, showcasing a wide variety of flavors and textures.{{Cite news |last=Chang |first=T.Susan |title='Shroom,' reviewed by T. Susan Chang |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/food/2021/09/06/dried-mushrooms-cooking-tips/ |work=The Washington Post}}

She released her fifth book, How to Taste: The Curious Cook’s Handbook to Seasoning and Balance, From Umami to Acid and Beyond in 2018.{{Cite web |title=Review: Chef/instructor/author Becky Selengut teaches us How to Taste – Blue Kitchen |url=https://blue-kitchen.com/2018/11/21/review-how-to-taste/ |access-date=2025-02-05 |website=blue-kitchen.com}} The book has also been released in both Taiwanese and Chinese editions.

In 2024, Selengut released Misunderstood Vegetables, which focuses on lesser-known vegetables such as rutabaga, kohlrabi, and burdock root. The book has received critical acclaim, including a favorable review by Florence Fabricant in The New York Times.{{Cite news |last=Fabricant |first=Florence |date=2024-02-20 |title=The Wine Shop Millesima USA Doubles in Size for Its World-Class Selection |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/20/dining/millesima-usa-wine-shop.html |access-date=2025-02-05 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}

Selengut has appeared in various media outlets, including NPR, and has written for publications such as Serious Eats and Eating Well.

She was the co-host of the Field to Fork podcast, which highlighted local food topics in the Pacific Northwest. In addition to her written work, she has also given talks and keynotes on sustainability, cooking, and foraging.{{Cite web |title={{!}} Eat Your Books |url=https://www.eatyourbooks.com/blog/2018/07/30/how-to-taste-by-becky-selengut |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20240528095257/https://www.eatyourbooks.com/blog/2018/07/30/how-to-taste-by-becky-selengut |archive-date=2024-05-28 |access-date=2025-02-05 |website=www.eatyourbooks.com |language=en}}

In 2010, Selengut co-hosted a podcast called Look Inside This Book Club, where she and her co-host Matthew Amster-Burton humorously reviewed romance novels based solely on their "look inside" previews.

Selengut’s work reflects on sustainable cooking practices and advocates for environmental consciousness in the culinary world.{{Cite web |title=The best books that take you on a journey into the fantastic world of fungi |url=https://shepherd.com/best-books/a-journey-into-the-fantastic-world-of-fungi |access-date=2025-02-05 |website=Shepherd |language=en}}

In addition to her work in cooking education, Selengut has maintained a strong connection to her alma mater, Blair Academy, where she returned in October 2019 to give a talk as part of the Society of Skeptics lecture series.

Selengut is married to April Pogue, a sommelier and general manager who previously worked at Loulay in Seattle under chef Thierry Rautureau, as well as other high-profile establishments.{{Cite web |date=2018-02-06 |title=Love and food: The stories of 5 restaurant-industry couples |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/life/food-drink/love-and-food-the-stories-of-5-restaurant-industry-couples/ |access-date=2025-02-05 |website=The Seattle Times |language=en-US}}

• {{Cite book |last=Selengut |first=Becky |url=https://www.abebooks.com/9789768200464/Washington-Local-Seasonal-Cookbook-Selengut-9768200464/plp |title=Washington Local and Seasonal Cookbook |last2=Sayers |first2=Jennifer |publisher=Lone Pine International |year=2008 |isbn=9789768200464 |pages=192 |language=English}}
• {{Cite book |last=Selengut |first=Becky |url=https://www.amazon.com/Good-Fish-Sustainable-Seafood-Recipes/dp/1632171074 |title=Good fish: 100 sustainable seafood recipes from the Pacific Coast |date=2018 |publisher=Sasquatch Books |isbn=978-1-63217-107-8 |location=Seattle}}
• {{Cite book |last=Selengut |first=Becky |title=Shroom: Mind-bendingly Good Recipes for Cultivated and Wild Mushrooms |date= |publisher=Andrews McMeel Publishing |year=2014 |isbn=978-1449448264 |publication-date= |pages=240 |language=English}}
• {{Cite book |last=Selengut |first=Becky |url=https://www.amazon.com/Not-One-Shrine-Writers-Devour/dp/1532858604 |title=Not One Shrine: Two Food Writers Devour Tokyo |last2=Amster-Burton |first2=Matthew |publisher=CreateSpace |isbn=978-1532858604 |publication-date=2016 |pages=154 |language=English}}
•  {{Cite book |last=Selengut |first=Becky |url=https://www.amazon.com/Good-Fish-Sustainable-Seafood-Recipes/dp/1632171074 |title=Good Fish: 100 Sustainable Seafood Recipes from the Pacific Coast |date=2018 |publisher=Sasquatch Books |isbn=978-1-63217-107-8 |location=Erscheinungsort nicht ermittelbar |pages=336 |language=English}}
• {{Cite book |last=Selengut |first=Becky |url=https://www.amazon.com/How-Taste-Handbook-Seasoning-Beyond/dp/1632171058#:~:text=Book%20details&text=You'll%20learn%20how%20to,a%20%22supertaster%22%20or%20not. |title=How to Taste: The Curious Cook's Handbook to Seasoning and Balance, from Umami to Acid and Beyond--With Recipes |date=2018 |publisher=Sasquatch Books |isbn=978-1-63217-105-4 |location=Erscheinungsort nicht ermittelbar}}
• {{Cite book |last=Selengut |first=Becky |url=https://www.worldcat.org/title/on1416705393 |title=Misunderstood vegetables: how to fall in love with sunchokes, rutabaga, eggplant, and more |last2=Barboza |first2=Clare |date=2024 |publisher=Countryman Press, an imprint of W. W. Norton & Company |isbn=978-1-68268-803-8 |location=New York, NY |oclc=on1416705393}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://www.seriouseats.com/becky-selengut-5118564 Becky Selengut] at Serious Eats
• [https://www.eatingwell.com/author/becky-selengut/ Becky Selengut] at EatingWell
• [https://www.youtube.com/@BeckySelengutchef Becky Selengut's Official YouTube Channel]
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNnWeu0yDs4 Becky Selengut How to clean a geoduck]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Selengut, Becky}}

Category:1970 births

Category:Living people

Category:American cookbook writers

Category:American women chefs

Category:LGBTQ people from New Jersey

Category:Hobart and William Smith Colleges alumni

Category:Blair Academy alumni

Category:Writers from New Jersey

Category:American food writers

Category:American women food writers

Category:American non-fiction writers