Julie Le Clerc has had an eventful culinary career both here in New Zealand and
overseas. Many years cooking in professional kitchens, running her own catering
business, setting up, owning and cooking for two highly successful cafés meant
Julie was able to develop her own individual style before turning her talents
to writing about food.Now this award-winning author's life is dedicated to the pursuit of good
food and culinary travel.
‘My cooking is partly inspired, partly invented, but essentially based on good-quality, fresh and natural ingredients cooked well to
deliver honest and vibrant tastes,’ says Julie of her cooking philosophy.
Reflecting
her café background and international
influences, Julie's 14 published cookbooks (Penguin Books NZ) are filled with
accessible, uncomplicated, clever recipes that encourage keen home cooks to put
together nourishing and naturally flavoursome dishes from scratch. Several of
Julie’s cookbooks have won local and international awards for excellence.
With a
particular passion for baking, Julie has gained a huge reputation for her
delightful and fail-safe recipes for cakes, pastries and other treats, many of
which are copied in cafés all over New Zealand.
Having a
strong presence in the print media for the past 15 years means Julie has developed
a very solid fan base and become well-known for creating innovative flavours
and trusted recipes you can rely on. Currently Food Editor for Next magazine,
Julie delivers even more of her inspiring recipes, guiding culinary advice and
handy hints to thousands of readers each month. Julie
finds this role also gives her a great opportunity to keep her finger on the
pulse of what readers want to cook at home and they type of cookery questions
they want answered.
Julie has also gained a big following as a
presenter through her cooking classes and demonstrations given at venues around
New Zealand (including ten years at The Food Show: Auckland, Wellington,
Christchurch). Julie sees her role as being a friend in the kitchen – she’s
there to entertain, guide and inspire, with recipes that are satisfying and
stylish – yet simple and accessible. And having gained lots of hard-won
knowledge from years cooking in café kitchens, Julie has plenty of nifty tricks to share.