Ingrid Espelid Hovig facts for kids
Ingrid Espelid Hovig (born June 3, 1924 – died August 3, 2018) was a famous Norwegian TV chef and writer of cookbooks. For 26 years, from 1970 to 1996, she hosted her own cooking show called Fjernsynskjøkkenet. Because of this, many people called her the "culinary mother" of Norway. Some even compared her to the American chef Julia Child.
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Early Life and Background
Ingrid Espelid was born on Askøy, a place near Bergen. She grew up in Kleppestø. In 1950, she finished her studies at the Norwegian State College for Domestic Science Teachers. She also learned about French cuisine during a visit to Paris.
One of her brothers was Mons Espelid, a politician. Another brother, Halldor Espelid, was one of 50 Allied airmen. He died in 1944 after taking part in a famous escape from a German prisoner of war camp. This event was known as "the Great Escape."
Her Career as a Chef and Author
Ingrid Espelid Hovig joined the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK) in 1962. She worked as a program secretary for topics about food and consumers. She became one of the first TV stars in Norway. Between 1965 and 1998, she filmed 300 episodes of her popular cooking show.
She wrote more than 50 cookbooks. She also edited a very important cookbook called Den rutete kokeboken. Many people consider this book a national cookbook for Norway. In 2008, a newspaper called Dagbladet said her 1967 book, Ingrid Espelid ber til bords, was one of the 25 most important books written in Norway after 1945.
Even after she retired, she kept working on projects for publishers. She also took on other short jobs.
Hovig was also involved in politics. She was a candidate for the Liberal Party of Norway. She served as a deputy representative in the local council for Frogner, Oslo.
Awards and Recognition
Ingrid Espelid Hovig was the first person from outside America to get the Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Association of Culinary Professionals. In 1986, she received a Norwegian award called Kringkastingsprisen. In 1994, she was honored as a Knight, First Class, of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav. She was also an honorary judge at the first Bocuse d'Or Europe cooking competition in 2008.
In 2014, many famous Norwegian chefs created recipes for a special book. This book was made to honor Ingrid Espelid Hovig's big impact on cooking in Norway. It was called 90 dishes for Ingrid Espelid Hovig.
Personal Life
When she was 53 years old, Ingrid married an architect named Jan Inge Hovig. He designed the famous Arctic Cathedral in Tromsø. Sadly, he passed away from a heart attack just one week after their wedding. He was 57.
She was a member of the International Organisation of Good Templars. This is an organization that encourages a healthy lifestyle. When she was in her 80s, many women her age copied her special hairstyle.
Ingrid Espelid Hovig died on August 3, 2018, when she was 94 years old.
