María Luisa García facts for kids

María Luisa García Sánchez (born July 7, 1919 – died October 12, 2019) was a famous Spanish chef and cookbook writer. She was known as a top expert on Asturian cuisine, which is the traditional food from the Asturias region of Spain.

Her first cookbook, El arte de cocinar (which means The Art of Cooking), came out in 1970. It sold over half a million copies and became super popular in homes all over Asturias. It's still the best-selling Asturian cookbook ever! She also wrote a second part in 1982.

María Luisa García wrote other well-known books too. These include Platos típicos de Asturias (Typical Dishes of Asturias), released in 1971. She also worked with other chefs on El libro de oro de la cocina española (The Golden Book of Spanish Cuisine). This was a huge eight-volume encyclopedia about Spanish cuisine.

Life and Career of a Culinary Star

Early Life and Education

María Luisa García was born on July 7, 1919. Her birthplace was Cauxal, a small village in Turón, which is part of Mieres, Spain. Her mother, Leonor Sánchez, was a homemaker who passed away when María Luisa was young. Her father, José Antonio García, worked at a mining company.

María Luisa went to school at Colegio de las Dominicas and Instituto de Mieres. Her early life was challenging due to her mother's death and the Spanish Civil War.

Becoming a Chef and Teacher

After her mother died, María Luisa spent years taking care of her father and sisters. In 1957, when she was in her late 20s, she received a special scholarship. This allowed her to study at the Escuela de Especialidades Ruiz de Alda in Madrid.

There, she learned many things about cooking and food. She studied culinary arts, how to make food look good, and how to teach others. She also learned about dietetics, which is the science of food and nutrition.

In 1959, María Luisa returned to Mieres. She started her career as a cooking teacher. She began teaching classes in local community centers. Soon, her classes became very popular. By the mid-1960s, she was teaching two-month cooking courses all over Asturias. Many of her students were housewives who wanted to learn new recipes.

Publishing Famous Cookbooks

María Luisa's students and colleagues encouraged her to write down her recipes. They thought her cooking classes needed a textbook. So, in 1970, when she was 51, she published her first cookbook. It was called El arte de cocinar (The Art of Cooking).

She sold the first copies herself at a small booth at the Gijón Trade Fair. This helped her share her recipes with more people. María Luisa also edited and distributed the book herself. Since 1970, this cookbook has sold more than half a million copies. It is still the best-selling Asturian cookbook ever! By 2019, it was in its 30th edition. The book became a must-have in kitchens across Asturias. Some people even gave it as a wedding gift! In 1982, she released a second part, El arte de cocinar (parte 2).

María Luisa also released another popular cookbook in 1971. It was called Platos típicos de Asturias (Typical Dishes of Asturias). She also worked with other Spanish chefs on a huge eight-volume cooking encyclopedia. It was titled El libro de oro de la cocina española (The Golden Book of Spanish Cuisine). She was very careful and never published a recipe without cooking it herself first. An international version of her recipes, The Good Cook, was released in North America.

Cooking for the Pope

In the late 1970s, María Luisa married Manuel Fernández. He also worked at Fábrica de Mieres. Their wedding was held in Covadonga.

A very special moment in her career happened in 1989. María Luisa García prepared a meal for Pope John Paul II! The Pope was visiting the Principality of Asturias. The Archbishop of Oviedo asked her to cook for him. The dinner took place in Covadonga.

For the Pope and other important guests, María Luisa prepared famous regional dishes. These included cider sausages [es], Cantabrian hake, and Spanish omelettes. The beef for other dishes came from cows in Cangas de Onís. She also served smaller Asturian dishes and desserts. These included empanada de bonito [es], sea urchin caviar canapés, cream cheese, stewed beef, casadiellas, buñuelos, and cabrales cheese.

Later Years and Legacy

During the 1990s, María Luisa traveled to teach cooking. She led courses and workshops in Asturian cultural centers. She visited places like Argentina, Belgium, Germany, and Venezuela. The local government supported her trips.

She received several awards for her cooking and cultural work. These included the Golden Badge of Hospitality of Asturias. She also got the Grouse Award from the Asturian Center of Madrid.

María Luisa García passed away on October 12, 2019. She was 100 years old. She died at her home in Mieres, Asturias, due to complications from Alzheimer's disease. Her funeral was held at San Pedro Apóstol parish in Mieres.

See also

In Spanish: María Luisa García para niños