Nathalie Dupree facts for kids

Nathalie Evelyn Dupree (born Meyer; December 23, 1939 – January 13, 2025) was a famous American chef, author, and TV host. She was known for her work with Southern American cooking. Nathalie Dupree was the first woman since Julia Child to host over 100 cooking shows on public television. Her first show was New Southern Cooking with Nathalie Dupree, and she went on to host eight more series.

Early Life and Learning to Cook

Nathalie Evelyn Meyer was born in Hamilton, New Jersey, on December 23, 1939. She grew up with her mother and two siblings in Virginia and Texas. She went to college but did not finish her degree.

Her first cooking experience was in 1958 at Harvard University. It didn't go very well! Later, in the late 1960s, Nathalie and her husband David Dupree moved to London. There, she took a class at the famous Le Cordon Bleu cooking school. She enjoyed it so much that she stayed for more classes and earned a certificate. While studying, she met Julia Child, another famous chef, who told her she should teach cooking.

A Career in Cooking and Television

After her cooking studies, Dupree managed a kitchen at a restaurant in Majorca. She later opened her own restaurant called "Nathalie's" in Social Circle, Georgia. At her restaurant, she used French cooking methods to make traditional Southern American dishes.

From 1975, Nathalie Dupree became the director of a cooking school at Rich's department store in Atlanta. She taught over 10,000 students during her ten years there. Many famous chefs, like Julia Child and Jacques Pepin, also visited and taught at the school.

Dupree's first TV show, New Southern Cooking with Nathalie Dupree, started after a flour company offered to sponsor it. This show and a cookbook made her very well-known across the country. She was inspired by Graham Kerr's show The Galloping Gourmet. Nathalie Dupree's show was special because she wasn't afraid to show her mistakes. She encouraged viewers not to worry about their own cooking errors.

Nathalie Dupree wrote 15 cookbooks, selling almost a million copies. She hosted over 300 cooking shows that aired on PBS, The Food Network, and The Learning Channel since 1986. She also appeared on popular morning shows like Today and Good Morning America. She won many awards for her work, including four James Beard Awards. She was famous for making Southern food popular and showing that it could be a serious and respected type of cooking.

She also helped start and lead many important cooking organizations. These included the International Association of Culinary Professionals and Les Dames d' Escoffier. She also helped create the Charleston Food and Wine Festival.

Later Life and Interests

In the late 1990s, Dupree moved to Charleston, South Carolina. She wrote a newspaper column and became a supporter of dining and cooking in the city. In 1994, she married her third husband, Jack Bass, who was an author and historian.

In 2010, Nathalie Dupree ran a special campaign for a Senate seat in South Carolina. She wanted to "cook the goose" of the person already in office and "bring home the bacon" for her state.

In 2020, she moved to Raleigh, North Carolina, to be closer to her husband's family. She lived in a retirement community and passed away on January 13, 2025, at the age of 85.

Books by Nathalie Dupree

• Nathalie Dupree Cooks for Family and Friends (1991)
• Nathalie Dupree’s Matters of Taste (1992)
• Nathalie Dupree Cooks Great Meals For Busy Days (1994)
• Nathalie Dupree Cooks Everyday Meals From A Well-Stocked Pantry (1995)
• Nathalie Dupree Cooks Quick Meals For Busy Days (1996)
• New Southern Cooking (2004)
• Nathalie Dupree's Southern Memories Recipes and Reminiscences (2004)
• Mastering the Art of Southern Vegetables (2013)
• Mastering the Art of Southern Cooking (2012)
• Nathalie Dupree's Comfortable Entertaining At Home with Ease and Grace (2013)
• Nathalie Dupree's Shrimp and Grits (2014) – with Marion Sullivan
• Southern Biscuits (2011) – with Cynthia Graubart
• Nathalie Dupree’s Favorite Stories & Recipes (2019)