Tanya Wenman Steel

Background

Tanya Wenman Steel was born in London on October 15, 1963, to David Edward Wenman and Carol Marian Wenman. She moved with her family to the United States in 1967 and was raised in New York City.

Steel has described discovering Julia Child's television program after the family's move to New York as an important early connection with cooking. She later became a food journalist and editor, while maintaining a family life that included her husband, Robert Steel, and their twin sons, William and Sanger.

Education

Steel studied English at The New School in New York and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1984. The New School, founded in 1919, developed as an institution emphasizing progressive education, the social sciences, and public engagement in New York City.

She subsequently pursued postgraduate study at Columbia University and New York University. Columbia, founded in 1754, is a major research university in New York; New York University, established in 1831, is an urban university with extensive programs in the humanities, media, and professional studies.

Career

Steel began her editorial career in magazine publishing, working with Mademoiselle, Diversion, Food & Wine, and Bon Appétit. These publications formed part of the American magazine environment in which food writing, restaurant criticism, lifestyle reporting, and service journalism reached broad national audiences. She later served as an editor and New York editor at Bon Appétit and wrote for The New York Times for four years.

She became editor-in-chief and editorial director of Epicurious.com, Gourmet Live, and Gourmet.com. Epicurious, launched in 1995 by Condé Nast, developed as a major digital food publication by combining recipes, culinary journalism, video, and contributions from its magazine brands. Steel also served as editorial director of Clean Plates, a digital food and health publication focused on sustainable and health-conscious eating.

Steel extended her work from food media into culinary education and public initiatives. She served as executive director of the Careers through Culinary Arts Program, a nonprofit organization that provides culinary training, employment support, scholarships, and career guidance to students. She was also executive director of the International Association of Culinary Professionals and served as an adjunct professor at New York University.

Steel conceived and helped produce the Healthy Lunchtime Challenge and Kids' State Dinner with Michelle Obama and federal partners. The annual initiative, held at the White House from 2012 through 2016, invited children to submit healthful recipes and brought selected young cooks to Washington. She also helped create Canada's Kid Food Nation program and has served as award director for the Julia Child Award, which recognizes significant contributions to American food culture.

Her later work has included service as a strategic advisor to the Brain Health Initiative and co-founding Cure MAPT FTD, an organization focused on research and support relating to frontotemporal dementia caused by MAPT mutations. She has also participated in public education and support work concerning brain health and dementia.

Achievements

• Steel conceived and helped produce the Healthy Lunchtime Challenge and Kids' State Dinner, a national children's healthy-eating initiative conducted in partnership with Michelle Obama and held annually at the White House from 2012 through 2016.

• She helped create Canada's Kid Food Nation, a multi-year culinary and nutrition initiative for children.

• Steel co-founded Cure MAPT FTD, an organization devoted to research and support concerning frontotemporal dementia associated with MAPT mutations.

• Her editorial leadership at Epicurious and Gourmet digital properties contributed to the expansion of major food-media brands across online content, recipes, video, and public culinary programming.

Works

More photos

• children's nonfiction

  • Food Fight!: A Mouthwatering History of Who Ate What and Why Through the Ages

    (A children's food-history book that examines world histor...)

    2018

• cookbook

  • Real Food for Healthy Kids: 200+ Easy, Wholesome Recipes

    (Co-authored with Tracey Seaman, this cookbook combines mo...)

    2008
  • The Epicurious Cookbook: More Than 250 of Our Best-Loved Four-Fork Recipes for Weeknights, Weekends & Special Occasions

    (Co-authored with the editors of Epicurious.com, the book ...)

    2012

Views

Steel's public work presents food as a means of education, health, cultural exploration, and social participation. Her initiatives for children emphasize practical cooking skills, nutritious and affordable meals, and confidence in the kitchen.

Her later advocacy for brain-health research and dementia support reflects an interest in translating personal experience and public communication into broader health education and community action.

Membership

Steel is a member of the Kitchen Cabinet of the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History. The Kitchen Cabinet brings together food professionals and other advisers connected with the museum's food-history and culinary programming.

She has also participated in the American Society of Magazine Editors and the International Association of Culinary Professionals, organizations concerned with standards, professional development, and exchange within magazine publishing and the culinary field.

• Member of the museum's Kitchen Cabinet, an advisory group connected with its food-history and culinary programming.

  Smithsonian's National Museum of American History Kitchen Cabinet , United States

  2015 - present

• American Society of Magazine Editors , United States

• Participated in the professional organization for culinary communicators and specialists.

  International Association of Culinary Professionals , United States

Personality

Steel has described cooking for family members and encouraging children to enter the kitchen as important personal and educational interests. Her public work consistently combines food, practical nutrition, culinary education, and service-oriented initiatives.

Interests

• Cooking, food history, children's nutrition, culinary education, food journalism, and brain-health advocacy.

• Writers

  Julia Child

Connections

Steel was married to Robert Steel. They have twin sons, William Steel and Sanger Steel.

After Robert Steel died at age 58 from a MAPT mutation associated with frontotemporal dementia, Tanya Steel co-founded Cure MAPT FTD with the aim of supporting research and advocacy related to the disease.

Father:

David Edward Wenman

Mother:

Carol Marian Wenman

Son:

William Steel

One of Tanya Steel's twin sons.

Son:

Sanger Steel

One of Tanya Steel's twin sons.

husband:

Robert Steel

Steel's husband, who died at age 58 from a MAPT mutation associated with frontotemporal dementia.

References

• Tanya Steel official website Documents Steel's career in food media, culinary education, public food initiatives, writing, brain-health advocacy, and co-founding of Cure MAPT FTD.
• Penguin Random House author profile: Tanya Steel Summarizes Steel's editorial positions, writing for The New York Times, and authorship of The Epicurious Cookbook and Real Food for Healthy Kids.
• James Beard Foundation: Tanya Wenman Steel Documents Steel's James Beard Foundation awards and nominations for food journalism and digital food media.
• Cure MAPT FTD team profile: Tanya Steel Describes Steel's role as co-founder and chief executive officer of Cure MAPT FTD, her food-sector leadership, and her public health initiatives.
• Edible Sarasota: Woman of Steel Profiles Steel's career, family, food activism, work with Michelle Obama's Healthy Lunchtime Challenge, and move to Sarasota.
  2023
• Epicurious contributor profile: Tanya Wenman Steel Documents recipes and editorial food content associated with Steel at Epicurious.