Laura Washburn

A graduate of the prestigious Ecole de Cuisine La Varenne in Paris, Laura Washburn Hutton has had a number of careers. In Paris, she worked as an assistant to Patricia Wells. Later, after moving to London, she worked as a Commissioning Editor, overseeing the publication of many cookery books for high profile restaurants and writers.

When children came along, she slowed down the pace to be able to "have the time to actually cook instead of only reading about it." For many years, Laura was based at home where she wrote numerous books about French cuisine and other culinary topics.

In 2010 she obtained an MSc in Food Policy from City University London. This motivated Laura to pursue a career in teaching, "I am most interested in the home cook and helping people to gain confidence in the kitchen. Writing recipes for my books is a form of instruction but I prefer contact with people and the satisfaction I get from seeing students learn new skills and enjoy the delicious results."

In 2015, Laura won the prestigious Fortnum & Mason Online Food Writer Award for her blog: Bad Vinaigrette. Laura is a member of the UK Guild of Food Writers.

At present, Laura is based in southwest France where she is getting her village kitchen ready for cookery workshops in 2022.