Chef

Edna Lewis changed the perception of Southern food in American culture with her cookbook, “The Taste of Country Cooking” (Knopf/1976). She touted the use of fresh, local ingredients before the farm-to-table movement began. But many people know very little about the chef and cookbook author, despite her many contributions to food culture.

Chef Vivian Howard stars in the fourth season of her PBS show, "A Chef’s Life," which debuts later this month. The premiere precedes the release of a Howard’s first cookbook, "Deep Run Roots: Stories and Recipes From My Corner of the South."

Fanny Slater’s journey into the kitchen starts with what she calls the “brownie legacy:” a few years before she was born, her parents started business that revolved around her mother’s infamous brownies. As a young kid, Slater remembers watching her mother diligently hand wrap each brownie, and hearing stories about catering parties for Jane Fonda. She continued to spend time in the kitchen throughout her teen years, learning how to cook fresh and healthy meals from her father.

Chefs are fond of saying "we eat with our eyes," but that phrase takes on a whole new meaning when it comes to movies about food.

Films like the classic "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" or Stanley Tucci's "Big Night" have had stomachs rumbling for decades. But more recent movies like the animated "Ratatouille" or Jon Favreau's "Chef" have also been material for aspiring chefs and foodies. 

As the year draws to a close, The State of Things staff take a look back at some of their favorite segments of 2014.