Irena Chalmers has worn many hats in the food industry. The publisher, producer, and packager of more than forty books, she has regularly contributed to such publications as The New York Times, Food & Wine, Gastronomica, Food Arts, and Nation's Restaurant News. She is a founding member and past president of both the International Association of Culinary Professionals and Les Dames d'Escoffier International, as well as "Who's Who" member of the James Beard Foundation.