KIRSCH, Abigail 1930-

PERSONAL:

Born January 22, 1930, in NY; daughter of Joseph and Mollie (Langbert) Greenberg; married Robert B. Kirsch (a catering executive), June 19, 1951; children: Richard, James, William, Joellen. Ethnicity: "Jewish." Education: Adelphi University, B.A., 1951; Cordon Bleu, Paris, France, culinary certificate, 1967; Culinary Institute of America, certificates, 1966, 1968.

ADDRESSES:

Home—18 Robin Hood Rd., Pound Ridge, NY 10576. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER:

Abigail Kirsch School of Cookery, founder, owner, chef, and instructor, 1964-75; Abigail Kirsch Culinary Productions Ltd. (catering business), founder and principal, 1975—. Abigail's Husband's Place (experimental outdoor café), Chappaqua, NY, chef and owner, 1975; Abigail Kirsch at Tappan Hill, Tarrytown, NY, owner and operator, 1989-90; New York Botanical Garden Café, affiliate, 1997—; guest chef at LaVarenne, the Greenbrier, and De Gustibus at Macy's. Workshop presenter; public speaker; guest on television programs. March of Dimes, member of executive board, Westchester Division, 1989-90, chair of Gourmet Galas, 1989, 1991, 1993; Food Patch of Westchester, member of executive board, 1993. Westchester Community College, annual gala advisor, 1990—.

MEMBER:

International Association of Culinary Professionals, Culinary Institute of America (chair of Educational Policy Committee, 1988-95; vice chair of board of trustees, 1993-95), Les Dames d'Escoffier (president of New York chapter, 1997-98; international president, 1999-2000), Westchester County Association (director, 1997-99).

AWARDS, HONORS:

Small Business Award for Women, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 1987; Pacesetter Award, National Roundtable for Women in Food Service, 1996; named restaurateur of the year, New York State Restaurant Association, 1996; Silver Plate Award, specialty food services category, International Foodservice Manufacturers Association, 1997; Family of the Year Award, Family Service of Westchester, 1997; Lillian Vernon Award, Westchester Association of Women Business Owners, 1999; named one of "New York's 100 most influential women in business," Crain's New York Business, 1999. Entrepreneur/Business Person Award of Excellence, International Association of Culinary Professionals, 2001; honorary degree, Culinary Institute of America, 2001.

WRITINGS:

Teen Cuisine, 1968.

(With Susan M. Greenberg) The Bride and Groom's First Cookbook, Doubleday (New York, NY), 1996.

(With David Nussbaum) An Invitation to Dinner: Abigail Kirsch's Guide to Elegant Entertainment and Delicious Dinners at Home, Doubleday (New York, NY), 1998.

(With Susan M. Greenberg) The Bride and Groom's Menu Cookbook, Broadway Books (New York, NY), 2002.

Author of "Entertaining with Abigail," a column in Journal News (Westchester/Rockland, NY), 2001—. Contributor to magazines and newspapers.

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Library Journal, October 15, 1998, Judith C. Sutton, review of An Invitation to Dinner: Abigail Kirsch's Guide to Elegant Entertaining and Delicious Dinners at Home, p. 92; February 15, 2002, Judith C. Sutton, review of The Bride and Groom's Menu Cookbook, p. 174.

Publishers Weekly, December 18, 1995, review of The Bride and Groom's First Cookbook, p. 49; October 15, 1998, review of An Invitation of Dinner, p. 79; December 3, 2001, review of The Bride and Groom's Menu Cookbook, p. 57.