Primary Source Sets

James Beard was an iconic chef and former Reed student who made an undeniable mark on the culinary world. Even today, his legacy lives on through the generations of chefs he inspired and through the renowned James Beard Awards. Originally from Portland, he moved to New York City and lived there throughout his career. In the photo above, James Beard (left) and Richard Nelson (right) are teaching a cooking class together. Nelson was trained as an interior decorator, but after moving to New York City, he met acclaimed chefs, including James Beard. He began assisting Beard before starting his own cooking classes in Portland. Nelson also wrote for the Oregonian, later publishing one book which was the subject of much controversy regarding the ownership of the recipes he published.