Lorenza de’ Medici
In Her Recipes, the Beauty of the Land
Lorenza de’ Medici began her career as an editor at the magazine Novità, later incorporated into the international magazine Vogue, where she worked for ten years. She then began writing children’s books, starting with Giochiamo alla cucina (Let’s Play at Cooking). Major publishers such as Mondadori and Fratelli Fabbri soon followed, for whom she authored notable recipe collections.
In 1980, she opened the Badia a Coltibuono Cooking School, effectively pioneering this genre, which gained international fame under the name The de’ Medici Kitchen. Initially, the courses attracted visitors primarily from the United States. During this time, she began producing internationally acclaimed culinary books, translated into several languages.
In 1990, she starred in a 14-episode series for the U.S. public television network PBS, titled The de’ Medici Kitchen —one of the first of its kind. The show, inspired by Lorenza and her cuisine, was also broadcast on Australian television. At that time, Lorenza was among the world’s most renowned chefs.
“Recipes are the language she chose to tell the story of a cuisine deeply connected to the beauty of the land,” recalls Francesca D’Orazio in Corriere della Sera, July 9, 2024.
Most Notable Books by Lorenza de’ Medici di Ottajano
Italy the Beautiful Cookbook – (Knapp Press, September 1988)
The Renaissance of Italian Cooking – (Fawcett Columbine, 1989)
The Renaissance of Italian Gardens – (Fawcett Columbine, 1990)
The Villa Table – (Pavilion, 1993)
Lorenza’s Antipasti – (C. Potter, 1998)
The De’ Medici Kitchen – (Collins Publishers San Francisco, 1992)
Florentines – (Random House, 1992)
La cucina dello zodiaco (The Cuisine of the Zodiac) – (Longanesi, 1974)
Lorenza’s Pasta – (Clarkson Potter, 1996)
The Heritage of Italian Cooking – (Random House, 1990)
Il grande libro dei dolci (The Big Book of Desserts) – (Mondadori)
My Tuscany – (Duncan Baird, 2003)
Lorenza’s Italian Seasons – (Pavilion, 2003)
Series of 12 cookbooks: *I Jolly della Cucina*, and two culinary encyclopedias: *I Mille Menù* – Fratelli Fabbri Editore
