Television Production
With over 13 years experience in TV cooking shows Virginia Willis has been involved
in the production of over 1000 episodes.
Freelance Author and Editor
Recently signed with Lisa Ekus Public Relations, LLC for the publication of Bon Appetit, Y'all: Three Generations of Southern cooking. (Ten Speed Press 2008)
Willis is the co-author of Home Plate Cooking, editor for The All-New Joy of Cooking, and author of Pasta Dinners 1,2,3.
Currently she writes seasonal "above the fold" features for The Atlanta Journal Constitution
Willis is on the newspaper's chef's panel for a critically acclaimed project with the newspaper titled "Saving Southern Recipes" with author John T. Edge, and chefs Scott Peacock, Linton Hopkins, Sonya Jones and Virginia Willis.
She also writes for Flavors Magazine, The Piedmont Review, and The Wine Report, Country Living and has had her articles shared through the Cox News Service.
Her career and recipes have been featured in The Augusta Chronicle as well as Atlanta Homes and Lifestyle.
She received a special mention for the 2006 Greenbrier Scholarship at The Symposium for Professional Food Writers and will be a speaker at the 2007 conference.
Chef Spokesperson
If the product is a good fit for both parties, Virginia can help you get your
message out to your customers.
Willis' television appearances include Martha Stewart Living, Nathalie Dupree's Southern Memories, Home Plate, and Good Day Augusta.
She has appeared as the chef spokesperson in a series of commercials for Springer Mountain Farms all-natural chicken, executed chef demonstrations at national culinary events such as the Produce Marketing Association Conference and The Distinctively Charleston Food and Wine Festival.
Recipe Development and Testing
Virginia Willis Culinary Productions is a leader in recipe development for product
lines, consumer applications, including label recipes, recipe brochures, magazine
advertisements, and newspaper press releases.
Culinary Consulting
Building a new home? Designing a new kitchen? Wanting to learn to cook and enjoy
your kitchen but don't know where to start? Personalized culinary shopping services
with culinary expert Virginia Willis. Virginia will help you make the right
choices for the must haves in your kitchen from pots to potholders, boards to
broilers, and everything in between.
Food Styling
Editorial, advertorial, or commercial food-styling services available. Virginia
Willis was the lead food stylist for the James Beard Award Winning Nathalie
Dupree's Guide to Entertaining.
Media Training
Get out of the Kitchen and Into the Spotlight! Cooking classes, TV appearances,
and spokesperson demonstrations require special skills and thorough planning.
Culinary professionals Gena Berry, Virginia Willis and Melanie McCraney will
show you how to be your best. We present a training series custom-designed for
chefs, cookbook authors, product spokespeople, cooking show hosts, and other
food and beverage professionals. Our skills are the result of over 30 years
of combined experience in the food and television business-on both sides of
the stove and the camera.
Download Virginia's profile sheet (PDF)
"Virginia Willis can do anything. Virginia can step into a project that is in chaos and calmly, positively, organize and get it done."- Shirley O. Corriher., Author of CookWise
"Virginia Willis has shown an extraordinary excellence at a wide range of culinary activities. She is well trained, classically and in American cuisine, particularly Southern. I've loved working with her and would recommend her for nearly any culinary related activity."- Nathalie Dupree, Southern cooking authority
"Virginia is one of strongest branches on my own personal networking tree—her skill for putting the right people together to create an entirely new phenomenon is a wonder to behold! She charms our customers with her amazing food knowledge, delivered in an easy, accessible and personable style!" - Cheryl Galway, Whole Foods Market, Regional Marketing Director, South Region
"Delicious! That describes the recipes developed for us by Virginia Willis Culinary Productions. We gave them very little lead-time and they were able to meet our requirements with time to spare. We were extremely pleased with the work they did for us and wouldn't hesitate to utilize them again for future development." - Cheryl Mangus, Assistant Project Manager for Fresh Express
"Watching Virginia cook in front of a crowd is a study in organization
meets artistry. Her enthusiasm for getting it right and her focus on detail
is inspiring. She shares the joy of creating recipes inspired by world travel
or perhaps just a perfect July tomato." - Carolyn O'Neil, Author of
The Dish on Eating Healthy and Being Fabulous!, former CNN Food & Health
Correspondent
"As a cooking teacher Virginia's depth of experience and knowledge in the culinary world combined with her passion, creativity, and great personality can culminate in nothing but pleasure for the student. And, it will certainly be beneficial that she knows how to manage a project - she's on time, on target, and on budget. I can give her nothing less than my highest recommendation." - Mary Moore, Owner Cook's Warehouse
"Virginia Willis is a godsend. Not only does she know how to write a recipe that even a novice could follow, but also an engaging story that will entice them to start making a grocery list. Although her culinary credentials are impeccable, her style is friendly and accessible, and her passion and enthusiasm for all things food-related is contagious. Her copy never fails to come in before deadline, clean, and error-free. Her name should be an every newspaper or magazine food editor's Roladex!" - Susan Puckett, Food Editor for The Atlanta Journal Constitution
"Virginia Willis was first a trainee and then a member of staff with LaVarenne Cooking School in Burgundy, France. Our training is rigorous and she emerged with flying colors. I'd hire her again any day!" - Anne Willan, Founder and Director of Ecole de Cuisine LaVarenne