Alison Holst
Encyclopedia
Dame Alison Margaret Holst, DNZM
, CBE
, QSM
(born 1938) is a best-selling New Zealand
food writer and television chef. Her first television programme premiered in 1965. The following year she published the first of around 90 cookbooks. Since then the cookbooks have collectively sold more than four and a half million copies, and she has appeared on numerous other television and radio shows as well as writing newspaper columns and magazine articles.
She describes the style of food in most of her books as 'everyday food' and the recipes are generally written for home cooks and intended to be easy and reasonably cheap to make, as well as nutritious. Since 1994 she has marketed a brand of bulk wholefoods under the name 'Alison's Choice' through the Foodstuffs
supermarket company.
Holst graduated from the University of Otago
then a constituent college of the University of New Zealand with a Bachelor of Home Science and subsequently spent a year at Teachers' College. She then began lecturing in the Foods Department at the School of Home Science before starting her television career. In 1983 she was awarded the Queen's Service Medal for services to the community and in 1987 was made a Commander of the British Empire for services to Home Science, and in 1997 was given an honorary Doctor of Science
degree from the University of Otago.
In recent years she has co-written several cookbooks with her son Simon.
In the 31 December 2010 New Year Honours, she was made Dame Companion in the New Zealand Order of Merit
. In November 2010 she appeared on Radio New Zealand's
afternoon programme to deny rumours that she had been asked to be the next Governor General of New Zealand.
New Zealand Order of Merit
The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order established in 1996 "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions or other merits."The order includes five...
, CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, QSM
Queen's Service Order
The Queen's Service Order was established by Queen Elizabeth II on 13 March 1975, awarded by the government of New Zealand "for valuable voluntary service to the community or meritorious and faithful services to the Crown or similar services within the public sector, whether in elected or...
(born 1938) is a best-selling New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
food writer and television chef. Her first television programme premiered in 1965. The following year she published the first of around 90 cookbooks. Since then the cookbooks have collectively sold more than four and a half million copies, and she has appeared on numerous other television and radio shows as well as writing newspaper columns and magazine articles.
She describes the style of food in most of her books as 'everyday food' and the recipes are generally written for home cooks and intended to be easy and reasonably cheap to make, as well as nutritious. Since 1994 she has marketed a brand of bulk wholefoods under the name 'Alison's Choice' through the Foodstuffs
Foodstuffs
Foodstuffs is a group of three New Zealand grocery and liquor retailers' cooperatives based in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch which collectively control an estimated 57% of the New Zealand grocery market...
supermarket company.
Holst graduated from the University of Otago
University of Otago
The University of Otago in Dunedin is New Zealand's oldest university with over 22,000 students enrolled during 2010.The university has New Zealand's highest average research quality and in New Zealand is second only to the University of Auckland in the number of A rated academic researchers it...
then a constituent college of the University of New Zealand with a Bachelor of Home Science and subsequently spent a year at Teachers' College. She then began lecturing in the Foods Department at the School of Home Science before starting her television career. In 1983 she was awarded the Queen's Service Medal for services to the community and in 1987 was made a Commander of the British Empire for services to Home Science, and in 1997 was given an honorary Doctor of Science
Doctor of Science
Doctor of Science , usually abbreviated Sc.D., D.Sc., S.D. or Dr.Sc., is an academic research degree awarded in a number of countries throughout the world. In some countries Doctor of Science is the name used for the standard doctorate in the sciences, elsewhere the Sc.D...
degree from the University of Otago.
In recent years she has co-written several cookbooks with her son Simon.
In the 31 December 2010 New Year Honours, she was made Dame Companion in the New Zealand Order of Merit
New Zealand Order of Merit
The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order established in 1996 "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions or other merits."The order includes five...
. In November 2010 she appeared on Radio New Zealand's
Radio New Zealand
Radio New Zealand is a New Zealand public service radio broadcaster and Crown entity formed by the Radio New Zealand Act 1995. It operates news, current affairs and arts network Radio New Zealand National and classical music and jazz network Radio New Zealand Concert with full government funding...
afternoon programme to deny rumours that she had been asked to be the next Governor General of New Zealand.
External links
- Biography page at Alison Holst mail order http://www.holst.co.nz/Portal.asp?nextscreenid=201.102.101.101&categoryid=2&sessionx=B45E8A2E-B401-49F7-8537-222C849FB2A5.
- Alison Holst profile at the University of Otago website