Jane Butel

Jane Butel, the first to write about southwestern cooking, is an internationally recognized authority on the regional cooking of the American Southwest. In the late 1970's, following a successful career as one of America's top Consumer Affairs executives, she launched her southwestern writing, teaching, television, consulting, and spice business. Her Southwestern Cooking Schools in New Mexico and Scottsdale, Arizona, have garnered high recognition. Bon Appetit magazine selected it as one of the four best in the world and Gayot.com listed her hotel-based schools as the best in the United States and one of the world's top ten.

She also conducts tours to Mexico and Spain. Pecos Valley Spice Co., a trusted source for chiles, spices, and other authentic southwestern ingredients, was founded in 1978. She continues to spice up America's favorite cuisine with recipes from the rich culinary, cultural, and historical heritage of the Southwest. She has written eighteen cookbooks, including Northland's Real Women Eat Chiles, which was just released on March 24, 2006.