If you’ve enjoyed Suzanne Corbett’s cuisine features in Gazelle‘s print edition and on the website, you aren’t the only one.
Corbett was recently recognized with several media awards by the National Federation of Press Women, including first place for her food feature, “Gulf Coast Seafood Treasures,” published in the February 2019 edition of Gazelle magazine, and third place for “High Plains Fare,” in the travel category, originally published in Gazelle’s July 2019 edition.
Nearly 200 people joined the live Zoom ceremony to honor the national communications contest award winners. Slides were presented honoring the award recipients, who were chosen from more than 1,800 entries submitted in this year’s contest. Announcement of the sweepstakes winners, where Corbett is also in the running, will be on June 20.
Earlier this spring, Corbett also won five Missouri Professional Communicators awards for her contributions to Gazelle – three of which were first place (in the food category – also for “Gulf Coast Seafood Treasures,” travel – also for “High Plains Fare,” and in the columns category for “Chef Conversations”), one second (in food for “Taking Tea”) and an honorable mention for “Toasting Spring with Seasonal Cocktails.”
Corbett has a real passion for not just dining, but the making and history of food.
How did she begin writing about it?
“I guess I’ve always considered myself a gourmet – even as a young girl when I remember pouring over the ‘Swiss Colony’ holiday book when it hit the mailbox. And I was always in my mother’s kitchen ‘creating’ something,” Corbett said. “My culinary career began with catering and confectionery work, and then I moved to teaching and presenting food demos and foodways programs.”
Writing was just the next step in her career path. She returned to college – Webster University – where she earned a bachelor’s degree in media communications, as well as a master’s in the same discipline, with an emphasis on media production management.
She has been a foodways interpreter and research historian locally for the National Park Service at The Gateway Arch, U.S. Grant National Historic Site, Missouri State Historic sites in Hermann and Ste. Genevieve, and historic sites operated by St. Louis County Parks and Recreation. For many years, she presented programs for the Missouri History Museum and also appeared at The Field Museum, and the one closest to her heart – the Campbell House Museum, where she continues to do its food programming and serves on the board.
The historian aspect all started when she was asked to do an historic bread demonstration at Jefferson Barracks. If she wore a period outfit, she could go to the ladies tea for free.
“Then I was hooked,” Corbett said.
She is currently working on a book concerning the history of soda and ice cream in the St. Louis area, and plans on doing more history-related work and appearances, and of course, continuing to share her cuisine stories with Gazelle readers.
Corbett is the author of “The Gilded Table,” “Pushcarts & Stalls: The Soulard Market History Cookbooks” and “Unique Eats and Eateries of St. Louis,” and contributes to a number of publications. She can be contacted at suzannecorbett@me.com.
