Antonia (Toni) Allegra has dedicated her life to empowering professionals in the world of food and wine. She is a culinary coach who works with food professionals regarding their writing and their careers. Since formal coaching training in 1998, she has coached over 1200 professionals to success, with their published books, magazine columns, new food products and other endeavors giving proof. Antonia is a wine, food, and travel writer and, over the last 33 years, she has also shared her talents as a lecturer and teacher.
As an active communitarian in the food industry, she founded and directs the annual Symposium for Professional Food Writers at The Greenbrier and the Symposium for Professional Wine Writers at Meadowood Napa Valley. Antonia is Culinary Director of La Cocina Que Canta Culinary Center at Rancho La Puerta in Tecate, Baja California, Mexico. Since 2003, she has also led inspiring Food Writers' Retreats in various places in the world.
She is author of Napa Valley: The Ultimate Winery Guide, now in its fourth edition, and is author/narrator of the Napa Valley Expedition Guide, the first multimedia book/CD/CD-ROM of the Napa Valley as well as The Wine Country Deck. She was founding Editor-in-Chief of Vine Napa Valley and Appellation, both Maggie award-winning publications, and during the 70s and 80s she was the award-winning Food Editor of San Diego Tribune, a daily newspaper, and food editor of San Diego Home-Garden magazine. A distinguished lecturer, Toni has been featured internationally, as well as in her role as wine country host on CBS/KPIX-TV "Evening Magazine" and Napa Valley “tipster” for KRON-TV “Bay Area Back Roads.”
Antonia is a launch specialist, having created educational programs and networking associations within the food industry. She served as a member of the launch team for the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in the Napa Valley from 1991-95 and, having directed her own cooking school in San Diego for eight years (1974-82), served as Culinary Director of Beringer Vineyard's School for American Chefs with Madeleine Kamman in the late 80s.
She also founded the Napa Valley Culinary Alliance (1989), is a co-founder of C4: Culinary Coaches and Consultants Collaborative, and she initiated the Teleforum for Food Writers/Editors/Publishers and other culinary sections of the International Association for Culinary Professionals. She served on the Board of Directors of the IACP 1991-98, as President from 1997-98 and she was President of the San Francisco Chapter of Les Dames d'Escoffier in 1992. She is also a member of the Association of Food Journalists (AFJ), the San Francisco Professional Food Society, Toastmasters (CTM) and the International Coaches Federation. She is a Certified Culinary Professional (CCP).
Known as a creative maverick in the field, Toni lives with her husband Donn Black in a “treehouse” in St. Helena, in California’s Napa Valley. |
