About

Maria Zizka is a James Beard Award-nominated and New York Times bestselling cookbook author.

Her newest cookbook, Dining al Fresco, will be published on May 4, 2027.

She has collaborated with leading chefs and authors, including Pamela Anderson, Yotam Ottolenghi, Chad Robertson, and Suzanne Goin, and contributed to more than 50 cookbooks. She has also written five other books of her own: The Hostess Handbook; Cook Color; Boards, Platters, Plates; One-Bowl Meals; and The Newlywed Table. You can find a selection of her work here.

She earned a bachelor's degree in biology from the University of California, Berkeley and a master's degree in food culture and communications from L'Università di Scienze Gastronomiche di Pollenzo, where she now teaches as a visiting lecturer.

Maria is an avid home cook with a deep respect for restaurant cuisine. She lives and cooks in the Berkeley Hills with her husband and two young sons. Her favorite party to host is an al fresco Sunday supper.