Virginia Willis is a Georgia-born, French-trained chef, James Beard Award–winning

cookbook author, recipe developer, food writer, culinary educator, motivational speaker,

media personality, and wellness advocate. Renowned for her expertise in Southern

food, healthy recipes, and sustainable seafood, Virginia combines decades of culinary

experience with a passion for helping people cook with confidence and live healthier,

more vibrant lives.

Her culinary adventures have taken her from foraging berries in the Alaskan wilderness

to harvesting capers on the slopes of a Sicilian volcano and paddling the Mekong Delta

to visit a sustainable shrimp farm - experiences that continue to shape her flavorful,

globally inspired approach to cooking. She is a member of the Monterey Bay Aquarium

Seafood Watch Blue Ribbon Task Force, supporting science-based recommendations

that help consumers, chefs, and the food industry make sustainable seafood choices.

In 2019, Virginia embarked on a personal wellness journey, losing 65 pounds and

maintaining that weight loss for more than five years. Today, she shares realistic,

sustainable strategies for healthy aging, weight management, self-care, and mindful

living through recipes, writing, speaking engagements, and media appearances.

Virginia is the creator of Good and Good for You™, a weekly newsletter featuring

healthy recipes, wellness tips, lifestyle inspiration, and practical tools for living well at

any age. Whether she’s teaching cooking classes, developing recipes, writing

cookbooks and articles, speaking on stage, traveling, or advocating for sustainable

seafood, her goal is to help people nourish themselves, embrace positive change, and

find more joy in everyday life.