An author, rabbi, historian, chef, and social worker, Gil Marks is a leading authority on culinary subjects in general and Jewish cuisine in particular. Among his published books are James Beard Award finalist Encyclopedia of Jewish Food (Wiley: 2010), James Beard Award-winning Olive Trees and Honey: A Treasury of Vegetarian Recipes from Jewish Communities Around the World (Wiley 2004), and James Beard Award finalist The World of Jewish Cooking (Simon & Schuster, 1996). Gil was included in the Jewish Forward’s annual “Forward 50,” a list of the fifty most influential Jewish-Americans in the year 2010. http://www.forward.com/forward-50/ In January 2012, Saveur Magazine included Encyclopedia of Jewish Food in its “100 New Classics,” as “an indispensable resource” and noting, “Whatever topic we're researching, whether it relates to Jewish food or not, we always find what we're looking for inside.”
A self-taught chef, Gil entertained at his New York City home, earning a reputation as a gourmet cook. He began moonlighting for several caterers before branching out on his own. Some of his early jobs involved baking 150 apple pies for a cooking spray promotion, an all-dessert bat mitzvah, and a health food wedding. In 1986, Gil combined his interests in food, history, Judaism, and writing to become founding editor of Kosher Gourmet magazine, a position he held for six years. After leaving Kosher Gourmet, Gil turned his attention to writing fiction and biblical research as well as continuing his work on culinary subjects. His efforts include two plays, Therapist, and, in collaboration with Stanley Allan Sherman, The Golem of Gavah. His other books are The World of Jewish Desserts (Simon & Schuster, September 2000) and The World of Jewish Entertaining (Simon & Schuster, 1998). Gil was also among the international team of contributors to the prestigious Meals in Science and Practice: Interdisciplinary Research and Business Applications (Woodhead Publishing, 2009) and Recipes Remembered: A Celebration of Survival (Ruder Finn Press, 2011).
Gil has also written articles for numerous magazines; served as a guest lecturer at the Culinary Institute of America, Hazon, Kosherfest, and Drisha Institute; acted as consultant for various companies and organizations; and given presentations throughout the world, including the 92nd Street Y, Macy’s DeGustibus cooking school, The Learning Annex, the Kislak Adult Center, and the Fresh Start Program at New York’s Rikers Island. He continues to write, research, lecture, and perform cooking demonstrations for groups across the country and make appearances on various television and radio programs. Gil is currently finishing the manuscript for his next book, American Cakes, a unique history of the United States through its classic desserts.
If you would like to view Gil's outtakes from the PBS series The Jewish Americans, go to and click on the kasha box at the bottom:
