Stephanie Alexander AO

After studying to become a librarian and travelling the world at the age of 21, Alexander’s first restaurant, Jamaican House, opened in 1964. In 1976, Alexander’s next venture was Stephanie’s Restaurant located in the Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy before moving to the middle-class suburb of Hawthorn in 1980. Stephanie’s Restaurant closed in 1997 after operating for 21 years. She went on to publish several cookbooks, including her incredibly popular alphabetical guide to ingredients and cooking, The Cook’s Companion.