Lunch & Learn: Cookbook Authors Who Have Rose to Fame Through Modern Media

The Bartow History Museum will host its January Lunch & Learn program, Cookbook Authors Who Have Rose to Fame Through Modern Media, on January 14, 2026, from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m., welcoming Cartersville native Dr. Valerie Holt for a presentation exploring how modern media has propelled cookbook authors to national fame. The program examines how television, blogs, and social media transformed home cooks into household names, tracing the rise of figures such as Joanna Gaines, Ree Drummond (The Pioneer Woman), Barbara Costello (Brunch with Babs), and Georgia native Trisha Yearwood, and highlighting how each used modern platforms to build massive audiences. Attendees will also get a peek at some of their popular recipes, with samples available, and are encouraged to bring their lunch and enjoy the presentation. Dr. Holt brings 30 years of public-school teaching experience, including 17 years in Home Economics, national cooking competition experience, authorship of two cookbooks, and her current role as a professor in the School of Education at Berry College.

Admission is free for museum members and $9 for non-members.