Author Virginia Willis at UGA

James Beard Award-Winning Chef Virginia Willis returns to the Griffin Campus with a revised and updated version of her bestselling culinary classic, Bon Appétit, Y’all: Recipes and Stories from Three Generations of Southern Cooking (UGA Press October 2024). Come join the party, which will include a book signing, LIVE dish preparations, and a special tasting! Bon Appetit, Y’all includes new recipes, nearly 20 new photographs, and a new introduction that addresses and introduces Virginia’s health journey, weight loss, and how she balances some of the more indulgent Southern dishes with healthier foods. She’s also touched nearly every recipe in the book, lightening many up with less fat (Big exceptions are the country classics like Fried Chicken!).

In addition, each chapter contains new commentary in the form of “Fresh Takes.” It’s more like how Virginia eats and cooks now in her home kitchen a Mediterranean diet with a Southern accent. Virginia’s health journey has been documented in Eating Well, as a cover story for Woman’s World, Allrecipes, AARP, as well as the Rachel Ray Show. She has embraced her new outlook on life and has become a cheerleader for those wanting to make their life changes, “If a French-trained Southern chef can do it, you can, too!” As a result of her health journey, she founded Good and Good for You, a lifestyle brand that shares health and wellness strategies through digital channels, print media, and public speaking. Her column “Good and Good for You” featuring reliable, healthy, and delicious recipes runs bi-weekly in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. In addition, she offers a weekly newsletter “Good and Good for You Living” featuring healthy recipes, best-life living tips, self-care techniques, and ideas and inspiration. It’s the science-backed tools, encouragement, and support to empower folks to live a better life.