Alison Cook is the restaurant critic for the Houston Chronicle. She has been an active member of Houston’s journalism and culinary world since the 1970s. Although not raised in Houston, she is deeply passionate about the city’s culinary tradition and continuous transformation. In this interview, Cook discusses the ever changing field of restaurant criticism and the trends she has seen in Houston. Cook also outlines the history of women chefs in Houston, from the 1960s, when Cook was a college student at Rice, up until today and the groundbreaking working of Monica Pope and her eat local movement.

Alison Cook was interviewed on October 23, 2010 at the M.D. Anderson Library, 114 University Libraries, Houston, TX 77204. The interview was conducted by Amy Breimaier on behalf of the Oral History Project, Center for Public History, University of Houston. The interview is available at M.D. Anderson Library on the main campus of the university.