Calling All Foodies: Patricia Wells is Selling Culinary Antiques

In the 40 years that Patricia and Walter Wells have spent at their home Chanteduc in Provence, they amassed an incredible collection of epicurean objects and decorative antiques...including Julia Child's stove.

Patricia is a journalist, author, and cooking instructor who has lived in France since 1980. A former reporter for The New York Times, she was global restaurant critic for the International Herald Tribune for more than 25 years. She has written 15 books, is a four-time James Beard Award winner, and has been honored by the French government for her contributions to French culture. 

Walter is the former executive editor of the Herald Tribune and the couple has split their time between Paris and Provence since 1984. 

I've known Patricia for many years and would love and admire her even if she weren't from my hometown of Milwaukee!

At Chanteduc, the couple have devoted their lives to sharing Provence's rich traditions and culture, primarily through their wildly popular, always-sold-out cooking school. And now having recently decided to take a break from offering classes in both Paris and Provence (more on that below), Patricia and Walter are selling some of their collection through an exclusive "At Home with Patricia Wells" sale organized by Susannah and Hugh Cameron of Chez Pluie Provence.

Together, they've created a special on-line site where you can view and purchase available pieces. For those of you with your eye on Julia's stove, Patricia is keeping it for now (who wouldn't?) but you'll find a fantastic selection of other gorgeous pieces to choose from. (Curious about how Patricia came to own Julia's stove? That story is here.)

The sale website has just gone live (at 4:30 pm France time today)...and you can shop and purchase by clicking here or here! 

As to the future, Patricia tells me "we are truly taking a break" but that she's offering two Truffle Classes next January in Provence...with dates to be set soon. Otherwise she's still taking small groups — usually led by previous students — but says nothing is set in stone at the moment, either in Provence or Paris. 

"After 44 years of working all day and going to dinner (also working, well yes!)," she says, "we're spending more time on culture: museums, music, theater, ballet...whatever we have time for! It’s wonderful!”