Sylvia Vaughn Thompson is an American chef and food writer. She was born in the United States on June 19, 1935, to Arthur Sheekman and Gloria Stuart. Her mother was an actress known for her role as Rose Dawson Calvert in the film Titanic. On the other hand, her father, Arthur, was a playwright in the light comedy genre.
Educational Background
While growing up, Sylvia Vaughn Thompson and her family resided in Connecticut and California, but then she studied in California. Sylvia attended the Eunice Knight Saunders School before joining Bancroft Junior High School. After high school, Sylvia Vaugh joined the University of California, Berkeley, where she earned her bachelor’s degree and expanded her culinary experience.
Love Life
Regarding her love life, Sylvia Vaughn Thompson met Gene Thompson in the late 1950s; they had been introduced to each other by M.F.K Fisher’s sister. After dating for a while, the two lovebirds decided to exchange their wedding vows in 1955. Sylvia and her husband were together for over four decades, and during their time together, they had four children: Benjamin Stuart, David Oxley, Dinah Vaugh, and Amanda Thompson.
How did Sylvia Vaugh start Culinary Work?
Even though Sylvia’s mother was an actress, she was interested in cooking various dishes. As an amateur chef, Sylvia’s mother hosted dinner parties in her home since they lived in a neighborhood mostly of celebrities. Every time her mother would host a dinner event, she would help her cook various dishes, and as time went by, her interest in culinary work grew.
In her writings, Sylvia praises her mother’s cooking style; she mentioned that she would not just make any dish but incorporate various intricacies. Her mother inspired her, and she became a great cook.
Her Professional Career
After completing her college education, Sylvia Vaughn continued her passion for cooking. She worked in various restaurants before her marriage; after her marriage, she moved to New York to continue her culinary career. In New York, Sylvia started working with Vogue magazine as she wrote food articles for them. While writing food articles, Sylvia Vaughn also worked on her cookbook Economy Gastronomy, published in 1963.
Her cookbooks were great, and she made cooking a great adventure. A decade later, Sylvia Vaughn Thompson released her second cookbook titled Budget Gourmet, which received critical acclaim as it interestingly narrated the various recipes. In 1977, Sylvia experienced a setback in her food writing career when one of her books was recalled. Sylvia also worked with her mother in her memoir, I Just Kept Hoping.
What is her Net Worth?
Sylvia Vaughn Thompson has worked for different magazines over the years and has also written great cookbooks that have sold well. While working with Vogue, she wrote several food articles and was paid handsomely. The earnings Sylvia received from her job at Vogue contributed significantly to her overall net worth, but she has not revealed how wealthy she is. However, judging from her comfortable life, you can tell that Sylvia is financially well-off.