"I can honestly say that I was never affected
by the question of the success of an undertaking. If I felt
it was right thing to do, I was for it regardless of the possible outcome."
Golda Meir [1898-1978]
'Modern Zell' given
service arts award
The University of Kentucky College of Fine Arts presented an award to food writer Zell Schulman, an arts advocate who has served various arts organizations and founded arts advocacy groups serving Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. Schulman, a writer for Taste Magazine Cincinnati, cook book author and former food editor of the American Israelite, received the College of Fine Arts Community Service Award.
Known by many as an accomplished food writer, Schulman made her mark locally and nationally with her cooking column "The Modern Jewish Cook" in the American Israelite, the oldest Jewish weekly. Over 18 years, she would serve the publication as a feature writer, columnist and food editor. Throughout her career in the food spotlight, Schulman has maintained a connection to her passion for the arts fostered by the love and guidance of musically inclined parents. She even used her culinary skills to raise money for the arts in her community by donating proceeds from her book "Planning Perfect Parties" to the Cincinnati Opera.
The UK alumna, who started working in television, never stopped serving the arts even as she took a 10-year hiatus to raise a family beginning in 1953. She directed her passion for the arts into service as an active community volunteer at various arts organizations. Over the last several years, she has served on numerous boards and committees for the Cincinnati Opera, Cincinnati Ballet, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Covington's Carnegie Visual and Performing Arts Center, among others.
An alumna of University of Cincinnati, in 1975 Schulman founded and served as president of The Friends of College Conservatory of Music at the university. She still serves the board of the community organization dedicated to raising funds for such items, student scholarships, competition travel, and master classes. More recently she organized a new arts advocacy group to support Cincinnati theater.
"Zell's selfless generosity has made it possible for many arts organizations to grow and develop in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky," said Dean of the College of Fine Arts Robert Shay. "She has even helped the area's arts organizations take advantage of the talents of our students and alumni at UK."
Schulman's love for the arts was influenced at an early age by musical parents who provided her with vocal and piano instruction by age 6. Her interest in the arts continued to grow fostered by more lessons in dance, art and elocution. As a junior in high school, Zell wrote and produced a musical, "The Dixie Follies," for her high school, Dixie Heights High School.
In fall of 1947, Schulman came to the University of Kentucky where she majored in drama and speech and minored in physical education. While in Lexington, she would work at a campus radio station, model for portrait classes, assist with slide setup for art lectures, and act and serve as crew for productions at the Guignol Theatre.
Upon graduation from UK in 1950, Schulman worked with Ziv Television Programs in Cincinnati and later worked at WKRC-TV, where she had the opportunity to serve as a production assistant on Rod Serling's live drama series "The Storm."
Schulman's joy for cooking was influenced by an opportunity to study the art in France with Simone Beck, a fellow author with Julia Child on "Mastering the Art of French Cooking." The lessons were a gift from her husband Mel, whom the author dubbed her most appreciative guest. Zell went on to teach cooking classes in Cincinnati in the 1980s before starting her popular cooking column. Outside of her work for the American Israelite, she has written three cookbooks, "Something Different for Passover," "Let My People Eat" and "Passover Seders Made Simple." A certified culinary professional and member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, she was selected in 1975 as one of the Cincinnati Enquirer's "Women of the Year" and in 2002 was named to the same publication's "21 to Watch" list in the newspaper's Food section.
The College of Fine Arts Community Service Award is presented annually to an individual associated with UK who has contributed significantly to the fine arts and the public. Schulman's award is a one-of-a-kind piece created by artist and calligrapher Ann Woods of AIMIA Art Works, in Columbus, Ohio. The award was presented to the food writer Zell Schulman in the form of a Passover Seder plate, symbolizing her work in the food world.
EDITOR'S NOTE: See "Back Porch Section" on one of Zell's recent writings that appeared in Taste Magazine.
Photo by Rasul Welch
Taste Magazine is Cincinnati's newest publication covering food, drink, fashion and style. Whether it's the food you create, the drinks you like, dining out at your favorite restaurant, the clothes you buy, the gadgets you want or the car you drive, Taste Magazine engages your senses and mind for all things culinary and personal.
