Eliza Goodfellow PORTRAYED BY KIM HANLEY
Proprietor of America’s First Cooking School in Philadelphia
“In Philadelphia during the first decades of the nineteenth century, a widow, Mrs. Elizabeth Goodfellow, ran a popular bakery and sweet shop. In addition to catering to Philadelphia’s wealthy families and a reputation of having the finest desserts and sweet dishes in the young country, her business stood out from every other establishment in another way: she ran a small school to learn the art of cooking, the first of its kind in America.” (1)
Mrs. Goodfellow felt very strongly that young women of her day, in search of higher intellectual pursuits, were beginning to stray too far from the domestic arts. She understood that knowledge in young women was a fine accomplishment, but it should not be gained at the expense of their ability to manage their domestic sphere. In particular, young ladies of the middling and upper sorts were most in need of her instruction. The establishment of her school for cookery was her answer to what she saw as the impending downfall of American womanhood. Somewhat paradoxically, she became an independent businesswoman, and the owner of her shop.
In this presentation we will learn how Mrs Goodfellow took on the challenge of balancing the increasingly curious spirit of young American ladies, by tempering them with a better understanding of their ancient and necessary domestic responsibilities. Visitors will also gain a few cooking and baking tips from the good lady Herself.
Kim Hanley: Bio Actor/Historian, Interpreter, Reenactor, Impersonator