About this item
Ladies of London star Marissa Hermer grew up in southern California picking avocados from her grandmother's tree. Weekends meant trips to the Newport Beach pier for fresh fish and bowls of granola baked in the sunny family kitchen. But everything changed when Marissa moved to London to be with the love of her life, a British restaurateur who prefers meat and potatoes to guacamole. A classic Sunday roast replaced her beachside BBQ, and sticky toffee pudding elbowed out the s'mores. But as she made her home in England and started a family of her own, Marissa didn't want to loose her roots. She began incorporating a bit of California into her recipes, creating homey British favorites with a brighter twist.Drawing inspiration from both her American upbringing and British cuisine, the 120 recipes in An American Girl in London show you how to cook delicious, nourishing, family-friendly fare that earns raves on both sides of the pond. From a flavorful sourdough bread and butter pudding to a rich mushroom and tarragon pie, Marissa shows you how to amp up the flavors of home to keep you, your family, and friends feeling fit, loved, and completely nourished. While her home kitchen might not be the most traditional, it's a match made in transatlantic heaven.
About the Author
Marissa Hermer is an entrepreneur, author, restaurateur and owner of Olivetta and The Draycott. Using her extensive experience in F&B public relations and marketing, Hermer has most recently created a fine-dining experience at the widely acclaimed Olivetta, offering a cuisine and ambiance rooted in Mediterranean lifestyle. The Draycott, a family brasserie-café and flagship restaurant of Caruso's Palisades Village, draws inspiration from London life and features classic meals made from fresh local products with British inflection. At the onset of the COVID pandemic, Hermer launched You Give. We Cook. They Eat, a fundraiser operated by both restaurants to provide meals for first responders and frontline workers. Hermer is also the co-founder of the healthy packaged food brand Maverick Snacks, which was founded in response to the overwhelming childhood obesity problem and lack of wholesome grab-and-go options for kids. Hermer's first foray into the restaurant industry began in New York City, where she worked alongside Ian Schrager to open Gramercy Park Hotel, among other successful endeavors. In London, she leveraged this experience and created locally-loved spots by way of Ignite Group -- a UK-based international food, beverage and entertainment corporation -- including Boujis, Eclipse and Bumpkin restaurants. While in London, Hermer also launched solo project Top Dog Diner, a gourmet hot dog restaurant introducing flavor combinations from the US alongside quality British ingredients. Harnessing her fondness for family-friendly cooking, Hermer tapped into her California childhood to author An American Girl in London: 120 Nourishing Recipes for Your Family from a California Expat. Her recipes reflect fresh takes on comforting British dishes incorporating a bit of sunshine from her SoCal roots. Hermer also starred as one of six participants in the American reality television show, Bravo TV's Ladies of London, following the lives of six expat women living in London.Hermer graduated from Middlebury College in Vermont with a BA in Psychology and Sociology. She currently resides in California's beachside Pacific Palisades neighborhood with her husband Matt and three children Max, Jake and Sadie.
