Next magazine today announced the appointment of leading New Zealand food writer and chef, Julie Le Clerc, as its new Food Editor.

Julie Le Clerc has a prestigious culinary career stemming from training and teaching with Le Cordon Bleu. She has since been a professional chef, run a boutique catering business, and launched two highly successful Auckland cafs. It was in these kitchens that Julie was able to develop and express her own individual style of food.

Le Clerc is also a highly acclaimed author of 10 best-selling cookbooks. Her books have won awards both in NZ and internationally - at the Gourmand Cookbook Awards (France), the World Food Media Awards (Australia), the NZ Guild of Food Writers Culinary Quill Awards, and the NZ Montana Book Awards.

She has been a leading food writer in the Australia and New Zealand print media for the past 12 years.

'My cooking is partly inspired, partly invented, but essentially based on good ingredients cooked well,' says Julie of her cooking philosophy.

Next Editor Christina Sayers Wickstead says: "We're proud to be welcoming Julie to the Next team of experts in their fields. Her quintessential style of accessible, uncomplicated clever recipes resonates with New Zealand women.

"There's a food revolution going on right now. A real return to recipes, food media, gardening and markets. Food is a flagship section of Next magazine," says Sayers Wickstead. "Women love to cook. It's an act of nurturing.

"Julie is known for being very generous in sharing her innovative recipes and professional knowledge. It's wonderful to think that the 358,000* people who read Next every month are going to be effortlessly serving up extra special food all over the country from now on."

Julie Le Clerc features on the new cover of Next (on sale Monday) with a story celebrating the recipes of her lifetime.