Born to Mollie and Louis Tannes in 1930, she grew up in City Terrace, Eagle Rock, Leimert Park, and attended Dorsey High School. At 14, she met Marvin Zeidler and, at 16, decided he would be her mate, playmate, and soulmate, and theirs became a love story for the ages. They married in 1950, and in 1963, with four children and a fifth on the way, they moved to a ranch in Topanga Canyon to raise Shetland ponies and the many farm animals that came with the ranch. The first night there, they thought the screaming of the resident peacock was a baby abandoned in the hills, and Judy once killed a rattlesnake with a broom when she spied it slithering into a window.
She was far from an ordinary '60s housewife; her career in cuisine began when she baked her signature strudel for the Discovery Inn, down the road, and they asked if she could deliver it daily. That led to 9 published cookbooks, including the landmark Gourmet Jewish Cookbook and the now collector's item Disneyland Cookbook; over two decades as the Jewish food consultant for the Los Angeles Times including her syndicated column, followed by articles in The Jewish Journal and Tribe Magazine; countless popular cooking classes taught in her kitchen; and "Judy's Kitchen," her cooking show on Jewish Television Network (JTN), said to be its best-known program. On "Judy's Kitchen," she taught classic as well as innovative recipes, and later hosted many of the best-known chefs of Los Angeles.
Along the way, Judy developed a love for Italy while traveling with Marvino on buying trips for Zeidler & Zeidler. In Italy, they found friends, food, wine, and bocce. They hosted many bocce tournaments in their backyard, but bocce was hardly the only expression of her love of Italy. Her final book, Italy Cooks, was a memoir of 35 years of travel through Italy, including recipes from some of their friends, top restauranteurs like the Santini and Brovelli families and Dario Cecchini.
Judy's interests extended beyond her love of Italian food and culture to the local art scene in Southern California. As a founding member, with Marvin, of the Skirball Cultural Center, she helped create Zeidler's Cafe (recipes by Judy) and the new Judy's Counter. If you have eaten at Citrus, Capo, Cora's Cafe, Brentwood, Brentwood Cafe, or the iconic Broadway Deli, you have experienced her hospitality. She was a founding member of LACMA, MOCA and the Kirk Douglas Theater. Judy generously supported the Music Center and the Hollywood Bowl, as well as many other causes in Los Angeles, from the arts to political campaigns to social justice to women's issues to education. Judy loved music and the picnics in their box at the Hollywood Bowl on Thursday nights every summer for 30 summers. Over the years, they amassed an unbelievable collection of contemporary art and befriended many artists.
The greatest sorrow in her blessed life was the sudden loss of her beloved son, Marc, in 2021. She is also predeceased by her sister Sharynn and brothers-in-law Leland and Jerry. She is survived by her adored husband, Marvin; sister-in-law Marian and sister- and brother-in-law Lorraine and Harris; her four children; daughter-in-law; grandchildren; great-grandchildren; loving nephews and nieces; and thousands of friends, in Los Angeles, across the U.S., and in Italy. Baci-baci!
She was far from an ordinary '60s housewife; her career in cuisine began when she baked her signature strudel for the Discovery Inn, down the road, and they asked if she could deliver it daily. That led to 9 published cookbooks, including the landmark Gourmet Jewish Cookbook and the now collector's item Disneyland Cookbook; over two decades as the Jewish food consultant for the Los Angeles Times including her syndicated column, followed by articles in The Jewish Journal and Tribe Magazine; countless popular cooking classes taught in her kitchen; and "Judy's Kitchen," her cooking show on Jewish Television Network (JTN), said to be its best-known program. On "Judy's Kitchen," she taught classic as well as innovative recipes, and later hosted many of the best-known chefs of Los Angeles.
Along the way, Judy developed a love for Italy while traveling with Marvino on buying trips for Zeidler & Zeidler. In Italy, they found friends, food, wine, and bocce. They hosted many bocce tournaments in their backyard, but bocce was hardly the only expression of her love of Italy. Her final book, Italy Cooks, was a memoir of 35 years of travel through Italy, including recipes from some of their friends, top restauranteurs like the Santini and Brovelli families and Dario Cecchini.
Judy's interests extended beyond her love of Italian food and culture to the local art scene in Southern California. As a founding member, with Marvin, of the Skirball Cultural Center, she helped create Zeidler's Cafe (recipes by Judy) and the new Judy's Counter. If you have eaten at Citrus, Capo, Cora's Cafe, Brentwood, Brentwood Cafe, or the iconic Broadway Deli, you have experienced her hospitality. She was a founding member of LACMA, MOCA and the Kirk Douglas Theater. Judy generously supported the Music Center and the Hollywood Bowl, as well as many other causes in Los Angeles, from the arts to political campaigns to social justice to women's issues to education. Judy loved music and the picnics in their box at the Hollywood Bowl on Thursday nights every summer for 30 summers. Over the years, they amassed an unbelievable collection of contemporary art and befriended many artists.
The greatest sorrow in her blessed life was the sudden loss of her beloved son, Marc, in 2021. She is also predeceased by her sister Sharynn and brothers-in-law Leland and Jerry. She is survived by her adored husband, Marvin; sister-in-law Marian and sister- and brother-in-law Lorraine and Harris; her four children; daughter-in-law; grandchildren; great-grandchildren; loving nephews and nieces; and thousands of friends, in Los Angeles, across the U.S., and in Italy. Baci-baci!
Born to Mollie and Louis Tannes in 1930, she grew up in City Terrace, Eagle Rock, Leimert Park, and attended Dorsey High School. At 14, she met Marvin Zeidler and, at 16, decided he would be her mate, playmate, and soulmate, and theirs became a love story for the ages. They married in 1950, and in 1963, with four children and a fifth on the way, they moved to a ranch in Topanga Canyon to raise Shetland ponies and the many farm animals that came with the ranch. The first night there, they thought the screaming of the resident peacock was a baby abandoned in the hills, and Judy once killed a rattlesnake with a broom when she spied it slithering into a window.
She was far from an ordinary '60s housewife; her career in cuisine began when she baked her signature strudel for the Discovery Inn, down the road, and they asked if she could deliver it daily. That led to 9 published cookbooks, including the landmark Gourmet Jewish Cookbook and the now collector's item Disneyland Cookbook; over two decades as the Jewish food consultant for the Los Angeles Times including her syndicated column, followed by articles in The Jewish Journal and Tribe Magazine; countless popular cooking classes taught in her kitchen; and "Judy's Kitchen," her cooking show on Jewish Television Network (JTN), said to be its best-known program. On "Judy's Kitchen," she taught classic as well as innovative recipes, and later hosted many of the best-known chefs of Los Angeles.
Along the way, Judy developed a love for Italy while traveling with Marvino on buying trips for Zeidler & Zeidler. In Italy, they found friends, food, wine, and bocce. They hosted many bocce tournaments in their backyard, but bocce was hardly the only expression of her love of Italy. Her final book, Italy Cooks, was a memoir of 35 years of travel through Italy, including recipes from some of their friends, top restauranteurs like the Santini and Brovelli families and Dario Cecchini.
Judy's interests extended beyond her love of Italian food and culture to the local art scene in Southern California. As a founding member, with Marvin, of the Skirball Cultural Center, she helped create Zeidler's Cafe (recipes by Judy) and the new Judy's Counter. If you have eaten at Citrus, Capo, Cora's Cafe, Brentwood, Brentwood Cafe, or the iconic Broadway Deli, you have experienced her hospitality. She was a founding member of LACMA, MOCA and the Kirk Douglas Theater. Judy generously supported the Music Center and the Hollywood Bowl, as well as many other causes in Los Angeles, from the arts to political campaigns to social justice to women's issues to education. Judy loved music and the picnics in their box at the Hollywood Bowl on Thursday nights every summer for 30 summers. Over the years, they amassed an unbelievable collection of contemporary art and befriended many artists.
The greatest sorrow in her blessed life was the sudden loss of her beloved son, Marc, in 2021. She is also predeceased by her sister Sharynn and brothers-in-law Leland and Jerry. She is survived by her adored husband, Marvin; sister-in-law Marian and sister- and brother-in-law Lorraine and Harris; her four children; daughter-in-law; grandchildren; great-grandchildren; loving nephews and nieces; and thousands of friends, in Los Angeles, across the U.S., and in Italy. Baci-baci!
She was far from an ordinary '60s housewife; her career in cuisine began when she baked her signature strudel for the Discovery Inn, down the road, and they asked if she could deliver it daily. That led to 9 published cookbooks, including the landmark Gourmet Jewish Cookbook and the now collector's item Disneyland Cookbook; over two decades as the Jewish food consultant for the Los Angeles Times including her syndicated column, followed by articles in The Jewish Journal and Tribe Magazine; countless popular cooking classes taught in her kitchen; and "Judy's Kitchen," her cooking show on Jewish Television Network (JTN), said to be its best-known program. On "Judy's Kitchen," she taught classic as well as innovative recipes, and later hosted many of the best-known chefs of Los Angeles.
Along the way, Judy developed a love for Italy while traveling with Marvino on buying trips for Zeidler & Zeidler. In Italy, they found friends, food, wine, and bocce. They hosted many bocce tournaments in their backyard, but bocce was hardly the only expression of her love of Italy. Her final book, Italy Cooks, was a memoir of 35 years of travel through Italy, including recipes from some of their friends, top restauranteurs like the Santini and Brovelli families and Dario Cecchini.
Judy's interests extended beyond her love of Italian food and culture to the local art scene in Southern California. As a founding member, with Marvin, of the Skirball Cultural Center, she helped create Zeidler's Cafe (recipes by Judy) and the new Judy's Counter. If you have eaten at Citrus, Capo, Cora's Cafe, Brentwood, Brentwood Cafe, or the iconic Broadway Deli, you have experienced her hospitality. She was a founding member of LACMA, MOCA and the Kirk Douglas Theater. Judy generously supported the Music Center and the Hollywood Bowl, as well as many other causes in Los Angeles, from the arts to political campaigns to social justice to women's issues to education. Judy loved music and the picnics in their box at the Hollywood Bowl on Thursday nights every summer for 30 summers. Over the years, they amassed an unbelievable collection of contemporary art and befriended many artists.
The greatest sorrow in her blessed life was the sudden loss of her beloved son, Marc, in 2021. She is also predeceased by her sister Sharynn and brothers-in-law Leland and Jerry. She is survived by her adored husband, Marvin; sister-in-law Marian and sister- and brother-in-law Lorraine and Harris; her four children; daughter-in-law; grandchildren; great-grandchildren; loving nephews and nieces; and thousands of friends, in Los Angeles, across the U.S., and in Italy. Baci-baci!
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
