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CORVALLIS, Ore. - Noted national food writer, critic and television personality Ruth Reichl will speak at Oregon State University on Feb. 17 as part of the Provost's Lecture Series.

Reichl's talk, "American Food Now: How We Became a Nation of Foodies," begins at 7:30 p.m. in The LaSells Stewart Center, 875 S.W. 26^th St., Corvallis. The event is free and open to the public. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and a book-signing will follow.

Reichl was editor in chief at "Gourmet" from 1999 until the magazine's closure in 2009. Before joining the magazine, she was restaurant critic at The New York Times and at the Los Angeles Times, where she also was food editor.

She has served as a judge on the television show "Top Chef Masters" on Bravo and hosted three Food Network specials that covered her culinary exploits in New York, San Francisco and Miami. Her 10-episode PBS show, "Gourmet's Adventures with Ruth," highlighted her trips to the best cooking schools on five continents with famous foodie friends such as actress Dianne Wiest and Chef Dean Fearing.

Reichl is the author of a novel and several memoirs. Her most recent work is "My Kitchen Year: 136 Recipes That Saved My Life," a cookbook published in September 2015. She is the recipient of six James Beard Awards. The awards, considered the highest honor for food industry professionals in America, cover all aspects of the food industry, including cookbook authors and food journalists; chefs and restaurants; and restaurant designers and architects.

Reichl's visit is supported by the Wait and Lois Rising Endowment and the College of Agricultural Sciences at OSU, which has become a leader in the nation's food culture. The college is a strong partner with Oregon's rapidly growing food and beverage industries.

Born and raised in New York City's Greenwich Village, Reichl moved to Berkeley, California, in the early 1970s, where she played an integral role in America's culinary revolution as chef and co-owner of The Swallow Restaurant.

Co-sponsored by the Office of the Provost and the OSU Foundation, the Provost's Lecture Series brings renowned speakers to the Oregon State University community to engage in thought-provoking discussions on topics of cultural and global significance.