Elizabeth Romer
Elizabeth Romer was born and brought up in Wales. She graduated from Leicester College of Art and then went on to the Royal College of Art and received a des.RCA. It was on her very first visit to Italy as a student that she fell in love with the sublime beauty of the country’s art, architecture and landscape, not to mention the superb cuisine!
In 1966, newly married, Elizabeth and John Romer left London for Egypt where they spent many years working with various archaeological and epigraphic expeditions in the tombs and temples at Luxor, including directing an expedition and excavating the tomb of Ramesses XI in the Valley of the Kings. Then too, local food was of great interest as Elizabeth was in charge of running the expedition house and learnt much about Upper Egyptian village fare from her cook. Elizabeth has also long been occupied in assisting John with the making of international TV history series, most of which have featured Egypt and its monuments.
In 1972, Elizabeth and John acquired a farmhouse in Tuscany, near Arezzo, where she was inspired to write her first book, The Tuscan Year (1984), describing the daily lives and cuisine of her farmer neighbours. Elizabeth has illustrated all her own books about food and many of her husband’s works on ancient Egypt. Her book Italian Pizza and Hearth Breads was published in 1987 and in the same year was awarded an IACP/Seagram Award for Single Subject Books.
In spring 2020, Elizabeth published her latest book, about the beautiful, secretive city of Arezzo where for many years she and John have resided in the centro storico.
