Regula Ysewijn MBE

Culinary historian, anthropologist, photographer, broadcaster and award-winning author.

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Because questions about her name are so plentiful:
Regula = Latin for law, rule or ruler (see Regula Benedicti) and also the female form for Regulus which means King. Origins: 3rd century Roman Switserland. The only country where Regula is a name.
Pronunciation: Re-gu-la short sounds like “regulation”, so not Rééégula or Regoela.

Ysewijn = Old East-Flemish – Germanic îsan-win ‘ijzer-vriend’ which means ‘iron friend’.
Pronunciation: Iezewin in English – Iezewijn in Dutch.

 

In August 2024, Regula was appointed an honorary Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE), a British chivalry order. This prestigious honour, conferred by His Majesty King Charles, recognizes Regula’s outstanding contributions to British food and culture in both Belgium and the UK. She now proudly carries the MBE title.

Regula Ysewijn MBE is a James Beard Award-winning writer, culinary historian, and photographer from Belgium. She focuses on the food and social history of Britain and the Low Countries, traveling between Belgium and London for her work. Regula has also been a judge for the Belgian version of the Great British Bake Off  TV series (Bake Off Vlaanderen) and Junior Bake Off since 2017. She has been a judge for the Great Taste Awards and World Cheese Awards for the Guild of Fine Food for over ten years. Additionally, she has appeared as a guest on BBC programs such as Inside the Factory and as a judge alongside Mary Berry on The Platinum Pudding: 70 Years in the Making, a TV show that was launched to find a new pudding dedicated to Queen Elizabeth II as part of that year’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

Regula is the author of 7 books on food and drink culture:

 

Pride and Pudding

The History of British Puddings, Savoury and Sweet (2016)
Belgian Café Culture

A portrait of the iconic Belgian beer café (2016 and 2021)
Oats in the North, Wheat from the South

British Baking, Savoury and Sweet(2020)
Dark Rye and Honey Cake

Festival Baking from Belgium – The Heart of the Low Countries (2023)

Commissioned Books:

 

The National Trust Book of Puddings (2019)
The Official Downton Abbey Christmas Cookbook (2020)
The Official Bridgerton Cookbook (coming autumn 2024)

 

Background

Regula was born in Flanders, the Dutch-speaking region of Belgium. She went to art school, studied graphic design, fashion design and ancient printing techniques. She worked as a Graphic Designer for almost 10 years before becoming a writer and photographer through her award-winning English language blog Miss Foodwise (discontinued) in 2010 and her debut book in 2015.

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Regula is proudly neurodivergent. After teaching herself English as a child she discovered that she wasn’t plagued by her neurodivergence like she is in her mother language Dutch. She therefore writes her books in English. In fact more of her books are available in English than in Dutch, her native language.

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She travels between Britain and Belgium for her work, this can be TV appearances, talks and research. Regula also hosts a sporadic podcast called Regula Culinaria (Regula is Latin for “the law” or “rule”).

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Some podcast interviews with Regula:

Olive Magazine (2020) podcast here >

Milk Street Radio (2021) Podcast Here >

Borough Market (2023) podcast here >

Welcome to the AA with Alex Agnew (2023-in Dutch) Podcast here >

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Exhibitions

Regula has created exhibitions with museums and heritage institutions

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Van Wafel tot Koek
(From Waffle to Honeycake)

A unique chance to see centuries old historical cookery books and material culture (waffle irons, gingerbread moulds) from the Low Countries with a special focus on Belgium in the beautiful Nottebohmzaal

Heritage Library of Antwerp December 23- January 7 2024

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Cafébazinnen en Zagemannen

Photo expo about Belgian café culture with photos by Regula from her book ‘Belgian café culture / Authentieke Belgische Cafés

Museum of Jenever /Jenevermuseum Hasselt 

May to september 2024

Galerie ‘In den Bouw’

8 september – 6 october 2024

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Bibliography

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Pride and Pudding

the history of British Puddings (2015, Davidsfond, 2016 Murdoch Books), new English and Dutch edition in 2021-2022 (Murdoch Books and Overamstel) Italian edition (Guido Tomassi)

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Belgian Café Culture / Authentieke Belgische Cafés

A Portrait of the iconic café –  (2016 and anniversary edition in 2021, Luster)

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The National Trust Book Of Puddings

(2019, National Trust)

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Oats in the North, Wheat from the South

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UK, NZ, AUS edition (2020, Murdoch Books)

US edition: The British Baking Book (2020, Weldon Owen

Taiwanese edition, German edition

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Dutch Edition: Brits Bakboek

(2019, Carrera Culinair) NEW EDITION 2024:

Van Scone tot Teacake 

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The Official Downton Abbey Christmas Cookbook

(2020, Weldon Owen US, Titan Books UK)

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Dark rye and Honey cake / Van wafel tot koek

(2023, Murdoch Books UK/AUS/NZ, Weldon Owen US, Overamstel NL/BE, Taiwanese edition)

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The Official Bridgerton Cookbook

(2024, Penguin, Netflix)

 

Awards and nominations

 

For Pride and Pudding:

André Simon Memorial Food & Drink Awards – shortlist

Fortnum & Mason Food & Drink Awards’ shortlist

Gourmand World Book Awards – Culinary Heritage category – winner for Britain

Best books of 2016 by the BBC Radio 4 The Food Program

The Best British Cookbooks of the 2000s’ by the Great British Food Awards.

 
For Belgian Café Culture:

Gourmand World Book Awards – Culinary History category – winner for Belgium

 
For Oats in the North, Wheat from the South (‘The British Baking Book’ in the US, Brits Bakboek in NL):

Gourmand World Book Awards – Food Heritage – winner for Britain

Gouden Kookboek (The Netherlands) – Shortlist

André Simon Memorial Food & Drink Awards (UK) – Nominee

Best books of 2020 by the BBC Radio 4 The Food Program

Best books of 2020 by The New Yorker

Best books of 2020 by The Washington Post

 
For Dark rye and Honey cake / Van wafel tot koek

Gouden kookboek (NL) – Silver

Andre Simon Food & Drink awards – Longlist

Best books of 2023 by Delicious. Magazine

Best Books of 2023 by Waitrose Weekend Magazine

James Beard Award 2024 (US) – Shortlist

 

Awards for photography

World Photography Awards

(previously Pink Lady Food Photographer Award)

Shortlisted 2015: “Food for Sale”

Shortlisted 2016: “Food For Sale”
Special commendation 2016: “Food in the field” and “Politics of Food”
Shortlisted 2023 – Third place in Women photography

 

Appearances

Television

United Kingdom

BBC One ‘Inside the Factory’ (Season 6)

BBC One Breakfast (2016 and 2022)

BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour (2020)

BBC Radio 4 ‘The Food Programme’ (Belgian Beer, 2019)

BBC The Platinum Pudding Competition (judge) (2022)

Channel 4 Sunday Brunch (march 2023)

Challen 4 Sunday Brunch (December 2023)

United states

wgntv.com Chicago midday-news lunchbreak baking demo (2020)

The Netherlands

Tijd voor Maxx (2019) NPO 1 

Koffietijd (2021) RTL4 

Heel Vlaanderen Bakt  (judge from 2017 onwards) NPO 1 

Heel Vlaanderen bakt kids (judge from 2020 onwards) NPO 1 

Belgium

Bake Off Flanders (judge from 2017 onwards) Play4

Junior Bake Off Flanders (judge from 2020 onwards) Play4

De ideale wereld (2023 VRT)

Winteruur (2023 VRT)

In print

The Guardian, the Telegraph, the Independent, former Jamie magazine, Delicious. magazine, BBC History, Flow, Knack, Knack Weekend, De Standaard magazine, De Morgen, Foodies, Food and Travel and more…