Maryana Vollstedt is a native of Oregon and graduated from Oregon State University in Home Economics. In 1952 she and her husband, Reed, started Reed and Cross, a small nursery and garden center in Eugene, Oregon that grew into a large retail complex that included a landscape service, florist, gift shop, clothing, gourmet cookware, wine shop, and deli. This is where Maryana started her writing career in the mid-1960s by authoring the first cookbook and manual for the Kamado barbecue. She continued to write, and self-published 15 other cookbooks on a variety of subjects, selling over 300,000 copies.

The Vollstedts sold the store in 1979 to travel and pursue other interests. Since 1995, Maryana has written Pacific Fresh, What's for Dinner?, The Big Book of Casseroles, The Big Book of Soups & Stews, The Big Book of Breakfast, The Big Book of Potluck, The Big Book of Easy Suppers, Meatloaf, and The Big Book of Chicken, all published by Chronicle Books. These books, with practical recipes and straightforward directions, appeal to the home cook and all have been best-sellers, selling over 500,000 copies.

Free-Lance Food Columnist for the Eugene Register Guard - Writes "What's for Dinner?", a bi-monthly general foods column, for over ten years. Click Here for current articles. Over 400 columns to date.

Present international publisher is Chronicle Books of San Francisco for:
Pacific Fresh ©1995
What's for Dinner? © 1997
The Big Book of Casseroles © 2000 - listed on the San Francisco Chronicle top 10 cookbook list 3 times in 2001 and once on the Los Angeles Times Top 10 Cookbook list in 2001
The Big Book of Soups and Stews © 2001
The Big Book of Breakfast © 2003
The Big Book of Potluck © 2003
The Big Book of Easy Suppers © 2005
Meatloaf © 2006
The Big Book of Chicken to be released spring 2008

Has taught cooking classes with husband Reed at cook stores. Does book signing tours and demonstrations.

Has done TV commercials for a local dairy.

Member of International Association of Culinary Professionals.

Other interests:
She has been active in her community as the volunteer coordinator for a middle school mentor program that included five schools.
Active in church.
She has four grown children, seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild, and enjoys family get togethers.

Maryana lives in Eugene, Oregon, with her husband Reed where she continues to write cookbooks.