Peggy Keener

1) International food company 2) Self-employed

1) International 2) International

Writing; Food evaluation; TV and lecturing; Japanese antiques

1) Food products for U.S. retailers, international markets, and bakeries and food service companies 2) Book, "A Potato in a Rice Bowl"

Writing; Decorating; Gardening; Japanese antiques; Sewing

College Coursework

Austin

Authorship

MN/USA

Jeff, Matt, Erin

1/3/2012

Author (2011-Present); Professional Food Taster, General Mills (2003-Present); Teacher, Lecturer, NHK-TV, Tokyo, Japan (1963-1998)

Ms. Keener brings an exceptional range of food experience to her work as a professional food taster, an exceptional range of personal experience to her writing, and an exceptional drive to her marketing efforts for "Potato in a Rice Bowl." She lived in Japan, Okinawa, Australia, Bali, and Thailand for nearly 30 years and raised three children while her husband traveled on clandestine military missions. She lived "in the heart of the countries," not in hotels or resorts. Navigating new cultures on her own, she had to constantly encourage her children to try new foods. Now 73 years of age, Ms. Keener is still a force to be reckoned with. She began publishing her writing at age 72 and has quickly succeeded in bringing it to the public’s notice. Her memoir won a Gold Award from Readers Favorite and was a finalist in two additional nonfiction categories.

Ms. Keener's experience living in so many cultures has given her the gift of open-mindedness. It has taught her that people are alike the world over; their needs, dreams and goals the same. It has also taught her that religions all contain the same basic premises, and that the world would be much better if we stopped trying to impose different interpretations on them. She finds that she has a built-in willingness to consider almost any idea before condemning it, and that this clears her mind—and her heart—from preconceptions.

Glen L.

The highlight of her career has been publishing her award-winning memoir, "Potato in a Rice Bowl"

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She attributes her success to her confidence, attention to people and detail, creativity, organization, and spunk.

She became involved in her profession as a food sensory scientist by design, in her prior profession as a TV and radio personality by chance, and in her latest profession as an author by love.

Originally from Austin, Minnesota, Ms. Keener has acquired "a wide world of experience" throughout her career as a TV and radio personality, lecturer, food taster, and, most recently, author. She lived in Japan, Okinawa, Australia, Bali and Thailand for many years while her husband traveled on clandestine military missions. In her 2011 memoir, “Potato in a Rice Bowl,” Ms. Keener takes a highly entertaining look at her life in Tokyo, Japan, in the 1960s. She chronicles her cultural struggles and unexpected success at NHK-TV. Ms. Keener is currently devoting considerable energy to promoting her book, and also works as a professional food taster for General Mills. As a volunteer, she brings service dogs on visits to hospices and nursing homes. She also refurbishes homes on a volunteer basis. Despite floundering her way through Japanese culture, as she recounts in her book, she is proud to have raised three children, one of whom is now a medical doctor. Ms. Keener is also proud to be a grandmother extraordinaire.

1) Evaluating foods' sensory appeal; Writing; Lecturing 2) Marketing; Writing

Master Certification in Graphoanalysis; Professional Food Sensory Scientist

Gold Award, Best Nonfiction-Memoir, Readers Favorite (2011); Finalist Award, Best Nonfiction-Humor, Readers Favorite (2011); Finalist Award, Best Nonfiction-Historical/Cultural, Readers Favorite (2011); Blue Ribbon for Sewing, Minnesota State Fair (2007)

In five years, Ms. Keener hopes to write another book.