Sheila Hibben

Cecile Craik Hibben (1888–1964), better known as Sheila Hibben, was an American food journalist. She served as The New Yorker first food critic, working for the magazine for 20 years. She also authored several cookbooks.

Biography She was born Cecile Craik in 1888, in Montgomery, Alabama, and grew up in Italy and France. She served in World War I as a nurse, and received the Croix de Guerre. She married Paxton Hibben in 1916 in Athens, and the couple spent several years in Europe.

When she was hired in 1934, she became The New Yorker first food critic. Good Food for Bad Stomachs was written at the request of Harold Ross, editor-in-chief of The New Yorker, who suffered from ulcers.

At the time of her death in 1964, Hibben had written more than 350 articles for The New Yorker. In 1934, Hibben was brought to the White House in order to advise the staff on meal preparation.