Len Evans

Len Evans was born in Felixstowe, England, of Welsh parents and was educated at Framlingham College. He migrated to New Zealand in 1953, then to Australia in 1955. After various experiences, he became the first regular wine columnist in Australia (1962), he was the founding director of the Australian Wine Bureau (1965), and he wrote the first major encyclopedia of Australian wine (1973). He was one of the first leaders to recognise that the future of Australian wine lay in table wines rather than in the sweet fortified wines in which the country then specialized.

In 1967, Evans co-authored a book with expert gourmet Graham Kerr, The Galloping Gourmets. The two got their nickname from a 35-day worldwide trek to the finest restaurants around the globe. The Galloping Gourmet persona, however, became more associated with Kerr, who would later host a globally syndicated cooking show, The Galloping Gourmet.

Because of his achievements, he received many awards, including the Epicurean Award for services to the Wine and Food Industry, the Charles Heidsieck Award for Wine Writing, Personalité de l'Année, (1986) Paris (Oenology section – Gastronomy), Chevalier de l'Ordre Merite Agricole (French government), first life member of the Society Of Wine Educators (1995), and elected member of the College of Patrons of the Australian Wine Industry, Restaurant Association Hall of Fame, Decanter' Magazine – International Award for "Man of the Year".

He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1982 and an Officer of the Order of Australia in 1999.

After a history of heart disease dating from 1976, Len Evans died of a heart attack on 17 August 2006, in Newcastle, New South Wales.

Source: Wikipedia