The previous President of Honour of Paris Cookbook Fair  have been author Claudia Roden in 2010, Chef Alain Dutournier in 2011 and chef Michel Roux in 2012. The presidency of Alistair Burtenshaw shows the clear focus of Paris Cookbook Fair 2013 on publishing,  professionals, and the foreign rights trade.

Alistair Burtenshaw is unanimously loved and respected within the publishing sector worldwide. As director of the London Book Fair for 10 years until September 2012  he developped LBF as the  essential book professional meetings of the first 9 months of the year. He has served the international book trade with the unique qualities of the true British gentlemen combined with business vision. He is widely admired for the way he handled the Icelandic volcano crisis of 2010 in extremely difficult circumstances. He genuinely understands and respect foreign cultures, and is equally at ease  in the US, India, China, South Africa or Brazil. He is married to a Spaniard and speaks Englih, Spanish and Italian.

Alistair has a keen interest in cookbooks. With Edouard Cointreau, he created the Cookbook Corner, the  London Book Fair / Gourmand partnership which has become a key feature of London Book Fair. At the Paris Cookbook Fair, Alistair will be involved in many activities including international conferences, panels and round tables as well as the exhibitions, meetings and events. He will be present for the 3 days. He will also open the Gourmand World Cookbooks  Gala event on Saturday February 2013 in the theater at Carrousel du Louvre. The books from 171 countries participate in the  competition this year.

International cookbook publishing is very honored to have Alistair Burtenshaw as its president in 2013.