The five chefs honored on these stamps — James Beard, Julia Child, Joyce Chen, Edna Lewis, and Felipe Rojas-Lombardi — revolutionized our understanding of food. Seeing cooking as a source of delight, they invited us to feast on regional and international flavors and were early but ardent champions of trends that many foodies now take for granted. As they shared their know-how, they encouraged us to undertake our own culinary adventures.

Through cookbooks, a trailblazing television show, and her landmark restaurants in the Boston area, Joyce Chen (1917–1994) became one of America’s greatest popularizers of Chinese food. She is also credited with introducing the flat-bottom wok to American kitchens.