IN MEMORIAM

To many, she was the culinary director at ABC 7—talented, creative, and always bringing something beautiful to the screen. But to us at Edible, Judi Gallagher was so much more. She was a friend, a champion, and a constant source of warmth. Judi had this rare gift of making everyone feel like they belonged. You didn’t just show up, you were welcomed—fully, generously, and with love.

She lived life the way she cooked: abundantly. We shared countless meals together—ordering entire menus, laughing until we cried, always one more bite, one more story. At one point, my personal trainer actually told me I needed to take a break from eating with Judi… which tells you everything you need to know about how joyful those meals were.

Every May, without fail, she’d declare that Mother’s Day was opening day for pool season—a simple tradition that somehow felt like a celebration of life itself. That was Judi: She turned ordinary moments into something to look forward to.

And during the early days of COVID, when the world felt heavy, she showed up in the most Judi way possible—baking apple pies for healthcare workers. Because of course she did. She gave comfort the way she knew best: through food, through kindness, through action.

She loved fiercely—especially son Eric and husband Paul—and that love radiated out to everyone lucky enough to know her.

Judi will be remembered in so many ways: in the meals we shared, the laughter we can still hear, the traditions we’ll keep going in her honor. But most of all, she’ll be remembered for how she made people feel—seen, fed, and deeply cared for.

And that kind of legacy doesn’t fade. Life will never taste the same without you, my dear friend.