Joan Luther, the legendary publicist who practically invented restaurant PR in Los Angeles, passed away yesterday at age 83. She was a force known and respected throughout the city, having first made her name tracking celebrities for Hedda Hopper while dining out in Hollywood before moving on to “work for almost every chef in L.A.,” as Los Angeles magazine noted in a 2004 profile. Publicist Dan Cox, an acolyte of Luther’s, pens a powerful tribute to Luther, who will be missed by many, on his website.
