Rita Leinwand; Writer and Authority on Food, Wine

Rita Leinwand, 64, a widely known food and wine authority who was the first food editor of Bon Appetit magazine. A teacher of gourmet food preparation and wine appreciation, she held the Grande Diplome of Cordon Bleu, was a past president of the California Restaurant Writers Assn. and was a consultant to several wineries in the United States and Europe. On March 31 in Los Angeles, of lymphoma.