Partners & Dames
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LES DAMES D’ESCOFFIER INTERNATIONAL WINTER 2 OO9 3 President’s Message 5 Thank You Hawaii Chapter WINTER •2 OO8 5 2009 Grande Dame Awards Kokua is a native Hawaiian word that re- 6-7 Hawaiian Luau flects a way of relating to others through kindness, assistance and support. Dames who attended the October conference in 8-9 Kualoa Ranch Tour O’ahu experienced Kokua firsthand from the Hawaii chapter. 10 Dining Under the Hawaiian Stars As I compiled this issue, I found the spirit of kokua alive and well within LDEI. Like 11-14 Optional Tours/Seminar Reviews clockwork, CiCi Williamson and Karen Levin continue to produce outstanding monthly features. CiCi, the guardian 15 Green Tables Recognition Breakfast of the Quarterly, graciously shared her expertise whenever it was needed. Jane 16-19 Chapter Photos Mengenhauser’s proof reading work has been invaluable. Adriana Torres Chong 20-21 Partner’s Lunch coordinated the photography effort for the conference and helped organize photos 22 General Sessions for this issue. Thanks to LDEI’s enthusiastic writers for making the Quarterly an informative 23 MFK Fisher Awards Dinner publication and to the photographers who captured the uniqueness of each event on film. Photographers for this issue include Chrissy Lambert, Joan Namkoong, Lori Wong, Pamela Boyar, Renie Steves, Adriana 24-26 Chapter News Torres Chong, CiCi Williamson, Karen Levin, Sarah Graham, Michael Mathes and Susan Slack. 27-29 Member Milestones Thanks to past editors, especially my predecessor Sarah Graham and to June 30 Submission Guidelines Hayes for the important advances they made in enhancing the overall appearance and quality of the Quarterly. And to designer ON THE COVER: Amy Maupin, who does a splendid job FRONT ROW : (Left to Right) Joan Namkoong, Dorothy Colby, Kay Tokunaga, Elizabeth creating each beautiful issue. Iwata, Abigail Langlas, Oleo Paa’ Ogawa, Fern Tomisato The success and value of the Quarterly SECOND ROW : (Left to Right) Adriana Torres Chong, Kellie Learmont, Ivy Nagayama, is based on three strengths: contributors, Hayley Matson Mathes, Shawn “Possie” Badham, Lori Wong, Melanie Kosaka, Janice Yap content, and commitment. Les Dames THIRD ROW : (Left to Right) Holly Hadsell El Hajji, Michelle Nakaya, Sabine Glissmann, are succeeding on all counts! It’s all Carol Nardello, Beverly Gannon, Jean Hull, Satomi Goo about kokua! Photo of Hawaii Chapter by Photographer Chrissy Lambert. Editor, Susan Fuller Slack 2009 LDEI BOARD OF DIRECTORS President Third V P/PR Treasurer Director-at-Large Immediate Past President SUZANNE J BROWN WENDY TAYLOR MARY MOORE SANDY HU KATHERINE NEWELL SMITH Brown Marketing Communications, LLC Planit Network Event Planning Ltd. The Cook’s Warehouse Sandy Hu Food Marketing LLC KNS Promotion, Inc. 5415 Northland Drive NE #203 1410 Jefferson Avenue 1095 Zonolite Road, NE, #104 380 Roosevelt Way 5525 Devon Road Atlanta, GA 30342 West Vancouver, BC V7T 2B4 Atlanta, GA 30306 San Francisco, CA 94114 Bethesda, MD 20814 770-377-3488 (W) Canada 404-492-9018 (W) 415-626-1765 (W) 301/907-7590 (W) [email protected] 604/926-9071 (W/H) 404-921-0524 (FAX) [email protected] 301-907-7594 (FAX) 604/926-1255 (FAX) [email protected] [email protected] First V P/President Elect TERESA FARNEY [email protected] Director-at-Large The Gazette Director-at-Large ZOLA NICHOLS 7220 Delmonico Drive Secretary ALICE GAUTSCH FOREMAN Desert Wine, Spirits and Gifts Executive Director Colorado Springs, CO 80919 MARIE KELLEY Gautsch & Associates, Inc. 611 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Suite 1 GREG JEWELL 719/636-0271 (W) Kelley Productions International 2450 Canterbury Lane East, 2A Palm Springs, CA 92264 AEC Management Resources 719/636-0202 (W/FAX) 2047 Caminito Capa Seattle, WA 98112-2500 760-327-7701 (W) P.O. Box 4961 [email protected] La Jolla, CA 92037 206/325-1780 (W/H/FAX) 760-327-0337 (H/FAX) Louisville, KY 40204 858/456-6609 (W) [email protected] 760 327-7702 (W/FAX) 502-456-1851 (W) Second V P/Quarterly 858/459-5876 (FAX) [email protected] 502/456-1821 (FAX) SUSAN SLACK [email protected] [email protected] 116 Hurlingham Drive Columbia, SC 29223 803-736-7103 (W/H) [email protected] Building LDEI Brand Awareness C OMMUNICATION S , COOPERATION & COLLABORATION Dear Dames, As I write my first message, the new board is in the midst of developing an operational system that will enable our organization to build the LDEI Brand. Throughout the Hawaii conference, conversations seem to focus on how to define who we are and what we do. Unlike most orga- nizations, our structure is from the bottom - up; rather than top - down. Pic- ture an inverted triangle, with the chapters at the top, DAL’s/ chapter presidents in the middle and board at the bottom tip. Bottom-up is unique and offers LDEI an opportunity to differentiate and better define its brand. Results from Sur- veyMonkey and strategic planning sessions, Katherine Newell Smith passes the gavel to incoming LDEI President, Suzanne J Brown. indicate that members seemed to want more and better communications, increased coop- philanthropy? Several examples come to mind: The Kansas City Chapter’s eration and opportunities for collaboration. The Roots for Refugees is a community outreach program involving Catholic three C’s, as we’re calling it. Charities and the Kansas City Center for Urban Agriculture. In Dallas, a member of the chapter is part of the community’s monthly culinary “round C OMMUNICATION S table,” where other representatives from culinary associations meet to dis- As we grow, so does the need for better communication systems. Currently, cuss cross-promotion opportunities. our new website (www.ldei.org ) provides our main source of gathering and Perhaps one of our greatest treasures is to collaborate with our interna- posting information. Our LDEI e-newsletter provides timely chapter and tional partners. Several recent events come to mind: Wente’s contribution event news while the Quarterly is more features - oriented. of wines combined with tastings for fund-raising events in Atlanta; Peter’s Chocolate, Melissa’s and All-Clad offered special discounts to Dames, and C OOPERATION Whole Foods’ donation of a percentage of sales to LDEI programs in par- Without a healthy esprit de corps, our ticipating chapter communities. organization cannot prosper. As Past President Katherine Newell Smith em- C ON F ERENCE : THE F OURTH “C.” phasized during her tenure last year, The fourth “C” is just for you. The outward benefits of attending annual “the whole is greater than the sum of conference are all the programs and activities listed in the program. You can its parts.” I like to draw an analogy to read about them on our website. But if you ask any Dame who has attended a car wheel. a conference about her personal “take away,” chances are her response will Picture the spokes of the wheel as be the Dames themselves. Nothing compares to sharing and learning from the 26 Chapters; they are all inter- the most accomplished culinary talent in North America. twined and connect to the hub, which During the Hawaii conference, I heard Kathy Gottsacker, co-president, is the LDEI Board. If any of the spokes St. Louis describe the trip at Kualoa Ranch as “holistic,”…that since the break, the wheel’s integrity is compro- discovery of Hawaii, the isolation of the islands promoted community mised. The same goes for LDEI. Con- dependence on each other…neighbors helping neighbors just to survive. tinuing that analogy of the wheels is apropos for chapter operations. Their That original community spirit provided the social fabric of Hawaii that strength and integrity is dependent upon participation from the entire mem- continues today. bership to grow and prosper. Each annual conference offers fresh, new opportunities for learning and sharing. Won’t you please mark your calendar for October 1 – 4, 2009 to C OLLABORATION attend our annual conference in Philadelphia? I promise the experience will DAL calls provide the platform for chapter presidents to share issues, events, be exhilarating, educational, and fun. fund-raisers and programming ideas. The next step calls for greater collabo- ration, or moving networking up a notch. One sure thing discovered during Warm regards, our annual conferences is that Dames enjoy each other’s company. So why not collaborate on a regional basis? With the focus on building support for the LDEI brand in our com- munities, what are some opportunities for collaboration with local or- ganizations? How can we expand objectives of education, advocacy and Suzanne J Brown WINTER QuarterlY 2OO9 3 HAWAI `I SEAL S OF QUALITY LOOK FOR T H I S SEAL AND TAKE HOME HAWAI `I’S BE S T !! Passion Precision Perfection GENUINE HAWAI`I-GROWN From Bean HAWAI`I-MADE to Cup PREMIUM PRODUCTS The Hawai`i Seals of Quality is an enforced branding program that distinguishes the finest, high-quality agricultural prod- ucts from Hawai`i. For more information, please visit www.sealofquality.hawaii.gov www.krups.com 4 Les Dames d’Escoffier International THANK YOU Hawaii Chapter for Hosting the 2008 Conference by Dame Katherine Newell Smith (Washington D.C.) 2009 GRANDE DAME AWARDS March 15 is the deadline for nominations of the 2009 Grande Dame award. The award will be presented at the LDEI conference in Philadelphia in early October. In announcing the deadline, Renie Steves and Dorene McTigue, 2009 Grande Dame Award Co-Chairs, commented, “This is your chapter’s opportunity to nominate a shining star for this L-R: Joan Namkoong, Kellie award. It is a late-in-career award to a woman Learmont, Holly Hadsell El Hajji who has a record of professional achievement and community betterment. We need all chapters Conference co-chairs with Katherine Newell Smith to participate.” Completed nominations forms are to be sent to Greg Jewell.