FALL 2017 Felicitaciones, Complimenti, CONGRATULATIONS TO LDEI’S 2017 AWARD WINNERS Grande Dame Award 2017 Winner 2017 M.F.K. Fisher Awards Grand Prize Winner Lidia Bastianich Sandra Gutierrez ALSO INSIDE: REMEMBRANCES OF M.F.K. FISHER | GREEN TABLES | CLEVELAND LDEI BOARD MEETING Hawaii Dames Jan Yap (left) and Kai’ulani Cowell served over 450 students, teachers, and administrators for Liholiho Elementary School’s Wellness Day (see Green Tables, page 18). Nashville hosted its first “Tour de Farm: Beyond the Bend” followed by dinner for 150 prepared by (from left) Mindy Merrell, Maneet Chauhan, and Jessica Collins. Photo by Christen Clemins. (See Nashville Chapter Program, page 22.) M.F.K.Fisher in 1942-43 while screenwriter for Paramount Pictures/Hollywood. Photo by Man Ray. (See pages 13-15.) FROM THE EDITOR Felicitaciones, Complimenti FALL 2 O17 to LDEI’s Award Winners Why the Spanish and Italian versions of “Congratula- tions?” To exemplify that the “American Dream” is still IN THIS ISSUE thriving. Our two top prize winners were raised in Guate- mala (Sandra Gutierrez) and Italy (Lidia Bastianich) and then became success stories in the U.S. First prize in the FEATURES M.F.K. Fisher Book Category went to Elaine Khosrova, a writer whose mother is Scottish and whose husband’s par- 5 Grande Dame Award Winner ents are German and Iranian, and the second-prize winner, Yasmin Khan, is a British- 8 M.F.K. Fisher Awards Winners Iranian. Of course, all U.S. ancestors 13 Dames Recall Grandest Literary except Native Americans im- migrated from other countries. Dame of All It’s been theorized that even they got here over a land 14 M.F.K. Fisher, Herself and bridge from Asia to Alaska. I Her Home myself am 25-percent Swiss by virtue of my grandfather who LDEI 2017 International emigrated from Switzerland 16 to Texas in 1905, and mar- Board Meeting in Cleveland ried my Texan grandmother. CiCi less than one-year old Perhaps that explains my with Swiss grandfather Weber 18 Green Tables overindulgence in chocolate! “I am the perfect example 19 LDEI The First Five Years Part 2 that if you give somebody a chance, especially here in the United States, one can find the way,” Lidia Bastianich said GCI's Global Culinary Postcard to me in the interview on pages 4-6. 30 That is also the way I think of Dames and our mentoring, teaching, giving scholarships, and supporting women in culinary fields. Fact in point: Look for the newest class of DEPARTMENTS Legacy Award winners at the conference in Newport Beach and peruse the “Chapter Programs” and “Member Mile- stones” to see the many ways Dames and their chapters are 20 Chapter Programs contributing to the success of other women. Therefore, congratulations to all Dames. For everything 26 Member Milestones you do to support our mission and other women, Felicita- ciones, Complimenti, Glückwünsche, Toutes nos félicitations! 31 Submission Guidelines —CiCi Williamson, Editor, Fall Quarterly 2 Les Dames d’Escoffier International PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE 2017 LDEI BOARD OF DIRECTORS The mission of the LDEI Board is to foster the growth and success of The Rubber is Hitting the Road! the organization by supporting the development of new and existing chapters It is hard to believe this is my last President’s and by implementing program initiatives. message for the Quarterly. As I write this in It provides leadership, guidance, August, however, the busiest three months are education, connectivity, and effective still ahead of me. Having the right people in communication among LDEI members. your corner is what makes the difference. I President STACY ZEIGLER tend to get myself in trouble when I start nam- Director of Sales, Bold American Events ing names, so I’m just going to give shout-outs 2929 Surrey Lane to everyone as a group. If you are reading this, Atlanta, GA 30341 then you have been a vital part of my journey. (678) 302-3232 | [email protected] What does being President mean? It means First Vice President HAYLEY JO MATSON-MATHES you get a lot of credit for things you may have Owner/Culinary Consultant only had a very small hand in. Of course, it 2333 Kapiolani Blvd #3516 also means you get blamed for things you Honolulu, HI 96826 have no control over. That happens a lot less (808) 941-9088 | [email protected] often, thankfully! It has been a pleasure to Second Vice President BEV SHAFFER work with the LDEI Board this year. We have Owner/Culinary Consultant & Food/Travel diverse points of view on how to get there but Writer all feel strongly about where we want to go. 3433 Blake Road Add to that our chairs for the Legacy Awards, Seville, OH 44273 (330) 441-2706 | bev.foodwithattitude@gmail. LDEI’s M.F.K. Fisher Awards, Green Tables, com the Global Culinary Initiative, Social Media, Third Vice President Nominations, the Quarterly editors, and the DEBORAH MINTCHEFF chairs of conference and you see where the Cookbook Editor & Certified Life Coach 129 East 69th Street real work gets done. The volunteer hours and New York, NY 10021-5041 dedication by blood, sweat, and tears are to be (212) 879-0383 | [email protected] commended. Secretary It really isn’t that different at the chapter all year long, and that is what we are ultimately ANN STRATTE level. Chapter presidents take the lead, but all about. Women Supporting Women! It will 100 Severn Avenue, #506 be bittersweet, but I leave you in amazing Annapolis, MD 21403-2622 they must count on their board, committee (410) 903-2682 | [email protected] chairs, and members to be successful. Credit hands. My work is done…well almost! Treasurer also goes to the member. What is a chief with DEBORAH ORRILL no Indians? I mentioned close to a year ago Culinary Consultant in Washington, D.C., as I took the gavel, that 64 Vanguard Way Dallas, TX 75243 I wanted your feedback. You took me at my (214) 343-0124 | [email protected] word! I have loved hearing from you all and Stacy Zeigler Chapter Board Liaisons can’t wait to meet or see you again in Newport President, Les Dames d’Escoffier International KATHY GOLD Beach, California. I have felt amazing support President/Executive Chef The Cooking Company/ In The Kitchen Cooking School 10 Mechanic Street LDEI Board Haddonfield, NJ 08033 Members at (609) 206-4511 | [email protected] Vitamix Head- quarters. Hayley JUDITH BELLOS Matson-Mathes, Co-Owner Ces & Judy's Catering Jodi Berg, Co-Owner The Venue at Maison du Lac President and 10405 Clayton Road Frontenac, MO 63131 CEO of Vitamix, (314) 580-2000 | [email protected] Ann Stratte, Stacy Zeigler, Bev JULIE CHERNOFF Shaffer, Maria Dining Editor, Make it Better Media Gomez-Laurens, 200 Burnham Place Kathy Gold, Julie Evanston, IL 60202 Chernoff, Debo- (847) 902-6741 | [email protected] rah Mintcheff, Immediate Past President Judy Bellos, MARIA GOMEZ-LAURENS Deb Orrill. See Manager, Hospitality, HelmsBriscoe the LDEI Board 11241 Avenida del Gato Meeting report San Diego, CA 92126 in Cleveland on (858) 800-7650 | [email protected] pages 16-17. Executive Director GREG JEWELL President, AEC Management Resources P.O. Box 4961 Louisville, KY 40204 (502) 456-1851 x1 | [email protected] FALL QUARTERLY 2017 3 Felicitaciones, Complimenti, CONGRATULATIONS TO LDEI’S 2017 AWARD WINNERS GRANDE DAME AWARD At the LDEI Conference in Newport Beach, two Dames will receive the organization’s top awards. Lidia Bastianich will be the 14th Grande Dame named by LDEI. Other worthy women were nominated for the 2017 award are: Raquel “Ricky” Agranoff (Ann Arbor) Nancy Brussat Barocci (Chicago) Kusuma Cooray (Hawaii) Laurie Donnelly Beatrice Ojakangas (Minnesota) Nora Poullion (Washington, D.C.) Martine Saunier It’s a great honor to be nominated by our chapters, and every one is a grand lady, so congratulations go to them as well. M.F.K. FISHER AWARDS The grand prize in LDEI’s M.F.K. Fisher Awards was won by Sandra Gutierrez (North Carolina). Of the nine winners chosen by 10 judges (who are not members of LDEI), four are Dames. The three third- prize winners are Cynthia Graubart (Atlanta), Elaine Cicora (Cleveland), and Kim Ode (Minnesota). This is remarkable considering only 15 Dames entered the contest—about half the number of previous years—of 74 total entries. See their stories on pages 8-12. For the first time, we have a winner from the U.K. Yasmin Khan, London, United Kingdom, author of The Saffron Tales (Bloomsbury USA) won second prize in the Book Category. Sue Carter (London) told me, “Yasmin spoke on a panel for the London Chapter, and that’s how she heard of our contest.” Of the 74 entries, 10 were in the Book Category, 40, Internet; and 24, Print (newspapers, magazines, and newsletters). The ten judges for the 2017 contest— long-time newspaper and magazine food editors and a writing coach—are not members of LDEI. They reside in California, Florida, Iowa, Texas, Utah, and Virginia. I hope more than 15 Dames enter the 2018 con- test!—CiCi Williamson, Chair, LDEI’s 2017 M.F.K. Fisher Awards Contest 4 Les Dames d’Escoffier International Lidia Matticchio Bastianich WINS GRANDE DAME AWARD By CiCi Williamson Growing up in Pola, Lidia spent time Astoria bakery owned by actor Christo- (Washington, D.C.) with her grandmother Rosa on the farm. pher Walken’s father. After graduating “Nonna lived in the country. I was an from high school, she began to work full- ood has always been active child, so whatever she was doing, I time at a pizzeria in the upper west side a big part of my life,” helped her: milk goats, make goat cheese, of Manhattan.