FALL 2019 2019 GR ANDE DA ME POUILLON Chef /Owner of America’s First Certified-Organic Restaurant ALSO INSIDE ... GREAT FUNDRAISING EVENTS FROM BRITISH COLUMBIA, CLEVELAND AND ST. LOUIS HOW GRANDE DAMES STAY RELEVANT OVER THE YEARS GREEN TABLES EVENTS FROM COLORADO, KENTUCKY AND NASHVILLE LDEI BOARD MEETS IN NEW ORLEANS Philadelphia's Deputy City Repesentative Margaret Hughes presented the Mayor’s Citation to Natanya DiBona (current president) and Claire Boasi (first president) in honor of the Philadelphia Chapter's 35th anniversary (see page 7). Laura Rodriguez prepares reception food at Bear Creek Farm for Nashville's Tour de Farm Green Tables fundraiser (see page 13). At Seattle Chapter's GCI event (see page 30), Jane Morimoto and Judy Lew stand between students at the Seattle Culinary Academy. FROM THE EDITOR If We Can Put a Man on the Moon… FALL 2 O19 I’m showing my age when I say that my eldest son Robert just celebrated his 50th birthday. In fact, he was three months old when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin took men’s first steps on the moon July 20, 1969. I held him in front of the TV so he IN THIS ISSUE could see it. How did we get there? “The astro- FEATURES nauts flew to the moon aided by a computer that had 73 kilobytes of memory. Today, a single email of 4 Nora Pouillon the day’s headlines from your local Grande Dame 2019 newspaper might require twice that space.” –One Giant Leap by 7 Philadelphia Chapter Celebrates Charles Fishman. You could put the memory of 876,712 Apollo Its 35th Anniversary 11 computers into one of today’s minimum-storage iPhones. 14 Board Meets in New Orleans President Kennedy said, “In a very real sense, it will not be one man The editor and her three- 19 London Chapter Approaches going to the moon. It will be an en- month old son Robert Wil- Its 10th Anniversary tire nation. For all of us must work liamson watching the first to put him there.” About his “one men walk on the moon June small step for man,” Neil Arm- 20,1969. strong said it was made possible by 400,000 engineers, scientists, and technicians from more than DEPARTMENTS 20,000 companies and universities who worked on the program. The phrase, “If we can put a man on the moon…”—a short- 8 Fundraising hand way of talking about what Americans were capable of— was first uttered in 1962 before we even got to the moon. It 11 Green Tables actually has a food connection. Montana Director of Agriculture Lowell Purdy was the first one to say, “If we can put a man on 16 Leadership the Moon,” and followed that by saying, “we surely are capable of seeing that our temporary surplus agricultural products are placed in many hungry stomachs of the world.” 18 Trends “This country was not built by those who waited and rested and wished to look behind them. This country was conquered Chapter Programs 20 by those who moved forward,” said President Kennedy. Why am I writing about this? LDEI isn’t 400,000 strong, but 26 Member Milestones 2,500 of us can help each other accomplish great things —for our chapters, our businesses, and our philanthropies. 30 Global Culinary Postcard “One truth I have discovered for sure: When you believe that all things are possible and you are willing to work hard to 30 In Memoriam accomplish your goals, you can achieve the next ‘impossible’ dream. No dream is too high!” said Buzz Aldrin, the second 31 Submission Guidelines man to walk on the moon. “Your mind is like a parachute: If it isn’t open, it doesn’t work.” Yes, let’s make sure our parachutes are open: to new ideas, each other. You know what would have happened if the parachutes slowing Apollo capsules’ descent back to earth hadn’t opened. Let’s keep ours filled! —CiCi Williamson, Editor, Fall Quarterly 2 Les Dames d’Escoffier International PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE 2019 LDEI BOARD OF DIRECTORS The mission of the LDEI Board is to foster the growth and success of Two Decades of LDEI Growth the organization by supporting the development of new and existing chapters What was happening twenty years ago as we and by implementing program initiatives. prepared for Y2K? Abigail Kirsch was LDEI It provides leadership, guidance, president and Edna Lewis, was named Grande education, connectivity, and effective Dame. There were twenty chapters of Les communication among LDEI members. Dames d’Escoffier with 884 members; our President annual conference, held in Atlanta, drew 112 ANN STRATTE Dames. There was no Quarterly, but CiCi Lobster and Lox LLC 100 Severn Avenue, #506 Williamson was creating the “millennium” Annapolis, MD 21403-2622 issue of the Les Dames d’ Escoffier Newsletter, (410) 903-2682 | [email protected] bringing our chapters and members into closer First Vice President communication. The number one song was BEV SHAFFER Owner/COOK.WRITE.TRAVEL.REPEAT. “Believe” by Cher. I was single. And everyone Culinary Consultant | Recipe Development thought the world was going to end. R&D | Food & Travel Writer Fast forward two decades. The world did not 3433 Blake Road come to an end. The impact of LDEI has grown Seville, OH 44273 (330) 441-2706 with 43 chapters and 2,506 members. We ex- [email protected] pect over 300 Dames to gather sharing our ideas Second Vice President and experiences in Nashville. The Quarterly, DANIELLE WECKSLER thanks to our editors Susan Slack and CiCi and Plateful Solutions 326 Bayview Drive 2nd VP Danielle Wecksler’s hard work and Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464 technological advancements, keeps us informed. (843) 647-9902 | [email protected] I just celebrated my 14th wedding anniversary, Our CBLs (Drew Faulkner, Gina Burchenal, Third Vice President and Cher is still on tour singing “Believe.” and Stephanie Jaeger) and AEC management BETH VLASICH PAV Owner/Chef, Some things change and some things remain are the glue that binds us, providing our chap- Cooking by Design, LLC the same. Improving connection, communica- ters the tools to make a difference. Mahalo to 5606 Stage Stop Circle tion, and collaboration are themes that resonate past president Hayley Matson-Mathes for her Austin, TX 78738 throughout the history of LDEI. Your LDEI service and for her work on the Brock Circle. (512) 431-8751 | [email protected] Board continued its mission to facilitate plat- Secretary A grant from the Julia Child Foundation and JENNIFER GOLDMAN forms for you to learn, engage, and grow. our Dame hosts and committee members allows Bal-Core Business Advisors This was a year of assessment and reinvention. the Legacy program to continue to thriving. 6732 Vanderbilt St Incoming LDEI President Bev Shaffer, led Through the efforts of many of our members, Houston, TX 77005 the way. As 1st VP, Bev put together a partner (843) 224-0198 | [email protected] LDEI has forged a relationship with the Boyd Treasurer program that produced increased revenue and Culinary library, part of the SoFab Museum in SHARON OLSON enhanced value for our partners. Please remember New Orleans (see page 15). Throughout the Culinary Visions Panel to thank and support our Partners and Patrons. year, I have continued to nurture these relation- 445 W. Erie Street, Suite 107 Bev also spearheads a committee charged with Chicago, IL 60654 ships and look for opportunities to collaborate (312) 280-4573 | [email protected] increasing the relevance of our award programs. and expand our brand with organizations con- Chapter Board Liaisons Our organization is poised to flourish with Bev as sistent with our mission. DREW FAULKNER our leader. I thank you for giving me the opportunity to Culinary Instructor As 3rd VP, Beth Pav and her committee have 7407 Honeywell Lane hold the office of president for this prestigious Bethesda, MD 20814-1019 made significant progress increasing our social organization. While my term is coming to an Home/Office 301-986-8540 media engagement. She is the driving force end, the support, hospitality and inspiration you [email protected] behind a total revamping of our website which have provided me will last forever. STEPHANIE JAEGER we hope will be completed in early 2020. Pear Tree Restaurant Sharon Olson, LDEI treasurer, kept us fiscally 1504 Appin Road With love and appreciation, North Vancouver, BC V7J 2T5 responsible while supporting the Board with Ann Stratte (604) 299-2772 | [email protected] her expertise. Jennifer Goldman ushered in President, LDEI GINA BURCHENAL Ontario as our 43rd chapter(see back cover). Gina's Kitchen 4036 Church Creek Point Largo, FL 33774 (512) 658-0338 | [email protected] Immediate Past President Dinner at Willa Jean: HAYLEY MATSON-MATHES LDEI Board enjoys dinner at New Owner/Culinary Consultant Orleans restaurant Willa Jean owned 2333 Kapiolani Boulevard #3516 by Chef Kelly Fields. Honolulu, HI 96826 Seated: Gina Burchenal, Liz Williams, (808) 941-9088 | [email protected] Ann Stratte, Danielle Wecksler. Executive Director Standing: Stephanie Carter, Jennifer GREG JEWELL Goldman, Sharon Olson, Bev Shaffer, President, AEC Management Resources Hayley Matson-Mathes, Drew P.O. Box 4961 Faulkner, Stephanie Jaeger, Beth Pav. Louisville, KY 40204 (502) 456-1851 x1 | [email protected] FALL QUARTERLY 2019 3 Morning menu planning session with Chef Todd Gray, who with Dame Ellen Gray, owns Equinox Restaurant in Washington. Nora with President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle at the restaurant. Nora said, “Good food, it seems, is also bipartisan.” President Bill Clinton held his first inau- gural party at the restaurant. Jimmy Carter was the first president to eat at Nora’s, and it was a favorite of Hillary Clinton.