FISCAL YEAR 2017 TABLE OF CONTENTS Letter from the President and Board Chairs04/ JBF by the Numbers06/ Embodying Excellence08/ Paving the Way for New Generations and Leaders12/ Elevating Voices and Changing the Dialogue16/ Growing and Celebrating Our Legacy22/ Letter from the Chief Financial and Operating Officer and Treasurer26/ JBF Financial Statements28/ JBF Leadership and Support30/ “If we really believe in food, we must do something about it. For our voices should be raised above the rest.” James Beard FY2017 ANNUAL REPORT ANNUAL FY2017 3 JBF Letter from the President and Board Chairs AS WE LOOK BACK ON FISCAL YEAR 2017, we are delighted to report that the James Beard Foundation is well positioned to achieve even greater national impact and programmatic accomplishments than ever before. The past 12 months have been bolstered by important firsts for our Foundation... ...THE LARGEST ANNUAL AWARD for culinary scholarships and grants to 89 students totaling over $725,000 ...THE EXPANSION of our Foundation’s social media reach to over one million followers ...THE ESTABLISHMENT and implementation of a successful fundraising campaign FROM THE PRESIDENT AND BOARD CHAIRS BOARD AND PRESIDENT THE FROM to launch our first Women Entrepreneurial Leadership Program at Babson College in September 2017 4 ...ADVISING on a new production for the Emmy Award-winning PBS American Masters series, James Beard: America’s First Foodie, a one-hour documentary on the life of our Foundation’s namesake ...THE SIGNING of a four-year contract with Chicago as the host city for the James Beard Awards through 2021 ...THE IMPLEMENTATION of a three-year strategic plan for JBF’s organizational future and the hiring of a JBF Senior Director of Food Policy Advocacy ...THE HIRING of our first Director of Development These achievements are examples of how our talented Foundation staff and dedicated board of trustees are helping to drive our vision to create a world in which everyone can enjoy delicious, nutritious food produced in a sustainable way and our mission to celebrate, nurture, and honor chefs and other leaders making America’s food culture more delicious, diverse, and sustainable for everyone. SUSAN UNGARO FRED SEEGAL EMILY LUCHETTI President Board Chair Chair Emeritus 2017– 2012–2017 Like other nonprofits working to make our food world a better place, we are proud to partner with and help other inspiring nonprofits advance their good work— organizations like Food Bank for New York City, Food Policy Action, Wholesome Wave, God’s Love We Deliver, and Wellness in the Schools, to name a few. As we begin the new Fiscal Year 2018, our Foundation owes its gratitude to our outgoing Board Chair, chef Emily Luchetti, who helped guide our prosperity during the past five years. Happily, Emily will remain on our board as Chair REPORT ANNUAL FY2017 Emeritus as our current Vice Chair, Fred Seegal, assumes the role of Chair. 5 “In my time serving on the board under Susan and Emily’s leadership, the Foundation has done an extraordinary job of becoming both a global brand and an indispensable organization for chefs and other culinary leaders on food- policy–related issues,” says Fred. “My goal is to leverage our position as the most prestigious culinary-arts nonprofit in the world and to continue expanding the progress we have made in all areas of thought leadership.” None of the past year’s accomplishments would have been possible without the support of members, donors, chefs, the food industry, and thought leaders who have given their financial support, talent, and time to advance our good work. As you review this Fiscal Year 2017 annual report, we’re sure you’ll notice that the results and stories are not just about the numbers, but about the people who have made our Foundation the most respected and influential food-arts organization in America. Thank you for your interest, and for your past—and future—support. JBF BY THE NUMBERS 285 JBF PROGRAMS AND EVENTS TOOK PLACE IN 29 STATES AND TERRITORIES THROUGHOUT FISCAL YEAR 2017 JBF BY THE NUMBERS THE BY JBF 1,125 6 CHEFS AND CULINARY PROFESSIONALS WERE FEATURED IN JBF EVENTS AND PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT FISCAL YEAR 2017 475 CHEFS AND RESTAURATEURS PARTICIPATED IN NATIONAL JBF IMPACT PROGRAMS AND PARTNERSHIPS, FROM ADVOCATING FOR GREATER EQUALITY IN OUR FOOD SYSTEM TO EDUCATING THEIR CUSTOMERS ON MORE SUSTAINABLE FOOD CHOICES 75,000 VIEWERS WATCHED THE JBF AWARDS VIA LIVESTREAM SERVICES, INCLUDING FACEBOOK LIVE, PERISCOPE, AND YOUTUBE 31,000 REPORT ANNUAL FY2017 FOOD AFICIONADOS ACROSS AMERICA ATTENDED JBF PROGRAMS 7 AND EVENTS THROUGHOUT FISCAL YEAR 2017 89 CULINARY AND FOOD STUDIES STUDENTS FROM 27 STATES AND TERRITORIES, AS WELL AS 5 COUNTRIES, RECEIVED SCHOLARSHIPS AND OTHER SUPPORT TO PURSUE THEIR EDUCATION IN BUILDING A BETTER FOOD WORLD JBF CELEBRATES Embodying Excellence The past year saw JBF’s standard of culinary excellence rise to new heights with record audiences across our spectrum of national events featuring the far-reaching achievements of American chefs. With a star-studded return to Chicago, the James Beard Awards welcomed nearly 2,000 chefs, restaurants, sponsors, and passionate food enthusiasts to the annual ceremony. The James Beard House, long considered the ultimate “performance venue” for aspiring and established chefs alike, EMBODYING EXCELLENCE EMBODYING hosted nearly 200 evenings of culinary adventure by more than 8 400 chefs from every corner of the globe. The JBF Gala—a highlight of New York’s annual charity scene—saluted the culinary excellence of Singapore in grand style. And signature national events including JBF Taste America®, Celebrity Chef Tour, and Chefs & Champagne® showcased both national and local culinary talents, bringing the breadth of James Beard’s legacy to thousands across the country. FY2017 ANNUAL REPORT ANNUAL FY2017 9 Clockwise from top left Master of Ceremonies Carla Hall welcomes guests at the 2016 James Beard Awards / The party continues at the Lyric Opera of Chicago following the Beard Awards / JBF Award winners Marcus Samuelsson and John Besh presenting the award for Best Chef: New York City / (from L to R) Fany Gerson and Missy Robbins prepping for the “New York Buzz” dinner at the James Beard House JBF CELEBRATES “At this time, we highlight and honor the diversity of our city, the diversity of our country, and the diversity that our chefs EMBODYING EXCELLENCE EMBODYING bring to their expertise, 10 and I want to thank the James Beard Foundation for doing that.” Mayor Rahm Emanuel City of Chicago FY2017 ANNUAL REPORT ANNUAL FY2017 11 Clockwise from top left Guests at the annual JBF Gala, held at the Rainbow Room / JBF board member John Kessler with wife Henni Kessler / JBF board chair emeritus Emily Luchetti connects with chef Digby Stridiron at the James Beard House / Guests enjoy the festivities at Taste America: Los Angeles / JBF Award–winning chefs at a Celebrity Chef Tour event PAVING THE WAY THE PAVING 12 Above Chef Kathleen Blake supporting JBF’s Women’s Leadership Programs in Tiburon, CA JBF MENTORS Paving the Way for New Generations and Leaders Since 1991 JBF has worked to ensure that the next generation of chefs have the resources they need to pursue their dreams in culinary school and professional training. This past year we raised those efforts to new levels with the introduction of the JBF National Scholars program. Selected from across the U.S., ten National Scholars, who aspire to leadership roles in food science, food studies, and business, as well as the culinary arts and FY2017 ANNUAL REPORT ANNUAL FY2017 hospitality, each received a substantial award of up to $20,000. 13 In total, JBF awarded over $725,000 in scholarship and financial aid support to nearly 90 people—the largest amount in our history. But our work does not end on the culinary school doorstep. JBF has been working to address the inequity that persists among chefs and restaurants, notably for women chefs. Five years ago JBF launched the Women in Culinary Leadership program as a means of shattering the “gastro-ceiling,” pairing emerging female chefs with top industry leaders for on-the-job intensive training. Last year JBF selected a record 21 chefs for the program and connected them with mentors ranging from Seattle to Houston to Tallahassee. JBF MENTORS “The beautiful advantage of this program is getting to see all the different elements of front-of-house management firsthand, PAVING THE WAY THE PAVING on a daily basis. The bond 14 of the women in the WCL program…we are all in the same boat and on the same learning curve.” Jennifer Thomas WCL Mentee Boka, Chicago FY2017 ANNUAL REPORT ANNUAL FY2017 15 Clockwise from top left Multiple generations of women chefs join JBF EVP Mitchell Davis to benefit JBF’s Women’s Leadership Programs at the Lodge at Tiburon in California / Culinary students from the International Culinary Center (ICC) and the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) gaining hands-on experience at the James Beard House JBF IMPACTS Elevating Voices and Changing the Dialogue Throughout his life, James Beard never shied away from making his passion for a delicious and sustainable food world known to everyone he met. That passion lies at the heart of JBF’s newly launched Impact Programs, a collection of chef-centered initiatives focused on JBF’s work to establish a more sustainable food system through education, ELEVATING VOICES ELEVATING advocacy, and thought leadership. Over the past year, JBF 16 trustees and senior leadership have taken visionary steps to cement the Foundation’s multifaceted efforts in the food systems sphere as part of the organization’s overarching mission. Under the umbrella of its Impact Programs, the Foundation has committed to the key issue areas of food waste reduction, sustainable seafood, sustainable meat, and childhood nutrition.