Les Dames d’Escoffier International QUARTERLY Theme of the Issue: Dame Food Stylists and Photographers LDEI on-line Auction Dallas Chapter History Award Winning Dames LDEI Directory Changes Food Verse Seattle, Atlanta, Chicago, Hawaii, Miami Dallas Chapter Programs San Antonio Annual Conference Update MFK Fisher Luncheon Speaker US State Department Assistant Chief of Protocol Adelaide, Australia · Atlanta · Boston · British Columbia · Chicago · Dallas Honolulu · Houston · Kansas City · Le Donne del Vino, Italy · Los Angeles Miami · Minneapolis/St. Paul · New York · Palm Springs · Philadelphia Phoenix · San Antonio · San Francisco · Seattle · Washington, D.C. SUMMER 2002 Les Dames d’Escoffier International 2001-2002 President’s Message OFFICERS There are no greater It is extremely gratifying to be President proponents of the pleasures of an officer on the executive Renie Steves food, wine, and hospitality in committee. LYNN FREDERICKS is 1406 Thomas Place the world than Dames. And giving you a fabulous website Ft. Worth, TX 76107-2432 possibly, no busier women! So in July. KATHERINE NEWELL (817) 732-4758 why make time to volunteer SMITH collects and edits news [email protected] for Les Dames activities? for the Quarterly, while CICI WILLIAMSON Foremost, our Les Dames tenaciously network really works—locally searches for partners to help First VP/Pres. Elect us further LDEI’s mission. CiCi Williamson and internationally. A Dame LDEI president ABBY MANDEL, our “new 6025 Chesterbrook Road from another chapter recommended Miami Dame Renie Steves territory” officer, works to form McLean, VA 22101-3213 new chapters. Pat Mozersky is VIRGINIA FLORES DE APODACA for a job [email protected] streamlining the annual process of conducting research for community creating our membership directory. bilingual cookbooks in Florida. When Second VP/Communications DIANNE HOGERTY is our fiduciary Kathrine Newell Smith KAREN MACKENZIE relocated her food and wine marketing business from New taskmaster; so, you had better get those 10028 Lochness Court York City to the California wine dues in accurately and on time! Ask any Vienna, VA 22181 country, San Francisco Dames provided of the officers for details about their job. [email protected] instant community, opening doors to a Also, San Antonio annual conference network of culinary professionals. on-line auction details are forthcoming. Third VP/Communications All Dames are urged to participate: Lynn Fredericks Moreover, working together forges friendships. Chicago Chapter President offer a weekend at your vacation home, 330 East 43rd Street #704 a new spice rack full of every essential RITA GUTEKANST said, “Our recent New York, NY 10017 seasoning or a signed cookbook. Please successful 20th anniversary celebration (212) 867-3929 help Houston Chapter’s ANN STEINER, [email protected] and auction was such a bonding experience that members are jumping our auction coordinator, when she calls. in to help honor Dames of Distinction Secretary Our hearts are full of gratitude to our in June.” partners. Without support from these Pat Mozersky And, as important, Dames fulfill a need friends, we would find it more difficult 204 Cliffside Drive to fulfill our mission. “Thank you” isn’t San Antonio, TX 78231 to mentor and offer grants and scholarships to women entering or re enough, but the support of over 1000 (210) 492-4336 Dames may be. Our 2001 partners were: [email protected] entering the workforce in our professions. We also create exciting Bertolli Sugar Foods Treasurer gastronomic educational programs open to our communities. We can make Washington Wine Commission Dianne Hogerty a difference. Valrhona Chocolate 2401 W. 70th Street. Gallo of Sonoma Mission Hills, KS 66028 These examples encourage us to work Jackson Family Farms (913) 384-3387 with our chapter committees and, Cattlemen’s Beef Association and [email protected] perhaps, to hold an office to help direct Cattlemen’s Beef Board our chapters’ futures. Once you Wente Vineyards Past President experience board participation on a California Dried Plum Board Abby Mandel chapter level, consider being Alaska Seafood Marketing Board 77 Maple Hill Road nominated for an office on the Southcorp international board. The only Glencoe, IL 6002 Sur La Table prerequisite is to have attended an Colavita (847) 835-2240 LDEI conference in the past three [email protected] years…and a perfect opportunity to Stay tuned, stay involved, and keep that reach that goal waits in San Antonio bounce in your step. Executive Director this October. Renie Steves Greg Jewell P. O. Box 4961 Louisville, KY 40204 About the Cover: (502) 456-1851 Fax (502) 456-1821 TRACEY MAURER (San Antonio) did this photo centering on quail. She is a com- [email protected] mercial photographer specializing in images for restaurants, magazines and local and national food producers and distributors. Tracey has worked on numerous Please send information annual reports, catalogs and brochures for her many clients and her work has for the next newsletter to been featured in Texas Monthly, Better Homes and Gardens, Parenting, and Esquire [email protected] magazines. 2 Les Dames d’Escoffier International Dames Have Style With Food Stylists make our world a more beautiful place…if only tem- to the appearance of food, Vicki porarily…until the cameras stop clicking or rolling. Their dis- says, “I want food to be tinctive art is to make sure that food and beverages look fresh, approachable and not over- appetizing and real-life, despite the long wait under lights, to worked.” Recently, Vicki co- create the perfect images that are caught on film, video or disk. hosted the LDEI teleforum on Not surprising, some of the country’s top food stylists are Dames. food styling. Here are a few of their stories ALMA LACH (Chicago) Alma has been a photographer from LISA CHERKASKY the “box camera” through “digi- (Washington, D.C.) tal.” Food styling became a part Known for her imagi- of her life as Chicago Sun Times’ nation and creativity, Food Editor. Alma’s magazine Alma Lach’s carved vegetables appeared in Lisa Cherkasky has food articles, for the most part, a cookbook divider. been an enthusiastic benefited from her styling and cook and baker for photography. over 25 years. Since graduating from The Now, she styles food images as well as flowers on the Culinary Institute of scanner, copies to the computer, prints-out or saves on America in 1979, she CDs. From these images she makes pictures, cards, post- has had success as a cards…or, as she names it, pixellist art. chef, pastry chef, culi- nary educator, writer, Her line drawings, depicting dishes she created and PHOTO BY RENEE COMET styled, graced her “Hows and Whys of French Cooking” recipe developer and Lisa Cherkasky styles food as food stylist. She co- photographer Renee Comet (University of Chicago Press,1974; Cassel Books,1998). authored The Artful Pie shoots. Yet, her pixellist art, of the foods she prepared and (Chapters Publishing, styled, will illustrate her latest book “Hows and Whys of 1993) with photographer Renee Comet. Now the Chinese Cooking.” Washington area’s most sought-after food stylist, Lisa Each year since 1998, Alma has exhibited her counts The Washington Post, Time-Life Books, “Pixellist Art” work in Chicago’s Tavern Club during July McCormick Spice, The Sugar Association, Vegetarian and August. Eight of her works are in the University of Times, Pepperidge Farm and Perdue among her clients. Chicago Quadrangle Club’s permanent collection. She is Lisa is an active member of IACP and the Culinary also an approved photographer of rare books and man- Historians of Washington. uscripts for the University of Chicago Library. Thousands of her pictures have been published by the VICKI JOHNSON University of Chicago Press and others. Pixellist art pic- (Kansas City) For the tures may be seen on: www.almalach.com. past 25 years, Vicki Johnson has been ANA MARTÍNEZ DE EGAN (San Antonio) I see design and styling food for still cooking as inextricably linked; photography, video, but cooking pleases all our sens- and film. “To be a es—especially sight, taste and successful food styl- smell. Perhaps my view is colored ist, you have to know by the fact that I grew up with the how to cook, have rich flavors and fine design of artistic ability, and Mexico City as an early influence. great people skills,“ Vicky Johnson styles a barbecue. Also, my father, who was a promi- she says. Initially self- Ana Martínez de Egan nent architect, helped shaped my styled these shots for taught, Vicki continually refines her craft through Food sensibilities. I earned degrees in La Fonda and on Film seminars. Her extensive client list includes Blue design and became a director of Nopalitos appetizers. Bonnet, Hallmark, Martha Gooch, Diamond Walnuts, photography serving major inter- Interstate Brands, Tyson Chicken, Weight Watchers, and national food companies. Better Homes & Gardens-as well as the groundbreaking Beyond Parsley and Above and Beyond Parsley Junior League Because I was working with cookbooks. food, I entered gastronomy school in Mexico City, completed a restau- When a client wants a baked potato to burst with rant internship and became a cer- steam on camera or the cheese to dramatically pull away tified chef. For twenty years I have from a pizza slice, Vicki figures out how to make it hap- combined my love of food and pen. “Every photo shoot is an adventure,” she laughs. As design as a chef and food stylist. 3 Les Dames d’Escoffier International In 1999, I married San Antonio architect Christoher the finished dishes for photographs. These photos had Egan, moved to the U.S. and, together, we opened to look beautiful and enticing to the consumer, yet hon- Egan/Martinez design. Our practice includes design ser- estly represent the finished dish.Beauty shots of the vices for restaurants and wine shops, including concepts, products were always taken during the season for that logos, interiors, architecture, signage, menu consulta- particular product.