43 women seek to change local food movement

Forty-three Kentucky women have joined the ranks of some of the world’s most prestigious names in food, beverage and hospitality.

Les Dames d’Escoffier International is an invitation-only organization of women who have distinguished themselves in those three areas. With only 2,100 members in 36 chapters around the world, Les Dames d’Escoffier International last year officially recognized the newly-organized Kentucky chapter, right here in Louisville.

“One of our goals is to provide opportunities through scholarships and mentoring for young women who may not otherwise pursue a career in the food, beverage or hospitality industries," said Jamie Estes, president of the Kentucky chapter and president of Estes Public Relations. "We also want to help raise awareness of our farmers and the importance of supporting farms in Kentucky and Southern Indiana. And we want to provide education for people about healthy eating and, perhaps, starting their own garden."

Following the mission of the international organization, the philanthropic outreach of the Kentucky chapter encompasses several projects, one of which is the Green Tables Civic Agriculture and Garden Initiative.

Dame Sherry Hurley, owner of Farm to Fork Catering, said the Green Tables program helps promote community health and well-being; foster Les Dames leadership in the local food movement; build upon existing community food, gardening and agricultural efforts; inspire focus on the value of local farmers and enhance the use of locally grown food; and share skills and knowledge to further the local food movement and enhance public health.

“Because the Kentucky chapter is a new organization, we’re looking at ways to support existing efforts rather than duplicate services that could drain resources of other groups,” Hurley said.

As part of the Green Tables project, the Kentucky chapter is partnering with New Roots and Fresh Stop Markets, which are part of the burgeoning food justice movement that serve populations that don’t have access to fresh, healthy food. Most Fresh Stop Markets are held at churches and community centers.

Much like a traditional Community Supported Agriculture, shares of 10 to 12 items each are purchased. At Fresh Stop Markets, 75 percent of shares are reserved for individuals and families identified as having limited resources according to WIC guidelines, or those people who are on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

Les Dames d’Escoffier Kentucky plans to recruit more than 100 chefs and other food professionals to provide demonstrations, tastings and recipes, and to engage in food-related discussions at more than a dozen pop-up Fresh Stop Markets that will run every other week from June to October. The list of locations and times will be available at newroots.org in April.

“Last year I did cooking demos at a couple Fresh Stop Markets. I couldn’t believe how adventurous people were in trying the food. I prepared an Indian-inspired dish using local vegetables that were at the market, and it was a big hit,” Hurley said. “Showing people how to prepare the food is so important because many times they may want to eat healthy but need ideas how to use the ingredients.”

Lisa Windhorst, president of MeetingWorks, an event planning company, said it's "exciting to help educate the folks who are taking home their baskets and boxes and teaching them what to do with the food in a fresh, simple way."

Claudia Delatorre, pastry chef and owner of Cake Flour, lauds Les Dames d’Escoffier as being an organization that brings together women who can learn from and inspire other women as they participate in projects such as Green Tables.

“I hope Green Tables can be a springboard to other things, ways that Les Dames can give back to people and the community, to help everyone feel good about what they’re eating and to have a connection to food. Eating poorly isn’t good for your soul or your body. You don’t have to be wealthy to eat well, you just don’t.”

Networking and member education are also integral to Les Dames d’Escoffier’s mission. Kentucky chapter member events include potluck dinners, an olive oil tasting, dinners with speaker presentations, and birthday celebrations for the famed Julia Child and Camille Glen, chef, food writer and cookbook author.

A hugely successful holiday cookie sale is one of several fundraisers that support the Kentucky chapter’s culinary scholarship program. Two scholarships will be awarded this year to Sullivan University culinary students.

Katie Payne, chef instructor at Sullivan University, said the scholarship program is in its infancy but she anticipates it will grow to provide scholarships for students to spend time with a baker, cheesemaker or other industry professionals.

Also in development is Bee Beautiful, spearheaded by Rhona Kamar, chef/owner of Ramsi’s Café on the World. Bee Beautiful is intended to bring attention to the heavy use of pesticides in the cut flower industry.

“We all know that pesticides do so much damage to soil and pollinators such as bees and butterflies. Bee Beautiful will encourage restaurateurs to choose flowers that are not sprayed and to encourage farmers to grow chemical-free,” Kamar said.

She and other members are collaborating with scientists and gardeners to select a few flower and herb varieties that are easy to plant, whether in windowsill pots, in a garden or on a farm. The Kentucky chapter will provide seed packets and planting instructions.

“I hope we can become a national leader in focusing on flowers as a farm-to-table product. It’s something that’s not getting a lot of attention. Flowers have just as much of an impact as does food,” she said.

You can email freelance writer Nancy Miller, who is a member of Les Dames d’Escoffier International,at millermadison@aol.com.