Recipe For Success Foundation Magazine

SEPTEMBER 2015 PREP NOW FOR FARMERS MARKIDS DAYS OCTOBER 20-26 SALUTING CHEF MONICA POPE, BOARD MEMBER AMY ANTON AND VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR: PETER TSAN 1

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YEAR TWO! 2006-2007

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS Gracie Cavnar

FOUNDER & PRESIDENT

Glen Boudreaux SECRETARY

Frank Steininger TREASURER

Monica Pope

CHEFS ADVISORY CHAIR

Deanna Hoelscher, Ph.D.

SCIENCE ADVISORY CHAIR

Amy Anton Helen Bow Heather Carlucci Carrie Colbert Arvia Few Karen Garcia Kendrick McCleskey Paula McHam Lisa Mellencamp Dr. Melanie Mencer-Parks

Genevieve Patterson Holly Smith Michael Swail Chisholm Tate Susie Woodard Jeffrey Wooten Bob Cavnar, EMERITUS Laura Spanjian, EX OFFICIO

FOUNDING CHEFS ADVISORY BOARD John Brock Carolyn Carcassi Bryan Caswell Charles Clark Louis Cressy Robert del Grande Randy Evans Lance Fegan Chris Garcia

Peter Garcia Lauren Gockley Jason Gould Anita Jasinghani Ouisie Jones Al King Sandra Mangini Jim Manning Veronica Ortiz

Monica Pope Philippe Schmidt John Sheely Randy Rucker Chris Shepherd Claire Smith Brendon Treanor Scott Tycer

Giancarlo Ferrera Richard Kaplan Monica Pope Barbara McKnight Gary Mularski Ryan Pera

Jean Philippe-Gaston Ellen Schwartz Sandra Shafer Ruffy Sulaiman

CHEFS IN SCHOOLS 2015-16 Joe Apa Garth Blackburn John Buchannan David Cordua Neal Cox Kaz Edwards

COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD Anna Eastman Ellie Francisco Roland Garcia Jennifer & Lance Gilliam Mimi del Grande Melanie Gray & Mark Wawro Joanie Haley Lucia & Justin Hamilton Laura Jaramillo Shelley Taylor Ludwick

Soraya McClelland Ginni Mithoff Sara Morgan Leisa Holland-Nelson Roz Pactor Cynthia Petrello Laura Max Rose Mickey Rosmarin Stuart Rosenberg Jeff Shell

Gracie Cavnar

Gabie Caballero

Rachel England

Molly Kaminski

Cindy Lucia

Justin Meyers

Susan Reedy

Paula Arnold Kristen Berger Cathy Brock Elena Buley Honi Boudreaux Kathryn Castellanos Phyllis Childress Yvonne Cormier, M.D. Isabel David Deborah Duncan

STAFF CEO

COO

DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE AND GARDENS

Sandra Cook

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

Julie Busch

COMMUNITY OUTREACH & COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR

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OFFICE MANAGER MAJOR GIFTS OFFICER GRANTS OFFICER

Marisol Castro

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL EVENTS

Stephanie Hill

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO CEO & AMBASSADOR

SEED-TO-PLATE NUTRITION EDUCATION™ PROGRAM COORDINATOR

Justin Kouri

CULINARY EDUCATION COORDINATOR

Kristen Evon

VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR

Heidi & Marcus Smith Kate Allen Stuckenburg Mark Sullivan Stacey Swift Claire Cormier Thielke Kim Tutcher Stephanie Walker Ashley Wehrly Andrea White

TABLE OF CONTENTS 7 10 12 14 15 16 18 20 22 23 24 27 28 29 30 31 32 33

Reflections on the First Year in the Classroom Monica Pope: CHEF/OWNER SPARROW BAR + COOKSHOP Amy Anton: Onboard from the Beginning Recipe Challenge!

Recipe: Farroto with Mushrooms & Peas Peter Tsan: 2014-2015 Volunteer of the Year Seed-to-Plate Nutrition Education™ at West University Elementary Farmers marKIDS Update Recipe House Calendar Fall Calendar Lucy Sykes at Dress for Dinner Ceri Marsh and Laura Keogh at Blue Plate Special Awards Luncheon Cheers and Thanks to Bistro Menial Beefing Up the Big Screen: Steak (R)Evolution Screening Inviting a Friend to Supper by Ben Jonson Invitation to Delicious Alchemy: The Dinner Conversation Sponsor Spotlight: Helen Bow National Child Obesity Month, Thoughts from Gracie 5

“ Lots of moving parts could “ go wrong, but miraculously rarely did to the point that anyone noticed.”

Gracie Cavnar

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Reflections on

THE FIRST YEAR IN THE CLASSROOM GRACIE CAVNAR

By the summer of 2006, it was clear that my brainchild for how to battle childhood obesity was resonating with both chefs and supporters. I had the start of something big, finishing year one with money in the bank, a committed founding board of directors, dozens of chefs willing to help, six pilot schools lined up and a plan of action in hand. Sort of. There was still a lot to flesh out.

First, I needed to fabricate a cooking cart that could accommodate everything we required to teach a cooking class to 25 kids, but that could also be secured between classes. Thank you Google and my carpenter and my good friends at StevenandPaul Creative for translating my vision to reality. And, thank you Bob, for taking a golfing vacation in August, so our living room could be used for cart building. We made a set of two rolling kitchen carts for each school that were kitted out with cooking utensils for 24 kids plus a teacher and locked together for storage.

But especially thank you Phyllis Childress! Think punch list for stocking a small kitchen times six! Phyllis and I ran from Costco to Best Buy to Target and Restaurant Depot, snapping up kid-sized whisks and spoons and lettuce knives in six multiples of 24; mixing bowls and measuring cups and wooden spoons in six times six; Cuisinarts, pans and induction burners in sixes. My foyer looked like the loading doc at Walmart before everything was unpacked, organized stashed in the carts and shipped off to six schools.

Our talented daughter-in-law, Lucia Hamilton designed cute aprons for the kids, with a graphic we still use today and also designed our first website, which was organized by our son, Justin. Brother-in-law, Bill Cavnar created online databases for us to track everything from classes to parties and I generated a weekly blog post to keep everyone in the loop about our progress. Board member, Dr. Nancy Murray helped design a pre-post survey so that we could measure our impact, and I started pulling together math, science, social studies and language arts worksheets for 4th graders that would complement our cooking classes.

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“ Chefs fell in love with their students! Bryan Caswell signing autographs like a rock star; Robert and Mimi Del Grande showing up in December, their arms full of holiday gifts; Philippe Schmidt appearing with his little red wagon full of exotic French fare to share, and throwing an end-ofyear swim party.�

Gracie Cavnar

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And then in August, I began running the scheduling gauntlet. We had 22 fourth grade classrooms spread across our six Title One pilot schools, which were scattered across town. Which meant that I maintained 22 sets of email correspondence with individual fourth grade teachers, negotiating a monthly schedule with each, then cross matching that to the availability of my volunteer chefs, securing their recipes, shopping and appearing for each class provisioned and ready for the show. Jodie Eisenhardt stepped up to help part-time and every board member and all my friends (who were still answering the phone) jumped in to help with logistics and class support. Especially board member and dear friend, Kim Tutcher who carpooled with me to nearly every class that first year, volunteering hundreds of hours to help us teach kids to cook!

Lots of moving parts could go wrong, but miraculously rarely did to the point that anyone noticed.

A late cart delivery left Monica Pope and me pacing at MacGregor waiting to give our very first cooking class ever. But the kids loved the Nori rolls when we finally got to make them and their teacher easily forgave our trampling of his schedule. Chefs fell in love with their students! Bryan Caswell signing autographs like a rock star; Robert and Mimi Del Grande showing up in December, their arms full of holiday gifts; Philippe Schmidt appearing with his little red wagon full of exotic French fare to share, and throwing an end-of-year swim party. And they opened their restaurants to dazzle these 4th graders on field trips—often the first time the kids had seen a cloth napkin or glass with a stem on it. The chefs turned on taste buds and opened minds. At the end of the year, we had 200 kid-recipes our volunteer chefs had created for classes, most of which we still use today. It was exhilarating.

I hired our first fulltime employee—Sharon Siehl, as our Gardens Coordinator and in June, with the help and support of PriceWaterhouseCoopers volunteers, we built our first of many school gardens. One-quarter acre of neglected space at MacGregor Elementary, transformed into 24 raised beds—space for every homeroom in the school from PreK to fifth grade to have a growing place. We had closed our seed-to-plate loop and there was no looking back.

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“ When I decided to start cooking, I said I wanted to change the way people eat.

And now Recipe for Success has given me the opportunity to do exactly that. I am honored to have the chance to help.” “

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Monica Pope

Monica Pope

CHEF/OWNER SPARROW BAR + COOKSHOP Renowned Houston Chef Monica Pope has been a dedicated force for Recipe for Success Foundation since the earliest days, first helping to envision how we would tackle the work and then hands-on in developing our Seed-to-Plate Nutrition Education™ program. She was the first chef to agree to teach (and actually mean it!).

She and Gracie rolled in our first cooking cart to teach our very first cooking class at MacGregor Elementary in September 2006, and Monica has taught monthly cooking classes there ever since. Monica has recruited over two-dozen chefs to the Recipe for Success cause during our first year and has raised thousands of dollars in support.

She has also inspired countless kids to embrace their culinary creativity.

“When I decided to start cooking professionally, I said I wanted to change the way people eat,” said Chef Monica Pope. “And now Recipe for Success has given me the opportunity to do exactly that. I am honored to have the chance to help.”

Monica is the founding chair of Recipe for Success Foundation’s Chefs Advisory Board and continues to serve as a member of our Executive Board. She regularly appears as a Foundation media spokesperson and national advocate and was part of our delegation to the White House for the launch of First Lady, Michelle Obama’s Chefs Move to Schools initiative in June of 2010.

In November 2010, Recipe for Success awarded Chef Monica Pope our First Annual Blue Plate Special Chef of the Year award.

Chef Monica supports the Foundation’s big initiatives, but she also is visible on the smaller levels. She has raised money with engagements big and small—from benefitting Recipe for Success with her Bravo Top Chef Masters appearance to purchasing items at our garage sale and raising tens of thousands of dollars every year for our continued work.

“I consider Monica my partner in crime,” says founder Gracie Cavnar. “When I showed up at her door with this crazy idea of teaching kids to cook, she not only agreed to help, she convinced a couple dozen other high-profile chefs to join her. Without her, I could not have created the wonderfully tasty and engaging culinary program that is so intrinsic in our Seed-to-Plate Nutrition Education™ program’s astounding success at changing the way kids eat.”

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AMY ANTON

ONBOARD FROM THE BEGINNING

Amy Anton is the definition of a perfect non-profit board member: dedicated, engaged and supportive. Amy is a founding member of the Recipe for Success Board and is in her fourth term. From hosting Pizza Parties to Co-chairing the 2007 We’re cooking Now! A Gala in Small Bites, Amy has played a big part in making things happen for the organization. She also volunteered on a monthly basis for years at MacGregor Elementary.

“I remember back in the beginning at MacGregor, there were three chefs: Randy Evans, Monica Pope and Anita Jaisinghani,” says Amy. “The kids were impressed that a real chef would come to their class. How amazing that a chef with a well-known restaurant in Houston takes the time once a week to teach elementary school kids?

That speaks volumes about the organization.”

“From the beginning, Amy rolled up her sleeves and jumped in, initially and for many years volunteering every month in the classroom,” says Gracie Cavnar, Founder & CEO of Recipe for Success Foundation. “She and Drew have hosted several fundraising events for us and she actively works to get her friends involved—raising thousands of dollars. Amy helped us design the RecipeHouse concept and sent her own kids to our first classes there and she still contributes to our blog. As a hands-on mother of three active boys, Amy has brought a great perspective to our planning and content development through the years. It’s fair to say, we wouldn’t be the same organization we are today without her influence and energy.”

Beyond her three beautiful boys, and husband, Drew, Amy’s favorite things in life are food and travel. Houston native, Amy went to St. John’s School and received her degree in journalism at Washington & Lee University before returning to secure her MBA from Rice University in 1999.

Food is her passion and Amy loves to cook. After having her children, she realized how important good nutrition is as well as the importance of the family table. In the spirit of passing on family traditions and healthy eating, she has taught her boys the art of cooking since they could stand at the counter.

CONTINUE READING HERE

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RECIPE CHALLENGE!

WE GIVE YOU INSPIRING RECIPES−YOU SEND US YOUR FAVORITES! Join in the fun of Chef Justin’s recipe exchange! Each month, his tantalizing recipes along with his picks of recipes submitted by our readers, followers and fans−that’s YOU! Here is Justin’s savory risotto-inspired dish made with farro, in honor of Whole Grain Month. What are your go-to weeknight meals that are both doable and delectable? Send your tastiest recipe to justinkouri@recipe4success.org by September 17 and you could win the September Recipe Challenge and be included in next year’s VEGOUT! COOKBOOK. You can also check out Justin’s past recipes on the Recipe House blog.

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FARROTO WITH MUSHROOMS & PEAS Recipe by Justin Kouri

I’ve taken traditional risotto and substituted an alternative whole grain.

Farro is and ancient grain, a special type of wheat, believed to have originated in Italy. In fact, farro retains majority of its nutrients after cooked, making it a great source of energy. On top of that, I’ve applied a Southeast Asian profile to make this my own.

INGREDIENTS 4 cups vegetable stock 1–4” stalk lemongrass, peeled & crushed ¼ cup olive oil, divided ½ pound cremini mushrooms, destemed & sliced thinly 1 shallot, finely minced 2” ginger, microplaned

1 cup farro ½ cup white wine ½ cup frozen peas, dethawed ¼ cup lime juice 2 TBS soy sauce ¼ cup cilantro, chiffonade Salt & pepper

PROCEDURE In a medium sized stock pot, combine vegetable stock and lemongrass.

Bring to boil. Reduce to simmer and cover.

In a large high-sided skillet, heat 2T olive oil over medium high heat.

Sautee mushrooms in batches, until golden brown. Remove from heat and set aside.

Reduce heat to medium and in the same skillet, add remaining 2T olive oil.

Add shallot and ginger to pan and cook until shallots become translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Add farro to pan and toast for 1-2 minutes. Pour wine into pan and stir continually until faro absorbs completely. Add 1 cup of stock to faro at a time, stir until all liquid is absorbed before adding another cup. Once faro is cooked al dente, reduce heat to low and add lime juice and soy sauce. Stir vigorously to build the starchiness, which gives risotto its creamy texture. Finally add mushrooms, peas and cilantro to faroto. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy.

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PETER TSAN 2014-2015 VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR VOLUNTEER AT KIPP SHINE PREP

Peter began volunteering at KIPP SHINE in 2012.

A decade earlier, while studying at the University of Texas at Austin, he first found his passion for healthy living as a member of the university’s marathon team. Later, while helping to organize the Houston Marathon, he often passed by undeveloped land along the first few miles of the course and dreamed about planting orchards and gardens there for kids attending the nearby schools. Lack of horticultural know-how and a busy schedule building information systems and streamlining accounting processes for an oil and gas company kept that dream on the backburner.

When his company was acquired, Peter took advantage of a lull in his workload to embrace an alternate version of his dream. He discovered Recipe for Success Foundation and our efforts to build gardens and teach kids about gardening and cooking, giving them a foundation of healthy choices to benefit them for the rest of their lives.

On the Fridays when he volunteers at KIPP SHINE, a charter early childhood learning center and elementary school, Peter gets to help second graders build that healthy foundation and enjoys seeing the refreshing way with which they approach life.

Meeting and learning from instructors, chefs, and others who are passionate about healthy living has benefits, too.

At home, Peter’s one-pot meals are tastier than ever thanks to spices and techniques he picked up at Recipe for Success, and his balcony is now full of greenery, including most of the ingredients for an occasional romantic dinner.

Besides volunteering, Peter enjoys running and swimming. He travels occasionally, too, including back to his birthplace, Taiwan, where he enjoys the abundant fresh local produce and street food.

If you are interested in volunteering with Recipe for Success Foundation, email our volunteer coordinator Kristen, volunteer@recipe4success.org.

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SERVING UP SEED-TO-PLATE NUTRITION EDUCATION™ AT WEST UNIVERSITY ELEMENTARY!

Thanks to the efforts of one dynamic mom, our Seed-to-Plate Nutrition Education™ program is taking root at West U Elementary, the largest elementary school in Houston ISD with more than 1,200 students students in K-5th grade.

Houston mom, Kristen Berger first got to know Recipe for Success Foundation after board member, Arvia Few invited her to attend the past few year’s Blue Plate Special Luncheons. She later visited a Seed-to-Plate Nutrition Education™ classroom at MacGregor Elementary. This year, Kristen is chairing the November 18 Blue Plate Special Luncheon with Arvia Few. “When I visited the classroom at MacGregor Elementary, I was so impressed by the many benefits beyond teaching the kids about where the food comes from and eating healthy,” says Kristen. “I saw how it inspired kids for their future. One boy said he wanted grow up to be like his chef instructor Monica Pope. My favorite part was hearing a girl say ‘I take the recipes home and make them with my Dad.’ It’s wonderful how it permeates through the family unit.”

Kristen also talked to the fourth grade teacher whose class she observed. I asked the teacher if the Seed-to-Plate Nutrition Education™ program takes away anything from her required teaching for the STAAR test compliance. The teacher said, “no it helps me teach essential lessons on deeper level.”

After her visit to MacGregor, Kristen immediately started working on getting the hands-on nutrition education program into West University. With the growth of the area and the student population the school has had to focus its resources and

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programming strictly on core curriculum. She started with the PTO and got the ball rolling for the school to adopt the program.

“The school had an after-school garden club program that was not living up to its potential, so I talked to administration, who liked the idea of the program, but had trouble finding room during the school day to fit it in,” says Kristen. She explains that after multiple teachers spoke up for the program and the enrichment value it would bring to the students, they reached the solution to convert the existing after-school garden club, which met twice a week, into an after-school Seed-toPlate Nutrition Education™ program.

Starting this fall, West U. Elementary plans to rotate all grades through the program over the course of the school year. “This is a big reason that Recipe for Success’ Seed-to-Plate Nutrition Education™ program shines – it is adaptable to any situation, any circumstances,” says Kristen. “The after-school program at West U will be a small, but steady start, just planting the seed of enrichment for the school. It’s about much more than gardening and cooking, which are so important, but the program teaches kids about culture, working well with others, teamwork, and more.

And another beautiful thing: the school garden is located in a central focal point of the school, so reviving the garden will be an inspiration to the entire campus.”

The entire school will be encouraged to participate in Recipe for Success Foundation’s signature auxiliary programs as well, such as farmers marKIDS in the fall, essay and poetry writing contests, a health fair, and the annual VegOut! during March. It's a Recipe for Success!

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COME OUT TO SUPPORT THE KIDS! On Food Day, October 24, come out to Discovery Green to support Houston kids from MacGregor Elementary and other area schools who will feature their fresh, local produce at their farmers marKIDS stand.

BECOME FARMERS MARKIDS AND OPERATE A MARKET STAND DURING FARMERS MARKIDS DAYS

OCTOBER 20-26, 2015 GET MORE INFORMATION AND DOWNLOAD A TEACHER TOOLKIT HERE farmers marKIDS is generously supported by Wells Fargo Foundation 20

FARMERS MARKIDS RECOGNIZED BY ALLIANCE FOR A HEALTHIER GENERATION We debuted our engaging free, downloadable farmers marKIDS curriculum last fall to offer a rewarding way for kids, teachers and parents to celebrate Food Day, a nationwide celebration and a movement for healthy, affordable, and sustainable food. Using the farmers marKIDS toolkit’s five lesson plans, adults can help children develop financial literacy, entrepreneurial skills and business experience by transforming garden produce into their very own business—a farm stand to serve the surrounding community. Besides inspiring students’ appreciation for fresh fruits and vegetables, the project presents an attractive option for school administrators and parents looking for healthier campus fundraising projects.

One year later, we are so honored that the Alliance for a Healthier Generation has embraced Recipe for Success Foundation’s farmers marKIDS curriculum as a national best practice for teaching children food and nutrition literacy.

“Jointly founded by the American Heart Association and Clinton Foundation, The Alliance for a Healthier Generation is likely the highest profile advocate leading the national call for change,” says Gracie Cavnar, Founder & CEO of Recipe for Success Foundation. “Having their ‘seal of approval’ and our free curricula’s inclusion among their recommended effective resources is a fantastic boon to build the awareness and demand for all of our programs among the nearly 30,000 schools the Alliance communicates with regularly.”

Participating in the farmers marKIDS program not only connects entrepreneurial kids to a healthy, sustainable way to raise funds to support their gardens, it also makes fresh produce easily accessible to the surrounding neighborhood. Kids are encouraged to stage their farm stand the week of Food Day: October 20-26, during the nationally celebrated, annual farmers marKIDS DAYS. In addition to these impactful takeaways, kids who participate in the program and register their market stands with us have a chance to win garden seeds, and farmers marKIDS who send in a photograph of their stand in operation will earn a chance to win up to $500 in garden supplies and be featured on the Recipe for Success Foundation blog, social networking sites and in media coverage.

Get your class, scout troop or family started with the free, downloadable farmers marKIDS toolkit, which includes five lesson plans to develop financial literacy, entrepreneurial skills and business experience.

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NEW THIS FALL! CSA COOKING CLASS Make the most of your CSA pick-up!

6-8pm, October 20 & 27, November 3 DATE NIGHT AT RECIPEHOUSE Cook a romantic three-course dinner with your main squeeze!

6-9pm, November 6 & December 4 HOLIDAY BAKING CLASS Get in the spirit with Healthy Cookies, Cakes & Sweets!

4-6pm, December 5 (parent/child), 12 & 19 (kids only!)

Contact Justin Kouri for more information at (713) 520-0443 or justinkouri@recipe4success.org

RECIPE HOUSE OFFERS A FULL CALENDAR OF COOKING CLASSES FOR ADULTS Regular spring break classes Intimate dinners with celebrity chefs held monthly Private cooking classes available for your special event: • • • • • • 22

Birthday parties for adults and kids Corporate team building Bridal and baby showers Client appreciation Celebrations and more!

FALL CALENDAR SEPTEMBER 17, 2-4PM

Architecture students from University of Houston Design Build Studio and Rice University Building Workshop present proposed designs for Hope Farms, the first-ever collaborative design charrette between the two architecture schools. Presentation at Anderson Hall. (Request invitation.)

SEPTEMBER 23, 6-8PM

Dress for Dinner at Sloan/Hall with best-selling author Lucy Sykes followed by Dinner with the Author (Tickets $50 & $350. Buy now!)

OCTOBER 4, 12-4PM

Sunday Streets HTX on Washington Avenue, find us in the Cigna tent with cooking demos by chef Justin Kouri following the on-site fitness activities. (Free event)

OCTOBER 9, 7PM

Steak (R)Evolution, a film screening at MFAH with Dinner Conversation Panel following, featuring Glen Boudreaux of Jolie Vue Farms. Film only repeats October 10.

OCTOBER 11, 5-8PM

Bistro Menil First Anniversary Event & Wine Auction, benefitting Recipe for Success Foundation. (Request Tickets)

OCTOBER 24, 12-2PM

Farmers marKIDS from McGregor Elementary and other area schools host their fresh produce stand at Discovery Green for Food Day. (Free Event)

OCTOBER 28 6:30PM

Dress for Dinner with Aquazurra at Saks Fifth Avenue followed by Dinner with the Designer (Tickets $50 and $350. Buy now!)

NOVEMBER 4, 6:30PM

Dress for Dinner with Giuseppe Zanotti Boutique (Invitation only)

NOVEMBER 5, 5-8PM

Mid-Main First Thursdays Celebration benefitting Recipe for Success Foundation (Free Event)

NOVEMBER 18, 11AM

Blue Plate Special Cafe Harvest Market and Awards Lunch honoring Amy Anton, Glen & Honi Boudreaux, Phyllis Childress, Peg Lee and Kim Tutcher (Tickets from $150. Buy now!)

DECEMBER 1, 6:30PM

Dress for Dinner Men’s Holiday Shopping Night, Mio Boutique, 1848 Westheimer (Free event) 23

Carrie Colbert invites you to

Dress for Dinner at Sloan/Hall with Lucy Sykes Fashion Presentation and Gossip with bestselling author & stylist to the stars.

talking with CultureMap’s

Clifford Pugh

Wednesday, September 23, 2015 6:0 pm - 8:00 pm 6:00 Sloan/Hall Followed by Dinner with the Author at Carrie Colbert’s home

$50 per person for Fashion Presentation & Cocktails $350 for Fashion Presentation, Cocktails & Dinner click on DINNER or FASHION SHOW to buy tickets or call 713.520.0443 for Dress for Dinner Season Ticket & Sponsor Information

Pre- Purchase your book HERE

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Lucy Sykes MEET BEST-SELLING AUTHOR AND STYLIST LUCY SYKES AT DRESS FOR DINNER AT SLOAN/HALL SEPTEMBER 23RD Come enjoy a lot of fashion and a little gossip with stylist and best selling author Lucy Sykes at Sloan/Hall on September 23rd, in support of the Recipe for Success Dress for Dinner event series. British-born Lucy Sykes has been a fixture of the fashion world for quite some time as a stylist, fashion editor, and fashion director. She was the fashion director at Marie Claire magazine for six years, and most recently, she was the fashion director for designer dress and accessories rental brand, Rent The Runway. She also launched her own children’s clothing line, Lucy Sykes New York, which was sold worldwide in over one hundred department stores, including Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Barneys, and Bergdorf Goodman.

Sykes’ latest endeavor was penning The Knockoff, with writing partner Jo Piazza. The novel, which was released this past spring to critical acclaim, centers around Imogen, an aging magazine editor, who finds that her young, tech-savvy former assistant, is encroaching on her job and her power. The book not only turns the glittering façade of the fashion world inside out, but also confronts the relatable struggle of staying relevant in a rapidly changing technological landscape. Lucy Sykes currently resides in New York City with her husband and two sons, and besides advising friends in the fashion business, she is also collaborating again with Jo Piazza on another upcoming novel.

Tickets are available for the fashion presentation and dinner afterwards with the author at Carrie Colbert’s home. Book your tickets online or call 713-520-0443 for Dress for Dinner season ticket & sponsor information.

FASHION PRESENTATION: Wednesday, September 23rd, 2015

6pm-8pm Sloan/Hall 2620 Westheimer Rd Houston, TX 77098 Dinner at 8pm

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It’s Time to

DRESS FOR DINNER SEASON VII With Chair, Carrie Colbert

Five Spectacular Fashion Shows Five Amazing Dinners with Celebrity Designers and Authors Insider Events for VIPS and Season Ticket Holders Mark your calendars for the evenings of SEPTEMBER 23 AND OCTOBER 28, 2015 plus MARCH 3, APRIL 12 AND MAY 4, 2016 Become a VIP or Season Ticket holder for invitations to insider events throughout the year, like the Grand Opening of the new Giuseppe Zanotti Boutique coming up in November.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SEASON DETAILS Illustration by Gretchen Röehrs

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SWEET POTATO CHRONICLES’

CERI MARSH

AND

LAURA KEOGH

TO HEADLINE BLUE PLATE SPECIAL AWARDS LUNCHEON

Be sure to get a seat at the Recipe for Success Blue Plate Special Awards Luncheon to hear featured speakers Ceri Marsh and Laura Keogh, who are internationally noted bloggers and the co-authors of the bestselling cookbook How to Feed a Family: The Sweet Potato Chronicles. The luncheon is set for November 18 at the River Oaks Country Club. Click here for tickets and sponsor information Marsh and Keogh met while working as editors at FASHION magazine in Canada. After spending a solid decade at the magazine, both women realized they were ready to channel their creative energies into something else. In 2010, out of their mutual fondness for cooking and entertaining, plus their new roles as mothers, a new collaborative family food blog was born: Sweet Potato Chronicles. Driven by their journalistic backgrounds, they worked together to try to find a way to tame the chaos of family mealtime, searching for ways to satisfy often picky children with nutritious and delicious food.

What they came to discover was that it was not just about the food or the recipe, but rather about the method and approach. Planning meals ahead and cooking in large batches that might last for a second or third meal are a some of the tools they suggest to help address family concerns like time pressure demands, financial constraints, and the ultimate goal of the peaceful household. The blog utilizes an extensive recipe section, along with fun videos and helpful contributor articles, all aimed at making family breakfast, lunch, and dinner a little bit easier, while staying wholesome, healthy, and tasty. In 2013, Marsh and Keogh’s cookbook hit shelves to critical acclaim. Based upon the same concept as their blog, the cookbook features helpful parenting tips, advice, and 100 of their favorite simple recipes, ready to share with the whole family.

These delightful speakers will be sharing their experiences and anecdotes, making for a most enjoyable afternoon.

Be sure to get your tickets!

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY AND THANKS TO BISTRO MENIL Chef Greg Martin’s Bistro Menil, located on The Menil Collection museum campus, is celebrating its first anniversary with an evening of complimentary small bites and house beers and wines. This casual cocktail party will take place on Sunday, October 11, and will feature a silent wine auction, with 100% of the proceeds benefiting Recipe for Success.

Tickets to this event are limited, so please email events@recipe4success.org to request an invitation.

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BEEFINGtheUPBig Screen

At Recipe for Success Foundation, our normal focus is on eating more veggies, but for some there’s no satisfaction quite like cutting into a perfectly cooked piece of meat.

But how do our four legged critters get from farm to plate? In his critically acclaimed documentary Steak (R)Evolution, director Franck Ribière takes viewers around the world with farmers, chefs, butchers, and food journalists to uncover the art of red meat.

Recipe for Success is co-sponsoring the screening at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, and hosting a panel and Q&A after with Glen Boudreaux from Jolie Vue Farms and others to explore the intersection of sustainably raised beef and healthy food systems.

Read our blog post here.

SCREENING & PANEL:

Steak (R)Evolution Screening Friday, October 9*, 2015, 7pm Museum of Fine Arts, Houston 1001 Bissonnet Street Houston, TX 77005

*Additional Screening on Saturday, October 10, 2015, 7pm 29

Inviting a Friend to Supper Ben Jonson

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Tonight, grave sir, both my poor house, and I Do equally desire your company; Not that we think us worthy such a guest, But that your worth will dignify our feast With those that come, whose grace may make that seem Something, which else could hope for no esteem.

It is the fair acceptance, sir, creates The entertainment perfect, not the cates.

Yet shall you have, to rectify your palate, An olive, capers, or some better salad Ushering the mutton; with a short-legged hen, If we can get her, full of eggs, and then Lemons, and wine for sauce; to these a cony Is not to be despaired of, for our money; And, though fowl now be scarce, yet there are clerks, The sky not falling, think we may have larks.

I’ll tell you of more, and lie, so you will come: Of partridge, pheasant, woodcock, of which some May yet be there, and godwit, if we can; Knat, rail, and ruff too. Howsoe’er, my man Shall read a piece of Virgil, Tacitus, Livy, or of some better book to us, Of which we’ll speak our minds, amidst our meat; And I’ll profess no verses to repeat.

To this, if ought appear which I not know of, That will the pastry, not my paper, show of.

Digestive cheese and fruit there sure will be; But that which most doth take my Muse and me, Is a pure cup of rich Canary wine, Which is the Mermaid’s now, but shall be mine; Of which had Horace, or Anacreon tasted, Their lives, as so their lines, till now had lasted.

Tobacco, nectar, or the Thespian spring, Are all but Luther’s beer to this I sing.

Of this we will sup free, but moderately, And we will have no Pooley, or Parrot by, Nor shall our cups make any guilty men; But, at our parting we will be as when We innocently met. No simple word That shall be uttered at our mirthful board, Shall make us sad next morning or affright The liberty that we’ll enjoy tonight.

Tell us the food stories that warm your soul and join in Delicious Alchemy: The Dinner Conversation. We invite you to share your personal stories of your most powerful food memories, life-changing meals and fondest family food traditions to include in a very special multi-media project we are producing to celebrate our 10th Anniversary! Send us your polished essay or tell us a little about your story and we may just come interview you with a video camera or microphone. Send your story to: dinnerconversations@recip4success.org.

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SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT

Helen Bow

We are so appreciative for the long-time support of the team at Wells Fargo, who consistently contribute to our full portfolio of efforts to combat childhood obesity. Wells Fargo Assistant Vice President, Helen Bow serves both on our board and our Marketing and Communications Committee and often writes for The Dish blog. Helen has been instrumental in securing annual Wells Fargo’s support for our Seed-to-Plate Nutrition Education™ showcase schools as well as a game-changing $200,000 Neighborhood Lift grant to help us launch Hope Farms. This year, Wells Fargo stepped up to provide seed funds for our farmers marKIDS 2.0 trans-media project. Always helping us push the envelope! Thank You Wells Fargo and Thank You Helen Bow! Watch as Helen shares why Wells Fargo is proud to work with Recipe for Success.

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CALL CONGRESS LUNCH

for

GRACIE CAVNAR

Ironic that fall hosts both National Childhood Obesity Month in September and National School Lunch Week in October. It was the sad state of school food that snared my attention nearly twenty years ago, eventually inspiring the launch of Recipe for Success.

Our school hallways were filled with snack vending, and junk food concessions crowded the lunch line. These efforts to monetize poor eating choices among our youngest and most vulnerable were having a devastating effect. A deadly epidemic was spiraling out of control, (30% of American kids are obese.) Those in charge had perfectly plausible excuses: we are just giving the kids the food they prefer and therefore eat; the commissions and licensing fees are supporting our arts, our scoreboard, our music program; this is the best we can do on our limited budgets.

As many as 12 million American children eat their only meals of the day at school and 32 million eat school-provided lunch. For decades, the typical fare, bursting with sodium, fat and sugar, practically guaranteed poor health for the kids who depended on it.

Something had to be done. Congress passed the Hunger-Free Kids Act in 2010 with bipartisan support with guidelines and incentives designed to deliver more fresh produce and whole grains, low fat dairy and portion control. “Oh, the sky is falling!” Reports on tossed food and student lunch line revolts flooded the airways.

But according to a recent Robert Wood Johnson Foundation survey, 70% of the kids now report liking the new food. And districts that were enthusiastic early adapters have already begun to see impact on student waistlines. In August, the Kellogg Foundation reported that two-thirds of Americans say the nutritional quality of food served in public school cafeterias is good—even excellent—up from 26 percent from 2010, before the new standards. And 93 percent of those surveyed believe that it is important to serve nutritious foods in schools to support children’s health and capacity to learn.

You would think we might have rounded the corner on this issue. But there were and still remain lots of powerful companies with skin in the game. I have learned that when a great deal of money is involved, common sense rarely prevails. Some $52 billion a year is spent advertising junk food to kids—obviously a large target market, and school lunch contracts are very lucrative. Don’t think these companies are going to take huge slashes in market share with a smile on their faces. No, they are now spending billions to promote “free choice” and softening the standards—a lot of that money is being spent on Capitol Hill.

The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 is due for reauthorization by September 30, 2015. As consumers and parents, we must hold the line and fight for what is best for our kids—healthier school lunches. Call your U.S. Representative today and insist that Congress stand up for our kids, not for deep-pocketed junk food makers.

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PHOTOS FRONT COVER Paula McHam purchases from farmers marKID 2014 PAGE 2 CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT:

Chef Philippe Schmit with his students at Rodriguez ES The Mithoff Family hosts a kid-friendly Gala in Small Bites Chef Lance Fegan with his 4th graders at NQ Henderson Susan Criner and Margaret Williams enjoy a Gala in Small Bites Chef Bryan Caswell signing autographs for 4th graders at Gross ES Chef Monica Pope hands out cooking certificates 5to her students at MacGregor ES PAGE 3 CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT:

Grace Cavnar with Gala in Small Bites host, Cathy Brock Ai Culinary student, Megan Luebe serves up a feast Chef Sandra Mangini with her Rodriguez ES Students Chef Anita Jaisingahni with her MacGregor ES students PriceWaterhouseCoopers volunteers build the MacGregor garden PAGE 6 Founding Board member, Kim Tutcher volunteering at MacGregor ES PAGE 8 Chef Robert and Mimi DelGrande and their Rodriguez ES students PAGE 10 Chef Monica Pope with Gracie Cavnar at the White House and with her 4th grade students at MacGregor ES PAGE 12 Founding Board member Amy Anton with Dr. Mehmet Oz at the Blue Plate Special lunch; with her own kids in the garden and volunteering with the MacGregor ES students PAGE 16 Peter Tsan PAGE 22 Chef Justin Kouri

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WE ARE GETTING STRAIGHT A’S WITH INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS LIKE SEED-TO-PLATE NUTRITION EDUCATION™, FARMERS MARKIDS, AND VEGOUT! YOU CAN BRING THESE GAME-CHANGING PROGRAMS TO MORE KIDS WITH A GIFT TODAY.

CLICK HERE TO MAKE YOUR DONATION TO OUR ANNUAL FUND

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Da Capo Take the used-up heart like a pebble and throw it far out.

Soon there is nothing left.

Soon the last ripple exhausts itself in the weeds.

Returning home, slice carrots, onions, celery.

Glaze them in oil before adding the lentils, water, and herbs.

Then the roasted chestnuts, a little pepper, the salt.

Finish with goat cheese and parsley. Eat. You may do this, I tell you, it is permitted.

Begin again the story of your life.

Jane Hirshfield

P.O Box 56405 Houston, Texas 77256 713.520.0443 www.recipe4success.org DONATE NOW!

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