James Beard Foundation Holds Chef Action Summit
Over three days from Jan. 29-31, some of the nation’s best chefs, advocates, and leaders—many of whom are alumni of the James Beard Foundation Chef Bootcamp for Policy and Change—will come together in Houston for the Foundation’s preeminent Chef Action Summit. In support of the people behind America’s food culture, as well as a thriving, more equitable and sustainable food system—this is only the second time the James Beard Foundation has held a summit of this magnitude.
The James Beard Foundation, in partnership with Houston First Corporation, will host the pivotal event—resulting in a set of chef-driven policy recommendations for the 2023 Farm Bill. The Farm Bill is widely regarded as one of the most important pieces of food and agriculture policy that Congress passes about every five years. The bill has considerable ramifications for national food security and access, the environment, and support for farmers and rural America. Following the event, the recommendations will be shared with policymakers responsible for drafting the 2023 Farm Bill.
Summit participants will also influence the development of blueprints for local and state-based action, as it relates to America’s food and agriculture system. During the event, participants will have the opportunity to hear and engage with influential leaders from the policy, culinary, nonprofit, and corporate industries to address key issues such as:
● Nutrition Security and Hunger
● Conservation and Sustainability
● Improving Equity in the Industry
Featured speakers—with more to be announced soon—include:
● Anne Biklé, Biologist, science writer, and co-author, Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations; The Hidden Half of Nature: The Microbial Roots of Life and Health; and Growing a Revolution: Bringing Our Soil Back to Life
● Joel Berg, CEO, Hunger Free America
● Stacy Dean, deputy under secretary for USDA’s Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services
● Lisa Helfman, CEO, senior director, public affairs, H-E-B, and Founder and board chair, Brighter Bites
● Adrian Lipscombe, founder, 40 Acres Project
● Michel Nischan, co-founder and chairman, Wholesome Wave and founder and president, Wholesome Crave
● Karen Washington, farmer, activist, and co-owner, Rise&Root Farm
“Across our food system—from nutrition to hunger, conservation and agriculture, worker or supply chain issues—the stakes have never been higher. The James Beard Foundation is honored to bring together chef advocates, policy and industry leaders, and key stakeholders for critical dialogue and commitment pertaining to some of this country’s most pressing food issues,” said Clare Reichenbach, CEO of The James Beard Foundation.
“Chefs—with their unique ability to influence the way we think about and consume food, and as pragmatic problem solvers—have proven time and again that they are the critical champions we need for our communities and broader food system. The Foundation, through initiatives like the Chef Action Summit, is committed to ensuring they have the tools and training needed to drive change. We thank Houston First for being an incredible host and partner and look forward to presenting our policy recommendations in support of a more sustainable, equitable and thriving food system in early spring.”
The second JBF Chef Action Summit will take place at three distinct Houston institutions: The University of Houston Hilton Hotel and Conrad N. Hilton College of Global Hospitality, POST Houston, as well as The Power Center Houston.
The Summit, taking place just off the heels of the 10 year anniversary of the Foundation’s groundbreaking Chef Bootcamp for Policy and Change, features refreshers on the program, as well as new training, including: updated tools for working with local representatives, as well as municipal and state lawmakers; advocacy training for social media strategies to move the needle in obstinate cities and states; tactics on
fostering peer-to-peer support and networking; and deep-dive discussions around key sustainability issues.
“What is taking place in Houston this January will impact everyone,” said Houston First Corporation President and CEO Michael Heckman. “Not only will the 2023 Chef Action Summit drive important policy discussions that will influence 2023 legislation, the contents of those conversations will directly affect how our food supply remains safe, abundant and accessible to all. We applaud the James Beard Foundation for their continued commitment to addressing these difficult issues and look forward to hosting this influential group in Houston.
The Chef Action Summit is by pre-registration only. Programming will begin on Sunday, Jan. 29 at 4 p.m. at the University of Houston Hilton hotel. Later that evening, a special welcome reception for participants and speakers, hosted by Houston First Corporation, will happen on the rooftop of POST Houston, kicking-off the three-day series of events. Keynote panels, programming, and policy discussion will follow from Jan. 30-31, with Chef Christopher Williams—a 2022 James Beard nominee for “Outstanding Restaurateur”—closing out the Summit with a special tour and lunch at The Power Center.
The second Chef Action Summit—part of the James Beard Foundation’s advocacy programs—is hosted by the Houston First Corporation. Program sponsors include the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, Best Made, Deloitte, Distinguished Vineyards, Tabasco Brand, Tequila Patrón, and YETI. The James Beard Foundation’s programs are also supported by American Airlines, the official airline of the James Beard
Foundation; Capital One, the official credit card and banking partner of the James Beard Foundation; and Windstar Cruises, the official cruise line of the James Beard Foundation.
To learn more about the discussions happening at the 2023 JBF Chef Action Summit in Houston or to obtain more details about the participants and speakers at the event, visit https://www.jamesbeard.org/2023-chef-summit.
For news of interest to the specialty food industry, subscribe to Gourmet News.
Helbiz, Kitchen United Expand Ghost Kitchen Offerings to LA
Helbiz Kitchen, a part of Helbiz, is bringing its ghost kitchen offerings to Los Angeles, expanding on the partnership with Kitchen United, a leading ghost kitchen network in the United States. The partnership began with the announcement that Helbiz Kitchen will come to NYC and Austin.
Starting in January, users in the Westwood and Santa Monica areas of Los Angeles will be able to order their favorite food items from either the Helbiz Kitchen app or Kitchen United MIX app onsite kiosk, or website – kitchenunited.com. Both locations also offer seating for guests who want to sit down and enjoy their meal onsite. Helbiz will bring their diverse set of menus created in Milan — Burger & Sons, Pokaii, Pomodòro, Wabisabi, What the Farm, and La Bottega del Gelato — allowing anyone to satiate their food cravings.
“Los Angeles is a city that respects their food and especially appreciates the ability to dine from a diversity of cuisines,” said Salvatore Palella, CEO of Helbiz. “By bringing our six different restaurant offerings and the ability to select from each in the same order, every household will be able to find exactly the food that they are craving. Los Angeles, like NYC and Austin, will be a city in which Helbiz offers both its micro-mobility and food-delivery related services.”
When available, users can download the Helbiz app on the Apple Store or Google Play. When it becomes available in cities that Helbiz has micro-mobility offerings, users will be able to use the same app to solve their daily transportation and food needs.
Helbiz is a global leader in micro-mobility services. Launched in 2015 and headquartered in New York City, the company offers a diverse fleet of vehicles including e-scooters, e-bicycles, e-mopeds all on one convenient, user-friendly platform with over 65 licenses in cities around the world. The merger with Wheels, leading player in California, adds an unique sit-down scooter along with long term rental subscriptions for individuals, businesses and universities. Helbiz uses a customized, proprietary fleet management technology, artificial intelligence and environmental mapping to optimize operations and business sustainability. Helbiz is expanding its urban lifestyle products and services to include live streaming services, food delivery and more, all accessible within its mobile app.
Founded in 2017, Kitchen United is a leading provider of restaurant hub technology, streamlined logistics and turn-key commercial kitchen space that empowers foodservice operators to tap into the growing off-premise business opportunity and offers consumers a first-of-its-kind multi-restaurant to-go experience. The company offers a value-driven, low-risk way for emerging and established restaurant brands to enter into new markets, grow revenue through off-premise dining and expand delivery areas. Kitchen United currently operates to-go food halls in Los Angeles, Pasadena, San Jose, and Santa Monica, Calif.; Columbus, Ohio; Austin, Dallas, Frisco and Houston, Texas; Scottsdale, Ariz.; New York and Chicago, with more locations opening across the nation. It’s the nation’s first “multi-restaurant ordering” to-go experience that allows foodie fans who love variety to order meals from multiple restaurants, all on the same bill.
For news of interest to the food and beverage industry, subscribe to Gourmet News.
Food + Water Launches American Pasta Company
Flour + Water in San Francisco has launched Flour + Water Foods, a modern American pasta company born out of the award-winning restaurant known for blending Italian tradition with Northern California influences. Flour + Water Foods offers four boxed dried pastas developed by co-chefs Thomas McNaughton and Ryan Pollnow to bring the craftsmanship of Flour + Water’s cuisine to the home table.
Led by veteran consumer packaged goods executive Dan Nestojko, the newly created division of the company marks the restaurant’s first consumer retail product.
“Flour + Water Foods represents extensive research and development to nail the perfect dried pasta for the home, elevated to the very high standards of one of the most celebrated pasta destinations in the country,” Nestojko said. “We’re thrilled to be debuting our launch line at Whole Foods Market, a collaboration that will allow us to introduce Flour + Water Foods to our entire Northern California community.”
“We’re very excited to be working with Flour + Water for the launch of Flour + Water Foods in our Northern California stores,” said Patrick Wyman, local forager at Whole Foods Market. “Flour + Water Foods is emblematic of the delicious products we love to champion and I can’t wait for our customers to find them on our shelves.”
Launch offerings include Spaghetti, Elbow Macaroni, Penne, and Campanelle, all crafted with certified organic, North American Semolina grains and artisanal bronze dies for incredible texture. The same method employed at Flour + Water, the bronze-die extruding process creates noodles with textured, porous exteriors perfect for soaking up sauce. We believe the end result is a better at-home bowl that emulates the flavor and precision of the restaurant experience.
“Simplicity is difficult to perfect, but it’s something we’ve been obsessed with since day one at Flour + Water,” McNaughton said. “Flour + Water Foods brings our time-tested techniques into your kitchen, and we’re proud to be introducing this line to make it easier to get dinner on the table.”
Home cooks can find further inspiration from McNaughton and Pollnow through demos accessible via QR codes on each box, along with recipes and easy-to-follow tips at flourandwaterfoods.com. Through Flour + Water’s relationship with Zero Foodprint, 1 percent of proceeds is used to directly team up with farms and ranches to implement regenerative agriculture practices. A foundational part of Flour + Water’s commitment to a future where regenerative farming is the norm, through Flour + Water Foods, the team aspires to help alter how wheat is grown in America.
Find Flour + Water Foods dried pasta at select Whole Foods Market stores throughout Northern California with nationwide shipping available via flourandwaterfoods.com. Future products showcasing Italian culinary traditions and local ingredients are currently under development to expand the brand’s portfolio in the months to come.
For news of interest to the specialty food industry, subscribe to Gourmet News.