Evanston has had its share of star-studded events in the past, but as far as the foodie universe is concerned, this one may well take the cake.
On Tuesday, March 19, James Beard Award-winning chefs Gale Gand (Outstanding Pastry Chef 2001 and Outstanding Service 2007), Debbie Gold (Best Chef Midwest 1999), Beverly Kim (Best Chef Great Lakes 2019), and Sarah Stegner (Rising Star Chef 1994 and Best Chef Midwest 1998) will combine their considerable star-chef power for a “Celebration of Strong Women” at LeTour (625 Davis St.) in Evanston.
Net proceeds from the event will benefit The Abundance Setting, a nonprofit the helps to support the needs and fuel the advancement of working mothers in the hospitality industry. Founded by Beverly Kim and her husband Johnny Clark, owners of Chicago restaurants Parachute and Anelya and the parents of three young boys themselves, the Abundance Setting seeks to help women and working mothers find a healthy work-life balance with support from mentors. Stegner serves on their board.
“Being a mom and also running two restaurants is incredibly challenging,” says Kim on a video posted on their website. “The restaurant business requires lots of long hours; also, being a parent requires long hours so sometimes they conflict. There’s only six or seven percent head chef that are women in America — that statistic shows how difficult it is to get to the top.”
Yet half of culinary school students are women, which helps illustrate the difficult road ahead. The restaurant industry demands long hours and many of those are nights and weekends. Childcare support and systemic support for women looking to advance in their careers are at issue. The Abundance Setting is filling that gap with career mentorship, networking resources, and meal relief.
2024-03-16 18:59:22