2011 James Beard Foundation Food Conference: DIY: Cooking Up A Better Food System

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Perspectives on How We Can Affect Change
Ricardo Salvador, Moderator; Program Officer, W.K. Kellogg Foundation

What We Can Do Politically
Wendy R. Gellman, Senior Policy Advisory, Office of Senator Kirsten E. Gillebrand

What We Can Do with Messaging
Jonathan Halperin

What We Can Do with Money
Michel Nischan, Co-Founder, Wholesome Wave; Chef, The Dressing Room

What We Can Do With Culinary Education
Greg Drescher, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives and Industry Leadership, The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone


Community-focused and independent restaurants are at the heart of every city, town, and village across America and the world. The James Beard Foundation celebrates restaurants that showcase culinary leadership and provides training and resources for chefs and restaurateurs to use their voices for positive food system change.

Open for Good is the James Beard Foundation’s campaign to help independent restaurants survive this crisis, rebuild better, and thrive for the long term. Open for Good programs provide critical resources to help independent restaurants build the capacity to come back stronger, more equitable, more sustainable, and more resilient. Learn more at jamesbeard.org.