The 2013 JBF Leadership Awards Dinner: A Menu in Three Acts

Are you voting with your fork? We did last night! For our 2013 JBF Leadership Awards, which celebrate visionaries responsible for creating a healthier, safer, and more sustainable food world, we asked JBF Award–winning chef Maria Hines to come to New York City and create a menu to honor these inspiring individuals. For the occasion, the esteemed chef of Seattle's Tilth and Golden Beetle created a menu in which each dish represents a different facet of food policy. Read on to see the menu and learn about chef Maria’s inspiration behind each course:

The 2013 JBF Leadership Awards Dinner: A Menu in Three Acts
Created by JBF Award winner Maria Hines

Inspiration: The annual JBF Food Conference has a sustainability focus. When they invited me to be the chef for the corresponding JBF Leadership Awards this year, I wanted to take the opportunity to create a platform, through menu and palate, to evoke and inspire action for change in regards to our food system.

First Course: Genetically Engineered Food Right-to-Know Act of 2013, introduced by Rep. Peter Fazio

Loki Fishing Vessel’s Applewood-Smoked Sockeye Salmon with Compressed Apples, Grapes, Crème Fraîche, and Holmquist Hazelnuts

Inspiration: Pete Knutson is the fisherman for Loki Fishing Vessel. He is an anthropology professor, activist, and small business owner. He has done work to ensure the labeling of genetically engineered fish and has been a force in trying to help pass all human food consumption in the state of Washington. Having an understanding of where our food comes from has grown increasingly important.

Second Course: Local Farm, Food, and Jobs Act of 2013, introduced by Rep. Chellie Pingree and Senator Sherrod Brown

Skagit River Ranch Grassfed 100% Organic Wagyu Beef Tenderloin with Northwest-Foraged Mushrooms, Heirloom Beans, Oven-Roasted Tomatoes, and Truffle Butter

Inspiration: In such delicate financial times, it’s important that we do what we can to encourage the growth of our local communities. One of the ways we can do this is by protecting our local farms, farmers, food shed, and jobs. The Local Farm, Food, and Jobs Act of 2013 will assist in achieving these goals. Farmers George and Eiko Vojkovich of Skagit River Ranch are one of many family farms that would benefit from the Local Farm, Food, and Jobs Act.

Dessert: Save America’s Pollinator Act of 2013, introduced by Congressman Earl Blumenauer

Fresh Breeze Dairy Fromage Blanc Cheesecake with High-Elevation Huckleberries, Bee Pollen, Honeycomb, and Creamed Honey

Inspiration: Bees, one of our most valuable resources in food creation, are rapidly diminishing as a population around the globe. The problem of collapsing bee colonies would be addressed by the Save America’s Pollinator Act.

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