Women Chefs & Restaurateurs holds annual benefit dinnerWomen Chefs & Restaurateurs holds annual benefit dinner

Bret Thorn

CHICAGO National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show here. —Celebrating the role of women in the culinary arts, Women Chefs & Restaurateurs held its second annual “At the Table Chicago” benefit to raise money for scholarships during the

The reception and dinner, which was prepared under the supervision of female chefs, were held at the Union League Club of Chicago, which once excluded women. Tickets for the event were $150; a table of 10 was $1,300. —Celebrating the role of women in the culinary arts, Women Chefs & Restaurateurs held its second annual “At the Table Chicago” benefit to raise money for scholarships during the

Deann Bayless, who with her husband, Rick Bayless, owns Topolobampo and Frontera Grill, both in Chicago, noted the venue where they were dining and said: “We’ve come a long way.” —Celebrating the role of women in the culinary arts, Women Chefs & Restaurateurs held its second annual “At the Table Chicago” benefit to raise money for scholarships during the

Also preparing food for the event were honorary chairwoman Ina Pinkney of Ina’s in Chicago; Susan Maddox of Le Titi de Paris in Arlington Heights, Ill.; WCR president Helene Kennan of Bon Appétit at the Getty Center in Los Angeles; Rachel Collins, owner of Collins Caviar in Michigan City, Ind.; Terry Riesterer, head of private chef firm Paragon Chef in Hoffman Estates, Ill.; pastry chef Michelle Garcia, owner of Bleeding Heart Bakery in Chicago; and Elvia Granados of the Chicago-based Francesca’s chain. —Celebrating the role of women in the culinary arts, Women Chefs & Restaurateurs held its second annual “At the Table Chicago” benefit to raise money for scholarships during the

Nation’s Restaurant News purchased a table at the event and hosted culinary students and instructors from Joliet Junior College. WCR is managed by Louisville, Ky.-based FSA Group, which is owned by NRN parent company Lebhar-Friedman Inc. —Celebrating the role of women in the culinary arts, Women Chefs & Restaurateurs held its second annual “At the Table Chicago” benefit to raise money for scholarships during the

WCR’s mission is to educate women and encourage their advancement in the foodservice industry. To that end, the organization sponsors a wide range of scholarships and internships. —Celebrating the role of women in the culinary arts, Women Chefs & Restaurateurs held its second annual “At the Table Chicago” benefit to raise money for scholarships during the

Those include trips to Shanghai to study Chinese cuisine; to Washington, D.C., to learn about using organic food with chef Nora Pouillon; and to Burgundy to study French cuisine at Château du Feÿ. —Celebrating the role of women in the culinary arts, Women Chefs & Restaurateurs held its second annual “At the Table Chicago” benefit to raise money for scholarships during the

Pastry internships are available, too, including one with Amy Scherber of Amy’s Bread in New York; one with Elizabeth Faulkner, chef-owner of Citizen Cake and Citizen Cupcake in San Francisco; and one with pastry chef Sherry Yard of Spago Beverly Hills. —Celebrating the role of women in the culinary arts, Women Chefs & Restaurateurs held its second annual “At the Table Chicago” benefit to raise money for scholarships during the

Deann Bayless also hosts at Frontera Grill a weeklong internship in front-of-the-house management. —Celebrating the role of women in the culinary arts, Women Chefs & Restaurateurs held its second annual “At the Table Chicago” benefit to raise money for scholarships during the

Many culinary schools also sponsor scholarships through the WCR, including The Culinary Institute of America, Johnson & Wales University, The French Culinary Institute, The Art Institute of New York City, Southern New Hampshire University, The Institute of Culinary Education, New England Culinary Institute and Lexington College. —Celebrating the role of women in the culinary arts, Women Chefs & Restaurateurs held its second annual “At the Table Chicago” benefit to raise money for scholarships during the

To learn more about available internships and scholarships, visit www.womenchefs.org. —Celebrating the role of women in the culinary arts, Women Chefs & Restaurateurs held its second annual “At the Table Chicago” benefit to raise money for scholarships during the