LRA members help launch WFF 100k Strong Commitment to advancing women leaders campaign

LRA Members Haley Bittermann, Lauren Brennan Brower,
Karen Coaxum, Anna Tusa, Ti Martin, Susan Spicer, Debbie Pierce,
Katy Casbarian with LRA President/CEO Stan Harris,
 NRA President/CEO Dawn Sweeney, WFF Board Chair Susan
Gambardella and WFF President Hattie Hill. 

Women’s Foodservice Forum (WFF), the nation’s largest nonprofit organization focused on advancing women leaders and gender parity on executive teams , launched the WFF 100K Strong Commitment Campaign, an industry-wide call to action to support the advancement of women leaders, at its annual Executive Summit.  Over 200 foodservice industry leaders and several prominent New Orleans restaurateurs—Haley Bittermann, Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group; Lauren Brennan Brower, Dickie Brennan & Co.; Karen Coaxum, Coaxum Enterprises; Anna Tusa, The Crazy Lobster; Ti Martin, Commander’s Palace, Sobou, Café Adelaide; Susan Spicer, Bayona Restaurant; Debbie Pierce, Bon Ton Café; Katy Casbarian, Arnaud’s & Remoulade Restaurants & French 75 Bar—joined to lend their support to the national campaign.

“Women are significantly under-represented in C-suite and executive teams and we are asking the foodservice industry to create more opportunities for this group,” said Hattie Hill, WFF President and CEO. “We officially launched the WFF 100K Strong Commitment to Advancing Women Leaders Campaign at our Executive Summit in order to enlist industry support in our mission to help create a pipeline of talent to increase representation in the executive ranks of our nation’s second largest industry.“

The WFF 100K Strong Commitment Campaign is designed to spur foodservice leaders nationally to publicly acknowledge the importance of advancing women leaders, as well as:

1. Encourage others to take on and sign the commitment at their company
2. Sponsor women leaders in their organizations
3. Partner with WFF to create leadership development programs that build key competencies.

Women represent 60 percent of first-line food prep managers and service workers, yet only 15 percent of foodservice companies have 30 percent or more of women represented in senior teams. “We all have work to do to achieve our goal of advancing women leaders and the support that we receive will help to reinvigorate and set a path for greater things to come,” said Hill.

The advancement is not only the right thing to do but, according to a study by the American Sociological Organization, there is considerable economic value in better gender-balanced leadership teams, noting that improving gender diversity by a mere one percent leads to a three percent increase in sales.  (Source: http://www.asanet.org/press/20090331.cfm)

Throughout the campaign, WFF will provide resources to help women navigate their road to leadership.  That support began July 28 with the release of a WFF whitepaper entitled – “A Roadmap to the C-Suite.” Sponsored by Rich’s Foods, the whitepaper is the result of a year-long research study that focused on critical factors that influenced the success of women in the C-Suite, including: risk taking, strategic thinking, business and financial acumen and driving for results.

WFF encourages all leaders to log on and sign the WFF 100K Strong Commitment to Advance Women Leaders campaign at www.WFF100KStrong.org. The campaign will run through December 2015.  

Foodservice Industry Statistics

• The restaurant industry is the nation’s second largest private sector employer with a workforce of 13.5 million. (Source: National Restaurant Association)
• The foodservice industry, which includes retail sales, operator purchases and manufacturer shipments, is expected to generate $1.2 trillion in aggregate sales in 2014.  (Source: Technomic). 
• One in 10 people have worked in the foodservice industry at some point in their career
• Today, women represent 51% of the population and influence $12 trillion of the overall $18.4 trillion in global consumer spending (Catalyst), and have always played the lead role in the food choice decisions for her and her family.  (Source: www.catalyst.org/knowledge/buying-power)

ABOUT WFF 

WFF is the industry’s premier leadership development organization with more than 25 years of experience advancing women in the foodservice industry. WFF serves thousands of individuals and hundreds of employers in all segments of the industry including operations, manufacturing, distribution, publishing, consulting, and more. Through highly effective and educational events such as the Annual Leadership Development Conference, Executive Summit and Regional Connects as well as professional development and networking opportunities, WFF delivers competency-based leadership development programs and builds strategic industry connections that make a positive difference in the careers of women in the foodservice industry. For more information, visit wff.org.

Oct. 2 premiere of Top Chef New Orleans

City of New Orleans and state of Louisiana are stars of Bravo's 'Top Chef' season 11 as the popular food show locates in the Crescent City

The stars have aligned for New Orleans and Bravo's Emmy and James Beard Award-winning series 'Top Chef' as it prepares to launch season 11 of the culinary competition series, and locals are being asked to tune in to help create a ratings bonanza. The New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation (NOTMC) is requesting that every business with a television and every person at home tune into the show on Bravo at 9:00 p.m. Central on October 2, and then throughout the season.

After bringing the show to New Orleans for its finale in 2008, NOTMC was instrumental in bringing the show back for season 11 in 2013. The show premieres on Bravo on Wednesday, October 2.

"New Orleans has always been proud of the fact that the Top Chef finale episode  in 2008 garnered the best ratings the show had ever received," said Mark Romig, President and CEO of NOTMC. "Now we have an opportunity to best ourselves and help make sure this entire season has the best ratings ever. We are urging everyone in the city to tune in all season."

Chef Michael Sichel

Fifty-three locations were filmed in New Orleans throughout the season, along with segments in nine Louisiana cities including Baton Rouge, Lafitte, Chalmette, Gretna, Harahan, Husser, Lacombe, Metairie and Slidell.

Two local chefs, Michael Sichel of Galatoire's and Justin Devillier of La Petite Grocery, were chosen to compete in a pre-premiere digital video series, "Padma's Picks," sponsored by Cigna and Available on BravoTV.com. "Padma's Picks" gives New Orleans most talented chefs the opportunity to cook their way on to the actual show. Host and Judge Padma Lakshmi visits some of the Big Easy's most celebrated establishments to find ten of the best and brightest chefs from New Orleans.

Chef Justin Devillier

"I ask every citizen of our fine city to show your pride and love of New Orleans by gathering with family and friends and tuning in to Bravo's 'Top Chef' at 9 p.m. on October 2," said Mitch Landrieu, Mayor of New Orleans. "By doing so, we will help show the nation and the world that our first-class city supports this exciting program which showcases our uniquely wonderful way of life."

Many famous national and international chefs will be spotted during the season including New Orleans locals Emeril Lagasse, John Besh, Leah Chase, John Folse, Susan Spicer and others.

The show is a love story to New Orleans and gives nods and bouquets to many of the city's neighborhoods, as well as its food, architecture, music, art, and nightlife.

'Top Chef' will feature returning host and judge Lakshmi, alongside lead judge, Tom Colicchio, and series judges Gail Simmons, Hugh Acheson, and New Orleans' own Lagasse. So where will 'Top Chef' go from New Orleans for this season's finale show? Stay tuned and don't forget to watch!