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• Taste of the Nation

  Fine dining and tasting events that help make sure no kid in America grows up hungry.

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• Great American Bake Sale

  A national campaign that mobilizes Americans to end childhood hunger by holding bake sales in their communities.

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• Great American Dine Out

  When you eat; they eat. Join us September 20-26, 2009 for the 2nd annual Great American Dine Out! Learn how you can get involved.

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• A Tasteful Pursuit

  A national touring dinner series that features the nation's top chefs taking their talents to the nation’s top culinary cities.

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• Operation Frontline

  A groundbreaking cooking-based nutrition education program that teaches families how to prepare healthy, tasty meals on a limited budget.

  Learn More »

Meet the Committee

Meet the Taste of the Nation Committee

The 2011 Taste of the Nation Committee is made up of innovative, well-respected leaders from the culinary, business and nonprofit worlds.

Our Chairs

R.J. Melman
Hub 5, R.J. Grunts, Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, Studio Paris, Paris Club

Chef Mindy Segal
HotChocolate Restaurant and Dessert Lounge

Our Steering Committee

Lauren Polkow
Grub Hub
Committee Vice Chair

Johnny Auer
jamco new media, inc.
Social Media, Marketing and PR

Jordan Kirshenbaum
Prime Time Marketing
Marketing

Kristin Meyer
Capitol Commercial Real Estate
Auction Co-Chair

Elissa Narow
Sweet and Naro
Chef Chair

Debbi Peek
The Bristol
Beverage Co-Chair

Ben Smock
Toque and Bottle Advisory
Finance / Operations Chair

Our Committee

John Abels
Le Cordon Bleu
Sponsorship

Bridget Albert
Southern Wine and Spirits
Beverage

Cara Baiocchi
Account Manager, Talent Intelligence
Host Committee

Nicole Banks
Gilt City
Sponsorship

Monica Barnes
University of Chicago Lab School
Volunteers

Jennie Bernstein
Attorney, Fischel and Kahn
Ticket Sales

Erica Carter
Nestle Waters North America
Ticket Sales

Brian Cravens
Nestle Waters North America
Ticket Sales

Andrew Ettenhofer
Director of Sales, Fig Media Inc.
Ticket Sales

Elizabeth Hamel
Molise PR/Chicago Sun Times
Public Relations

Heidi Hedeker
Kendall College
Healthy Kids Cook Off Chair

Kathleen Henson
Henson Consulting
Public Relations

Michael Kornick
Chef/Owner, mk the restaurant
Restaurant/Chef

Jenn Miklos Kovacs
National Restaurant Association Education Foundation
Ticketing

Dawn Kobel
Lauren Kurtz
Designer
Marketing

Erica Bethe Levin
Cheekychicago.com
Sponsorship and Auction

Melissa Manzanett
Leo Burnett
Ticket Sales

Doug Marello
Tenzing Wine and Spirits Company
Wine Chair

Gabrielle Martinez
agencyEA
Operations

Kyle McHugh
The Boozehound
Beverage

John Meyer
Principal, Capitol Commercial Real Estate
Auction

Nicole Negrette
Hub 51/RJ Grunts/Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises
Operations

Jennifer Paulson
Green & Black's Organic Chocolate
Healthy Kids Cook Off Co-Chair

Corey Polkow
La Colombe Torrefaction
Restaurants

Leah Saugen
agencyEA
Operations

Lucy Stratton
agencyEA
Operations

Dave Smith
Mission Press
Operations

Chuck Sudo
Food Editor, Chicagoist.com
Hunger Messaging Chair

Anna Treiber
Kathleen Henson Consulting
Public Relations

Stacy Tsihlopolous
Coordinator, Community Relations, Chicago White Sox
Ticket Sales

TASTE OF THE NATION

Share Our Strength's Taste of the Nation^® is the nation’s premier culinary benefit dedicated to making sure no kid grows up hungry. Each spring and summer, the nation’s hottest chefs and mixologists donate their time, talent and passion at nearly 40 events across the United States and Canada, with one goal in mind: to raise the critical funds needed to end childhood hunger.

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