THE LA SOUPE SCOUPE

July 2021

MESSAGE FROM SUZY

The official heat of July has hit and with it, some exciting changes at La Soupe. Like so many, when the world shut down this past year, La Soupe had to make many adjustments. We had this beautiful new facility with big plans, many of which were exceeded almost immediately. Our Transform Team hit the ground running, and along with the Community Kitchen Program, we were able to serve over 1,000,000 meals! Our Rescue/Share Team worked tirelessly, coming up with new partnerships where the food insecure could access meals more easily. It was a huge collaborative effort, forming new partnerships with agencies on both sides of the river. Our stellar Culinary Education Team really had the biggest challenge, but they handled every difficult circumstance with creative, loving energy. 

The time has come for the Culinary Education team to use the front space in our facility that was designed for them. (It is NOT an office — it is NOT a dining room!) You will now be able to see our community using the space as it was imagined — for our Improv Cooking Studio. We could not be more excited to have our community join us in this beautiful space. 

As I reflect back on the last year, I think one of the most difficult tasks was trying to stay in the moment, but at the same time, trying to understand what may be coming down the road. The fluctuation in our food supply chain, at first from local restaurants, then from their purveyors, then from the growers themselves. It truly was a logistics issue of keeping the food coming in, getting it transformed, and then distributed to those in need. Many of you know, I never attended culinary school, although I did have a year working with incredible chefs throughout Europe. I think a degree in supply logistics would have better prepared me for the year we just endured! But like all things in life, teaching moments are presented when we least expect it, and this last year certainly taught me that. So many incredible things have come out of the worst 15 months, and I want La Soupe to grow forward and learn from this, no turning back! We have a refined system that thrived during a pandemic…not many can claim that.

This month’s Forest Gump moment with Suzy…

As I mentioned above, although I did not attend culinary school, I was presented with an opportunity to learn in some of the great restaurants in Europe. This came about very circumstantially, or as I say — another God wink. I saw an advertisement for a ski competition in Boyne, Michigan for chefs. This event was a fundraiser for Jacques Pépin, who had suffered multiple injuries from a severe car accident. Now, I was not a very good skier, but I was creative, and the winner of the Best Dressed Chef Competition would receive an all—expense paid trip to Taos, New Mexico — and FREE is what caught my eye. So I did an amazing job representing our city, the National Exemplar (where I was the chef) and Grand Marnier, the presenting sponsor. YES, I won…I was the only one who outfitted an outlandish chef coat with 20# of tiny lights (it was the year of the movie Electric Horseman and it was an inspiration).

On the bus from Albuquerque to Taos an older gentleman stopped in the aisle, looked at my nametag and said, “You must be Pierre Adrian’s daughter, your resemblance is uncanny.”  This caught me by surprise and honored to be known in a community of chefs as Pierre’s daughter. This gentleman sat next to me for the ride up the mountain. He informed me that if I was serious about cooking, I needed to go to France to work. He then informed me that I was a French citizen, since Dad was born there, and I should get my French passport to make work papers unnecessary. This gentleman’s name was Pierre Franey, the then food critic for the New York Times and a celebrated chef.

I took a few months before I made the call to the Times and asked for his help. (I had a boyfriend and a new job — then the boyfriend dumped me, and the new job never commenced!). After being put on hold for a few minutes, he replied, “Marc Haeberlin from L’Auberge de I”Il will accept you as a stagere (intern) in 3 months!” And that is how I made it to France to work for a year and acquire a dual citizenship.

— Suzy

INTRODUCING Samantha

• Position: Assistant in Partner Relations

• Favorite Food: Italian

• Favorite Color: Black

• Favorite Movie: Too many to count!

• Favorite Music: Old School Punk

I grew up in the restaurant business and after majoring in television/radio production, a couple of jobs in the industry, I found myself returning to my roots — the restaurant business.

After a long career with Morton’s of Chicago, I needed a break from working nights, weekends and holidays. Enter, wine sales! My focus was restaurants so I was able to still be attached to the restaurant world, but be home for Christmas Eve and Christmas and all the other holidays in between!

Once I conquered the wide, wide world of wine distribution with Heidelberg, I moved onto wine supplier with Gallo. I enjoyed my time with wine, but it was time for a change. Time to do good work that gives back to the community.

WHAT'S A LUNCH AND LEARN?

If your church, work department, or group is looking for a fun and informative event –– consider having a La Soupe Lunch and Learn. We will bring a delicious lunch to you and share the mission of La Soupe and its impact in Cincinnati and on the environment. 

We are now scheduling “Lunch and Learn” events.

For more information, or to schedule:

Contact Merrett Collister:  merret@lasoupe.org

NOURISH THE ‘NATI NEWS from EMMY

Here at La Soupe, we envision a city where everyone has access to the nutritious foods needed to thrive and sustain a healthy lifestyle. There is a growing movement around “Food is Medicine'' as a strategy to address social determinants of health and preventative care to help chronically ill individuals and their families fight their ailments with nutrition.   

La Soupe has recently been accepted into a competitive year long Food is Medicine Accelerator program led by some of the national leaders in this movement: the Food Is Medicine Coalition (FIMC), Community Servings, God’s Love We Deliver, the Nonprofit Finance Fund, and the Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation of Harvard Law School. The accelerator program is designed to coach La Soupe and four other nonprofits across the country in developing a Medically Tailored Meal (MTM) program. The program will include coaching on nutrition standards, healthcare partnerships, data collection, food preparation, home-delivery, reimbursement opportunities, and health care referrals. We cannot wait to get started collaborating with organizations who have mastered the MTM model so that we also can bring more specialized nutrition to Cincinnatians suffering from chronic illnesses. 

FROM OUR DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR DANIEL

We are so grateful for the meaningful support of our community.  We are proud to recognize the recent investment Newman’s Own Foundation, Francis R. Luther Charitable Trust, and Hamilton County have made in our mission. We’re especially delighted when our friends and supporters come in to see the impact they make on our organization.  Recently, we hosted visitors from Belterra Park Casino and the Kroger Zero Hunger/Zero Waste Foundation.  Our guests got to see their donation dollars at work.

Are you interested in touring our new headquarters in Walnut Hills?  Schedule a visit with us!  Please contact Daniel: daniel@lasoupe.org.

La Soupe Founder and Executive Director Suzy DeYoung with friends from Belterra Park Casino (L to R): Blair Bendel, Chris Corrado, and Christy Conrad

La Soupe Founder and Executive Director Suzy DeYoung with Sunny Parr (L) and Ali Berman (R) from the Kroger Zero Hunger/Zero Waste Foundation.

WHAT’S SIMMERING?

CULINARY EDUCATION

Here at La Soupe we don’t believe in the expression, “There are too many cooks in the kitchen.” And that was clear in early July when the Education Team kicked off its Cooking Improv Program! Cooking Improv is a food literacy experience that provides chopped veggies for our production kitchen and ends with a Cooking Improv interactive demo. The experience encourages people to create a healthy meal with what is on hand. By building knowledge of the Foundation of Cooking (the five tastes, cooking methods, knife skills, timing, plating, and culinary vocabulary) one can utilize a limited selection of food without sacrificing their health. The communal aspect of the class encourages participants to enjoy the act of cooking, starting their journey to form a new habit in the kitchen. We believe this flexible education is what our community needs to make cooking sustainable and realistic. 

We ran our first class as a pilot and our incredible participants showed up to help us create the ideal cooking improv experience. We worked together to chop and wash MANY leeks that will help our transform chefs create soupe, but we also kept some of our chopped leeks to create a delicious dish. We prepared a leek-focused version of Pajeon (pa-jen) also called scallion pancakes. We discussed the similarity between all onions and that conversation motivated us to cook up some savory pancakes! We also collaborated on a dipping sauce. With the input of the "many cooks in the kitchen," we added honey and fresh ginger! Below is what we created, but we encourage you to use it as a starting point to create something unique and exciting in your kitchen! 

 Korean Pajeon (pa-jen) scallion/leek pancake

• 2 ½ cup mixed thinly sliced veggies (need to include at least 1 type of onion)

• ½ tsp salt (or miso paste)

• ¾ cup flour of your choice

• ¾ cup water, soda water, or stock

• Salt and pepper to taste

• oil to fry the pancakes

Combine ingredients in a bowl. Add oil to a skillet and turn to high heat. We made large pancakes five inches or so and cooked them until golden brown and crispy.

Don't skip out on the dipping sauce! We recommend starting with 1 Tbsp soy sauce, 2 tsp vinegar, pepper flakes, a tad sugar, a bit of sesame oil, and sesame seeds! What else would you add to this dish?

FROM OUR EXECUTIVE CHEF…. MIRANDA

A summer recipe that is cool and chilled and…cicada-free!

 Cucumber Gazpacho

• 5 cucumbers, peeled and seeded 

• 1 small or 1/2 large clove garlic 

• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream

• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

• 1/2 cup water

• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, loosely packed 

• Salt and freshly ground white pepper

  DIRECTIONS

• Cut one of the cucumbers into small dice, and set aside for garnish. Cut the others into large chunks. Combine cucumber chunks, garlic, yogurt, apple cider vinegar and water in a blender and puree until smooth.

• Add mint leaves, reserving some of the mint for garnish, and puree briefly. Season with salt and pepper, and add more vinegar if a more tart flavor is desired.

• Chill until ready to serve. Stir well before serving, and ladle into bowls or mugs. Garnish each serving with a big spoonful of diced cucumber and a sprig of mint.
  
  Variations... you can add 1-cup almonds or cashews that have been soaked in water overnight, or any green fruit such as melon or green grapes for a brighter summer flare.

SPOTLIGHT ON A SHARE PARTNER

PARTNER SPOTLIGHT- BUCKET BRIGADE 

Have you been to Pickles and Bones in Milford? This restaurant helps La Soupe as part of our Bucket Brigade program. The Bucket Brigade chefs combine rescued food from La Soupe with the restaurant's overages to make delicious soupe and reduce food waste. This delicious soupe is then donated to food insecure organizations around the city. Pickles and Bones has been a partner with La Soupe for years, and we have been nothing but appreciative! They make soupe for us every week, even during the pandemic — they were extremely helpful. Huge thank you to the Pickles and Bones team! 

VOLUNTEER HIGHLIGHT- Ron Evans

I first got involved in 2016. I was looking for volunteer opportunities that were cooking related. 

My wife Julie and I are passionate home cooks that love to play in the kitchen. After reading an Enquirer article about La Soupe, I just knew it sounded like something I would enjoy. Living close to the original location was a big plus as well. I had my 100th rescue medal from Food Rescue US in just over a year. 

I support La Soupe mainly because they have always been very welcoming, and they make a point to thank me every time I have helped with anything. I love the mission but bottom line — people must feel appreciated.

If you are thinking about getting involved; come on down and check it out. There is something for everyone and don't be afraid to speak up. They will find something you will enjoy doing. You will also get to meet some wonderful people in the process. 

Cooking and looking forward to the next meal is the normal daily routine. I am the guy that loves to do the grocery shopping and plan the meals based on what looks good at the store. I love riding motorcycles, camping, traveling, and hiking both urban and rural. During COVID we went to different neighborhoods all over town and did five mile walks and really explored the city.

The most amazing part of the whole operation is the sheer quantity of waste that is out there. 

You would think free food would not be a problem, but no other organization is set up to accept and redistribute perishable food like La Soupe. Sadly most food pantries are mostly canned and packaged goods while perishables go into the landfill. 

I have really enjoyed meeting staff and volunteers over the last five years. Many have come and gone but the memories and different social events that we have attended really make the whole experience complete. I just wanted to play with professional kitchen equipment, and I have made some good friends in the process. I did, however, get to meet John Ruthven the artist down in Newtown. 

La Soupe has done a great job of educating the public on the mission. Anytime I have a La Soupe shirt on someone will ask me about it, but the public probably does not realize how many volunteers it requires to get all the runs covered.