THE LA SOUPE SCOUPE

August 2021

MESSAGE FROM SUZY

A message to our Beloved La Soupe Followers,

You, more than anyone, know our story as Cincinnati’s first non-profit food rescue. As the founder of La Soupe, I am truly awed that my dream has blossomed into a sophisticated and life-changing social enterprise. We moved from our cramped little kitchen in Newtown and to a 10,000 square-foot facility located in the heart of Walnut Hills. Our growth has been phenomenal, and now with 28 full-time employees, my baby has grown up. To keep our mission growing and thriving, I recognize that I cannot do it all. I am excited to share that after many conversations with our Board, we have decided to hire a Chief Operating Officer.

The COO will give us the capacity to consolidate management of La Soupe’s daily operations. As we’ve grown, the need to formalize our internal processes and procedures, improve communication and efficiency, and implement new programs to ensure we are using our facility to the best of our ability have become apparent.

Our new COO will lead the implementation of our strategic plan, while I will continue to build relationships with community partners who believe in our mission. My days are already filled with meetings with local and national political and community leaders, donors, and other nonprofits who are interested in becoming partners.

In fact, I am currently working with our Board on a significant growth opportunity. We expect to gear up soon to add the “Food as Medicine” Program that Emmy Schroder has been designing. We have been accepted in a yearlong national accelerator that will guide us in preparing food for individuals with specific health needs who are experiencing food insecurity.

Our current staff positions will not change. Executive Chef Miranda will continue her work with her creative team to transform our rescued food into delicious meals. Laura and her team will concentrate on finances, bookkeeping, budget, and banking. Cathy will continue to be our number-one problem solver.
Think of the COO as our internal quarterback – that one person in house who has a pulse on everything going on and can mobilize the team quickly and efficiently in the ever-changing world of rescue, transform, share. We have identified some potential candidates for this role, but we are open to ideas from all of you. Please reach out to me if you would like to recommend someone for this position, or guide them to our website where they will find a job description and application instructions.  

I am so excited about this next step in the evolution of La Soupe. As we grow as an organization, so does our ability to rescue more food to feed and nourish the neighbors we are committed to helping. And that’s what matters most. Thank you for all you do for La Soupe. We could not do the great work we do without you.

A final note:

I recently did a fun podcast with Sarah Brown on Failing Forward. Strolling down memory lane with her brought back some laughs and plenty of “I cannot believe I did that moments.” Have a listen here:

 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-96-suzy-deyoung-la-soupe-founder-chef/id1330322754?i=1000531160658&fbclid=IwAR1ALvq32-GlMaW6dMrGt4FBKOjU-f39KxB7FIMyWgObnzdL8zGGJlxsOig

— Suzy

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

The Nourish Team is now more than halfway into our 6-month pilot program with the Christ Hospital NEST program. La Soupe’s role in the program is to provide entry-level employees with access to healthy prepared meals and grocery items for immediate nutrition, as well as inspire employees to take their health into their own hands through culinary and nutrition education. 

Free culinary education is rare in Cincinnati, and even more rare, are hands-on programs that bring nutrition counseling into the kitchen. Kristen St. Clair (La Soupe Director of Education) and Lisa Andrews (M. Ed., RD, LD) have teamed up to bring diet and creativity into a curriculum designed to inspire participants not just to cook, but to live a healthy lifestyle. We are having a great time sharing knowledge and inspiring participants to pick up their knives and create fun and fresh meals for their families.  

FROM OUR DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR DANIEL

On behalf of the event committee — Julie Richardson, Suzy DeYoung, Mimi Dyer, Mary Gerken, Melissa Kadish, Cathy Swartz, and Petra Vestra — we are excited to announce our new fall fundraiser: All La Souped Up fueled by SugarCreek and Joseph Auto Group. This event will replace our popular WASTEd and the City.

All La Souped Up fueled by SugarCreek and Joseph Auto Group offers exclusive access to a private collection of around 50 restored vehicles, carefully maintained and thoughtfully displayed in a brand-new facility. Guests will enjoy catering, an open bar, and a chance to win a car from the collection! 

A limited number of tickets will soon be available on our website!  For sponsorship opportunities, please contact Daniel Tonozzi, La Soupe Development Director: daniel@lasoupe.org or 513.271.0010

WHAT’S SIMMERING?

CULINARY EDUCATION

Our team of Chefs at La Soupe do an incredible job with rescuing and transforming the food we receive, and they make some incredible meals and soupes! The Education team has come up with a class to help participants learn about food rescue and practice food transformation at home.

Throughout July, we invited members of the La Soupe Community to join us every Tuesday afternoon to help us practice for the kickoff of our Cooking Improv Classes! This class is a food literacy experience designed to inspire people to create healthy meals with what is on hand at home in their kitchen. 

The ”practice participants” assisted us in creating a flow for a class that will allow future participants to chop and prepare ingredients for our Transform Team. Assisting the mission of La Soupe was a highlight for many of the participants, and we also enjoyed the chance to learn some new techniques that inspired us to embrace cooking with a sense of confidence in the absence of a recipe. Each ingredient we worked with came with the creative task of deciding how we were going to prepare a delicious dish to share! We made savory pancakes with leeks, a delicious cheese spread with onions, a variety of slaws with cabbage, kale, and collards –– and some delicious pastas! 

These Improv classes will run every week and will provide a chance for folks to join La Soupe’s mission of food transformation, get a little creative in the kitchen, and share in the lively conversations that happen when we all gather around the table to share food. If this sounds like a class you might be interested in attending, click here to sign up!

Follow our Facebook page for future updates! 

FROM OUR EXECUTIVE CHEF…. MIRANDA

I would like to introduce our newest member of the Transform team, Chef De Cuisine, Dan Berger. Dan has extensive background in hotels, namely at

Orchids/Omni Netherlands, one of our longest standing Bucket Brigade partners, and continued to be a Bucket Brigade partner through the beginning of the pandemic when he was Executive Chef of Embassy Suites RiverCenter. We are beyond excited to have his experience and passion for helping others join our team. Here is a bit about Chef Dan and what he likes to cook.

––Chef Miranda

Chef Dan writes:

When I was 19 I started my first prep cook job at a small bistro in Kalamazoo Michigan called the Crow’s Nest. I exaggerated a little bit about my kitchen experience. I was lucky that they really needed a prep cook and that they were just happy that I showed up on time with a decent attitude. My knife skills were atrocious but the executive chef could tell I was eager to learn and was willing to put in the work. This is the first soup recipe I developed on my own during the peak of sweet corn season in Michigan. It’s a bit heavier than what I would make here in the Ohio River Valley during the summer, but you can easily leave the cream, butter, and bacon out for a healthier vegetarian version that is just as flavorful! I love making this soup and have served it at every restaurant I’ve worked at throughout my career. This is an easy recipe to add any lighter protein to –– I originally made it with crab, but have also enjoyed it with shrimp or chicken! I hope you enjoy it too!

CORN CHOWDER

Ingredients:

• 4 Ears of corn, shucked with corn shaved and cobs reserved for stock

• 1 Sweet onion, peeled and diced with peels reserved for stock

• 2 Carrots, peeled and diced with scraps reserved for stock

• 2 Long pieces of celery, diced and washed with scraps reserved for stock

• 1 Leek, diced and washed with scraps reserved for stock

• 2 Small shallots, diced with scraps reserved for stock

• 8 Cloves of garlic, chopped 

• 2 Russet potatoes, diced with skin on

• 1 Cup of Sauvignon Blanc or other white wine

• 8 oz of smoked bacon, diced or cut into lardons

• 4 oz unsalted butter

• .5 oz of dill, chopped with stems reserved for stock

• .25 oz of parsley, chopped with stems reserved for stock

• .25 oz of tarragon, chopped with stems reserved for stock

• ½ Cup of Tomato Paste

• 1 lemon, juiced

• 4 oz heavy cream 

• 4 Cups of water or chicken stock 

• 2 Tsp of smoked paprika

• 3 Tablespoons of cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons of water to form a cornstarch slurry

• Salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:

In a large stockpot, combine shaved corncobs and scraps with chicken stock or water. Simmer for one hour.

1. In another heavy bottomed pot, cook bacon on medium heat until fat is rendered and crispy. Using a slotted spoon, remove bacon but save fat.

2. Add butter, onion, carrot, celery, and leek to pot and cook until translucent and soft.

3. Add garlic, shallots, tarragon, and tomato paste and cook until aromatics are fragrant and garlic and shallots are soft.

4. Add wine to deglaze. Once most of the wine has reduced, add potatoes, corn, and stock. Let soup simmer for an hour.

5. In a mixing bowl and using a whisk, make cornstarch slurry out of equal parts water and cornstarch. Ladle in a few cups of soup to the slurry and whisk together to temper the slurry. After tempered, pour the mixture into the soup as it simmers and wait for it to thicken.

6. Finish with parsley, dill, cream, paprika, and salt and pepper to taste.

7. Before serving, garnish with bacon lardons and any extra herbs!

SPOTLIGHT ON A SHARE PARTNER

PARTNER SPOTLIGHT- BLACK POWER INITIATIVE CINCINNATI

Black Power Initiative Cincinnati is a group that La Soupe works closely with —we donate several frozen meals, bread, and whatever else they need, every week. According to their website (https://bpicincy.org/our-mission), their purpose is to assist within the Black Civil Rights movement by directly working with communities to deliver more opportunities and resources within Black and other marginalized communities and businesses in Cincinnati.

The group delivers meals to people in need, which aligns with La Soupe's mission to inspire others and connect with the community on a deeper level. BPI is also present at the Friday Food and Fun Market in the old Kroger Parking Lot in Walnut Hills, where La Soupe is also present.

VOLUNTEER HIGHLIGHT- Kristen Sneider

How did you first get involved with La Soupe? 

I first heard about La Soupe through a close friend that helped start the Give-A-Crock (GAC) program with La Soupe. At the time, I was blown away by the vision and the mission and started a regular food run once week when I was working.

How long have you been working with La Soupe? 

I started with my food run about 3 years ago. I added GAC for a year until COVID-19. I am now also an in-house volunteer and have been at the McMillan facility for a little over a year. I look forward to GAC starting up again!

Why are you supporting La Soupe?

I believe in La Soupe’s mission - Rescue, Transform, Share. I love that they are out in the community educating others on the benefits of cooking for themselves with basic ingredients. The organization is well run, focused, and full of friendly individuals that work hard to change lives.  

What would you tell someone who is thinking about (donating, volunteering, etc.)?

For all the same reasons I support La Soupe, any donation would be money well spent. In addition to the clear vision, strong leadership, and friendly, hard-working personnel and volunteers, any donation would go to directly improving food insecurity in our city. As for volunteering, individuals can choose a level that works for them! Once a week for 30-60 minutes with a food run, or even less (by just picking up needed runs as they appear); or a more sustained commitment by volunteering at a GAC class for a few hours a week.  I leave my volunteer commitments every time knowing I have made a difference in my community…and I have fun!

What do you like doing in your time when you're not volunteering?

I enjoy cooking, reading, exercise, exploring Cincinnati, traveling, volunteering with literacy and visiting my adult children.

What has surprised you most about working in the food rescue/food insecurity?

I have been stunned by the shear mass of food waste. I have been aware of the issue of food insecurity for quite some time. I am also aware that food is wasted.  But completing food runs and now working in the kitchen has opened my eyes to a new way of seeing and using food on a day to day basis in my own life.  

Tell me about some of the people you've met while working with La Soupe? 

Everyone I have met and worked closely with at La Soupe is caring, hard working, fun loving and endlessly appreciative of the work that the volunteers contribute. The kitchen is always bustling, the staff is working alongside the volunteers, the dock constantly has cars and trucks coming and going.  

What do you wish the public knew about La Soupe or the mission we support? 

I wish people understood that food waste happens every day in every home.  I wish the public better understood that “bruised” food can still be good food; that expiration dates are not necessarily “throw away” dates, and that they can utilize what is in their refrigerator before they head to the grocery. La Soupe has taught me about food utilization and I believe so many others don’t realize how they contribute to the problem of food waste. La Soupe is an important organization for our community that is changing lives one meal at a time.