20th Anniversary Gala

Celebrating 20 years of empowering children across America to make healthy food choices independently.

A celebratory evening honoring Chef Daniel Boulud as a Food Hero for his extraordinary culinary expertise and his philanthropic work during the challenges of the last two years.   

With a special presentation of The Julia V. Jordan Award for Volunteerism

Join us for lively 90-minute VIP Cocktail Reception in the Metropolitan Club's Great Hall with Master of Ceremonies Andrew Zimmern, an elegant three-course seated dinner, special guest speakers, and an exciting live auction.  

Festive Cocktail Attire (Men are required to wear a  jacket and tie)

20th Anniversary Gala Committee

Co-Chairs
Katherine Boulud - Lauren Amanda Adler - Jeff Bank

Gala Committee
Douglas B. Adler - Marisa Colaneri - David Curtis - Olga D'Alto
Lynda Dias - David Finkel - Jeffry Haber - Rudy Jordan - Ana Jovancicevic
Richard Mandell - Evan Merlis - Rachelle Parker - Salvatore Rizzo - Andrea Sherman

Food Hero Award For Excellence

Daniel Boulud

Originally from Lyon, Chef Daniel Boulud is widely celebrated as one of America's leading culinary authorities. Since arriving in New York City in 1982, he has continually evolved his cuisine and expanded his reach to properties across the U.S., as well as Toronto, Montreal, Dubai, Singapore, and The Bahamas.

His culinary empire has brought him many accolades, yet his inspiration remains grounded in the rhythm of the seasons. From his flagship, DANIEL, to his properties across the globe, Boulud's signature remains the contemporary appeal he brings to soulful dishes rooted in the French tradition.

Chef Daniel Boulud is truly deserving of the Food Hero Award for Excellence for his long-standing support of Spoons Across America, his firsthand volunteer efforts, and his commitment during the pandemic to use his resources to help those in need.

Master of Ceremonies
Andrew Zimmern

Andrew Zimmern is an Emmy-winning and four-time James Beard Award-winning TV personality, chef, writer, and social justice advocate. As the creator, executive producer and host of Travel Channel's Bizarre Foods franchise, Andrew Zimmern's Driven by Food and Emmy-winning The Zimmern List, he has devoted his life to exploring and promoting cultural acceptance, tolerance and understanding through food. In 2020, Andrew returned to television with his MSNBC series What's Eating America, and in 2021, he premiered Family Dinner on Chip & Joanna Gaines' Magnolia Network. In 2022, Andrew Zimmern's Wild Game Kitchen will premiere on the Outdoor Channel. All three shows were created by Intuitive Content, the full-service television and digital production company that Andrew heads as both founder and CEO. In 2021, Intuitive Content was named one of the top 100 production companies in the world by Realscreen. Andrew is also the founder and CEO of Passport Hospitality, a restaurant and food service development company. He is passionate about his philanthropic endeavors and sits on the board of directors of Services for the UnderServed, Project Explorer/EXPLR, Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project and Soigne Hospitality. He serves on City Harvest's Food Council, is the International Rescue Committee's Voice for Nutrition and a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations World Food Programme. Andrew is also a founding member of the Independent Restaurant Coalition, fighting to save restaurants affected by Covid-19. He resides in Minneapolis.

Photo credit: Madeleine Hill

Spoons Across America National Spokesperson
Jacques Pépin

Jacques Pépin A former columnist for The New York Times, Pépin writes a quarterly column for Food & Wine and has participated in the Food & Wine Aspen Classic almost every year since its inception in 1983. Pépin has been Head of Special Programs at the International Culinary Center in New York since 1989 and an adjunct faculty member of Boston University since 1984. Pépin is the recipient of three of the French government's highest honors: he is a Chevalier de L'Ordre National de la Legion d' Honneur, Chevalier de L'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (1997) and a Chevalier de L'Ordre du Mérite Agricole(1992). Pépin is a founder of The American Institute of Wine and Food, a member of the International Association of Cooking Professionals, and is on the board of trustees of the James Beard Foundation.

In 2015, Jacques was the first recipient of the Spoons Across America Award for Excellence and serves as the national spokesperson for the organization.

Auctioneer
Sebastian Clarke

Sebastian is a Senior Vice President at Doyle Auctioneers and Appraisers and the Director of the English and Continental Furniture and Decorative Arts department, he is based out of their Palm Beach, Florida office. Sebastian has over 20 years of experience in the trade and has served as a Specialist in the European Furniture department at Sotheby's, as Director of the English and Continental furniture department at Freeman's, and most recently as Director of Trusts and Estates at Rago Auctions. Sebastian is a featured appraiser on the hit PBS show Antiques Roadshow and has been for the past 13 years. He is regularly featured as a specialist in furniture, decorative arts, sculpture and metalwork, and silver.

Mr. Clarke sits on the Board of Directors for the Appraisers Association of America. He is a USPAP compliant certified member of the association, a featured contributor to CNN's Out Front with Erin Burnett, and has been a member of the vetting committee for the Palm Beach Jewelry, Art, and Antiques Show.

For more than 20 years Sebastian has served as an auctioneer for major auction houses, non-profits, charities, schools and other 501c organizations throughout the United States.

Sebastian and his wife, Katherine live in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Prior Award for Excellence Honorees

2015 Individual Honoree - Chef Jacques Pépin

2016 Individual Honoree - Gail Simmons

2016 Corporate Honoree - New York Times Food Section (Sam Sifton)

2017 Individual Honoree - Rachael Ray

2017 Corporate Honoree - Ferguson Enterprises

2018 Individual Honoree - Andrew Zimmern

2019 Individual Honoree - José Andrés

Prior Julia V. Jordan Award for Volunteerism Honorees

2018 Honoree - Robert "Chef Bobo" Surles

2019 Honoree - Diane Harris Brown

Who We Are

Spoons Across America is a 501 (c) 3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to educating children, teachers, and families about the benefits of healthy eating. Spoons Across America was founded in 2001 by a group of educators, chefs, and food professionals to increase awareness of the importance of food and nutrition education to the health and well-being of children and their families.

In New York City Spoons Across America teaches five years of comprehensive programming (Food Explorers, From Farm to Book, Take a Taste with Spoons, Spoon Recipe Days, and The Dinner Party Project ) to thousands of children in public schools every year. This immersive teaching method provides children with consistent, weekly instruction and hands-on activities around food, nutrition, and taste.

In 2020, we launched our Spoons at Home programs: The Food Exploration Project - Homeschooling, Food Explorers Club, Farm to Book Storytime, and Food Explorers Challenge Series for parents to teach our programs in their homes to their children. Today, over 7,000 children in 50 states are participating in a Spoons at Home program.

In 2019, we created The Food Exploration Project - Schools and Spoons Cooking Club for schools and community-based organizations. Both programs include hands-on activities to taste new and familiar foods, learn about where food comes from, develop age-appropriate nutrition and cooking skills, make simple recipes, and have fun while learning about the importance of balanced and healthful eating. In the 2019 to 2020 school year, The Food Exploration Project program was given to 20 schools in Boston, Detroit, Milwaukee, New Orleans, Los Angeles, and Oakland, and reached over 5,000 children.

Please click here to learn more about Spoons Across America's programs.