Mrs. Obama's initiative has only been a step away ever since prominent chef, Gale Gand, joined Elawa Farm as the Chief-In-Residence.
Gand is known for being an executive pastry chef and partner of the restaurant, Tru, located in Chicago, IL. She obtained her Bachelor Degree of Fine Arts from the Rochester Institute of Technology's School for American Craftsmen and also went to a cooking school at La Varenne in Paris, France. In 2001, she received the "Outstanding Pastry Chef" Award from the James Beard Foundation. She opened some cafés and restaurants as well, one being Gale's Coffee Bar in Wheeling, IL. Not only is coffee her specialty, yet she also created her own root beer company called Gale's Root Beer. She has also been the host of the Food Network's show, Sweet Dreams and is currently producing The Heirloom Recipe Project (PBS).
What brings Gale Gand to Elawa Farm, you may ask? Gand has a deep interest in teaching young children how to cook and eat healthy. She is also a strong supporter of sustainable agriculture, eating at local restaurants, and being "green". Being a member of Mrs. Obama's, "Chefs Move To Schools" campaign, she has come to Lake Forest and the neighboring communities to do her part. She cooks pastries, muffins, and breads weekly for Elawa Farm's Garden Market. She has also been teaching monthly Master Classes at Elawa's Kitchen since the beginning of this summer (check out The Garden at Elawa for more info). I hope that I get to meet this local inspiration one of these days, perhaps a casual run-into while I'm tending my garden at Elawa.
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