At the Table: The Chef's Guide to Advocacy

Katherine Miller

$32.00

Publication Date: September 28th, 2023

Publisher:

Island Press

ISBN:

9781642832372

Pages:

242

Usually Ships in 1 to 5 Days

Description

When Katherine Miller was first asked to train chefs to be advocates, she thought the idea was ludicrous. This was a group known for short tempers and tattoos, not for saving the world. But she quickly learned that chefs and other leaders in the restaurant industry are some of the most powerful forces for change in our troubled food system. Chefs are leading hunger relief efforts, supporting local farmers, fighting food waste, confronting racism and sexism in the industry, and much more.

In At the Table, Miller shares the essential techniques she developed for the James Beard Foundation’s Chefs Boot Camp for Policy and Change. Readers will learn how to focus their philanthropic efforts; pinpoint their audience and develop their argument; recruit allies and support action; and maybe most importantly, grab people’s attention in a crowded media landscape.

Miller also shares the moving stories of chefs who used these skills to create lasting change. Tom Colicchio became one of the word’s most respected voices on ending hunger. Bakers Against Racism recruited more than 3,000 people to participate in their global bake sales. Chefs from around the country pushed Congress to provide financial relief to the restaurant industry at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the Table is filled with inspiration for anyone who has ever wanted to make a difference outside the four walls of their restaurant. And most importantly, it offers proven methods to become a successful advocate. You don’t have to be a celebrity chef to change the food system; you just need the will and the tools in this unique guide.

About the Author

Named an industry leader and “Fixer” by Grist magazine and called one of the most innovative women in food and beverage by Fortune and Food & Wine magazines, Katherine was the founding executive director of the Chef Action Network and the vice president of impact at the James Beard Foundation. She was the first food policy fellow at American University’s Sine Institute of Policy and Politics and is a Distinguished Terker Fellow at George Washington University’s School of Media and Public Affairs.

Katherine has built a 20-year career working at the intersections of policy, politics, and social impact. She develops and manages award-winning campaigns, trains activists around the world, and helps deliver millions of supporters – and hundreds of millions in funding – to efforts focused on global health, climate change, gender bias and violence, and food system reform. She is a member of the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS) and serves on the Board of Directors of both the New Venture Fund and Re:Her DC. She is an adjunct professor at the Culinary Institute of America. She lives in Washington DC, on the land of the Anacostan and Nacotchtank people, with her husband, Lou, and their cat, Lily.

Praise for At the Table: The Chef's Guide to Advocacy

"In her new book, At the Table: The Chef’s Guide to Advocacy, Miller offers tools and tips for chefs and restaurateurs interested in using their innate skills as leaders, storytellers, and celebrities to make substantial policy changes in America’s food system."
— Civil Eats

"At the Table: The Chef's Guide to Advocacy, Katherine Miller (Founding Executive Director, Chef Action Network; Senior Director Of Food Policy Advocacy; James Beard Foundation) shares the essential techniques for chefs to focus their philanthropic efforts; pinpoint their audience and develop their argument; recruit allies and support action; and maybe most importantly, grab people’s attention in a crowded media landscape."
— Eat Drink Think

"A new book looks at how chefs can leverage their growing cultural influence to help change food and agriculture policy.... Offers insights on advocacy that are applicable far beyond the culinary world."
— Helena Bottemiller Evich

" At the Table: The Chef’s Guide to Advocacy offers numerous examples of chefs who have found creative ways of using their platforms to raise funds and awareness and influence policy for issues they care about, as well as resources for those who are still figuring out the best way to become advocates."
— Grist

"If the future of our nation (to paraphrase Brillat-Savarin) depends on how we feed ourselves, then the cooks and chefs of America carry a tremendous responsibility. But with Katherine Miller’s compelling how-to guide in hand, any aspiring food fighter who feeds the few can learn to feed the many – and together we can feed the world."
— José Andrés, chef and humanitarian

"Welcome to the definitive step-by-step playbook for food actors to become community change makers at any point in their journey. These teachings should be part of every chef’s education. As a chef born in communities heavily impacted by the farm bill, fighting for food justice and the health of my family, I wish I had this information earlier in my career."
— Mavis-Jay Sanders, chef and owner, A Sanders Thing LLC

"Written with passion and expertise, Katherine’s book invites us to join a movement that nourishes both our bodies and our world. A must-read for those who are impatient for change and want a recipe book to help end hunger once and for all."
— Representative Jim McGovern, congressman for the 2nd District of Massachusetts

"At The Table is not just a call to action; it is a practical guide for anyone who wants to make a difference but may feel overwhelmed or uncertain about where to begin. Katherine Miller provides invaluable advice, examples, and resources, empowering readers with the tools they need to step up, raise their voices, and advocate for positive change. This book is so needed in our country!"
— Carla Hall, television host