James Beard Award-Winning Chefs Cook Up Feminist Future

James Beard Award-winning chefs Christina Nguyen and Ann Kim teamed up with Nettie Colón, Zoë François, and Jessi Pollak to create a series of cooking videos as a way to raise money for the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota (WFM) and their work researching, advocating, and investing in community-led solutions that ensure more women and girls are safe, healthy, and thriving. The series, called Cooking Up a Feminist Future, was hosted by Nguyen and filmed in her home kitchen.

“I’m super excited to host and shoot this cooking and conversations video series with some of my favorite chefs and bartenders in the city, who also just happen to be females,” said Nguyen, “If you donate $100 to the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota, then you can get all of our videos and learn how to make, cook, bartend, and do all the different things that we have for you.”

There are five videos and recipes in the series:

• Episode 1 – Cocktail: Gin Blossom 2.0 by Jessi Pollak (2022 World Class “U.S. Bartender of the Year” and Beverage Director of Soigné Hospitality—leading the beverage programs for Spoon & Stable, Demi, and Mara in the Four Seasons)
• Episode 2 – Appetizer: Kimchi & Pork Mandu Dumplings by Ann Kim (2019 James Beard Award-winning chef & owner of Pizzeria Lola, Hello Pizza, Young Joni, and Kyndred Hearth at the Omni Viking Lakes Hotel)
• Episode 3 – Mid-Course: Red Curry Lemongrass Shrimp by Christina Nguyen (2024 James Beard Award-winning chef & co-owner of Hai Hai & Hola Arepa)
• Episode 4 – Main Course: Caribbean Rice with Chicken & Ajilimojili Sauce by Nettie Colón (James Beard Chef Boot Camp alum & chef/owner of Red Hen Gastrolab Concepts)
• Episode 5 – Dessert: Lemon Pudding Cake by Zoë François (New York Times bestselling author of Zoë Bakes Cookies and Emmy-nominated host of A Party with Andrew & Zoë, Zoë Bakes, and Silos Baking Competition, available on HBO MAX)

The link to this video series is sent to those who donate $100 or more at wfmn.org between May 1 – 15. All proceeds are used to support Minnesota nonprofits that center women and girls in their programming.

“According to research from Indiana University, less than 2% of charitable giving in the U.S. directly benefits women and girls. Here at the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota, we are trying to increase that number and we appreciate these amazing leaders in the food and beverage industry helping us with these efforts,“ said Gloria Perez, WFM President and CEO, “With Mother’s Day coming up on May 11, we think these videos would make a wonderful gift for any mom or mother-like figure in your life!”

The video series is part of WFM’s first-ever virtual Feminist Future Festival, following an in-person Feminist Future Festival kickoff event in Minneapolis on April 30, which featured keynote speaker, Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan.