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Renowned Chefs to Lead Healthy Cooking Programs for Families as Part of Museum’s EatSleepPlay™ Health Initiative

NEW YORK, NY, November 11, 2011 – The James Beard Foundation, the world’s foremost nonprofit culinary arts organization, announced today a partnership with the Children’s Museum of Manhattan (CMOM), as part of the museum’s EatSleepPlay™ health initiative. The James Beard Foundation Family Chef Series at CMOM will include healthy cooking demonstrations by renowned chefs, providing families with young children creative and fun ways to prepare simple recipes with fresh and affordable ingredients. Each program will include special tastings of the prepared recipes.

“I am thrilled about our new partnership with the James Beard Foundation. How amazing to have some of the best chefs show families how delicious food can be healthy, affordable and easy to prepare,” said Andrew Ackerman, Executive Director of CMOM. “Families will walk away with some great new recipes that can become staples in their meals and an understanding of how simple, daily choices can have a big impact on your family’s health. The partnership with The James Beard Foundation will help drive public awareness about the issue of childhood obesity and the work being done by both our organizations to reverse the trend.”

The first program demonstration in the series will be on Saturday, November 12, the opening weekend of CMOM’s new exhibition called EatSleepPlay™: Building Health Every Day. Award-winning chef, Bill Telepan, one of New York’s biggest proponents of “Greenmarket” cooking, will conduct a healthy cooking demonstration, food tasting and question and answer session. He opened his critically acclaimed Upper West Side restaurant, Telepan, five years ago, where he creates special harvest menus to highlight their seasonal offerings. He has longstanding relationships with local farmers and purveyors and is involved in the movement to improve public school lunches in New York City, serving as executive chef of Wellness in the Schools (WITS).

“I’m excited to participate in the Family Chef Series, which is an inventive and fun way to teach kids about healthy eating, ” said Bill Telepan. “This initiative is a strong step toward improving the overall health of our nation’s youth — a cause that I hold close to my heart, both as Executive Chef of Wellness in the Schools and as a father.”

“Who better to grab the attention of children and their parents on how to eat better than well-known chefs? The James Beard Foundation is truly delighted to be able to help launch this series with four wonderful American chefs, Bill Telepan, Alex Guarneschelli, Michel Nischan and Michael Lomonaco,” said Susan Ungaro, President of The James Beard Foundation. “These chefs are also parents, so they know first-hand the challenges of getting children to eat well.”

The current schedule of programs in The James Beard Foundation Family Chef Series at CMOM includes:
• Saturday, November 12 – Bill Telepan, owner and executive chef, Telepan and executive chef for executive chef for Wellness in the Schools;
• Tuesday December 27 – Alexandra Guarneschelli, executive chef of Butter Restaurant and host of Food Network’s Alex’s Day Off;
• Saturday, February 25 – Michel Nischan, owner and founder of Dressing Room and CEO and president of Wholesome Wave;
• Wednesday, April 11 – Michael Lomonaco, executive chef and managing partner, Porter House

CMOM’s EatSleepPlayTM health initiative is a first-of-its-kind national program that targets families with very young children to instill healthy habits at an early age. CMOM takes on the issue of children’s health and obesity with comprehensive solutions, reaching children in homes, schools and communities to build lifelong learning and healthy habits that support a child’s overall cognitive, emotional, social and physical development and wellbeing.

About the Children’s Museum of Manhattan
Founded in 1973, the Children’s Museum of Manhattan is New York City’s leading cultural institution dedicated solely to kids and families. CMOM inspires children and their families to learn about themselves and a culturally diverse world through unique interactive exhibitions. CMOM presents a full range of activities, exhibits and special performances that stimulate children of all ages. Through multidimensional programs that reach deep into the community, the Museum serves New Yorkers from all backgrounds. For details on all of CMOM’s programs, please visit www.cmom.org or call 212-721-1234.

About the James Beard Foundation
Founded in 1986, the James Beard Foundation is dedicated to celebrating, nurturing, and preserving America’s diverse culinary heritage and future. A cookbook author and teacher with an encyclopedic knowledge about food, James Beard, who died in 1985, was a champion of American cuisine. He helped educate and mentor generations of professional chefs and food enthusiasts. Today, the Beard Foundation continues in the same spirit by administering a number of diverse programs that include educational initiatives, food industry awards, scholarships to culinary schools, and publications, and by maintaining the historic James Beard House in New York City’s Greenwich Village as a “performance space” for visiting chefs. For more information, please visit www.jamesbeard.org.