Gatherings in Florida and Tennessee helped spread the 90/90 celebration through the south.

February 16, 2025 at Chauhan Ale & Masala House in Nashville, TN

Friend of the JPF Maneet Chauhan and guest chef Brian Riggenbach of The Mockingbird restaurant hosted a beautiful four-course brunch at Chef Maneet’s Nashville dining room. The menu paid homage to Jacques, starting with a delicately spiced Butternut Squash Soup and finishing with a classic Apple Galette. The dishes in between were a charming blend of French and Indian cuisine, and guests were delighted by the dynamic presentation from Chef Maneet and Chef Brian.

February 18, 2025 at Sereia in Miami, FL

Diners at the beautiful Sereia restaurant were treated to an incredible six-course meal crafted by Miami’s top chefs, including Henrique Sá Pessoa, Norman Van Aken, Miguel Massens, Michael Beltran, Danny Ganem, Michael Schwartz, and Soraya Caraccioli-Kilgore. The menu of dishes inspired by Jacques included Vichyssoise with Corn and Caviar, Paupiette of Dover Sole, and Roasted Breast and Roulade of Capon. The packed dining room enjoyed hearing emotional testimonials from the chefs, and the great Chef Norman Van Aken had this to say about the night:

I feel very lucky that I get a chance to invite my dear friends, the chefs–the best chefs in the city, really — to participate in this event tonight. It just gives me an amazing thrill that the Jacques Pépin Foundation is doing the work that Jacques believes in, which is … about fine dining, but it’s more than that. It’s also about community building, lives being saved, … all kinds of things that are really important to the ongoing future of the United States of America and the world in general. I am very grateful to be here.

February 28, 2025 at Norman’s in Orlando, FL

Chef Norman Van Aken wasn’t finished with the 90/90 fun after Sereia, and hosted a second spectacular gala dinner at his eponymous Norman’s restaurant. The sold-out evening featured a select group of Orlando-area chefs preparing various courses and hors d’oeuvres, including Chefs Andres Mendoza, Carlos Robles Molina, Kyle Rhodes, Camilo Velasco, Stefan Riemer, and Gloriann Rivera. The elegant menu included Poulet Au Vin Jaune, Pork Terrine with Pistachios, and Foie Gras Tart, all with beautifully paired wines. The convivial evening was a perfect way to close out a month of warm and meaningful celebrations.

In the Press

These 90/90 events also made quite a stir in their local media outlets:

• Orlando Sentinel published a lovely piece about Norman Van Aiken’s connection to Jacques.
• Orlando Weekly wrote up a nice feature for the Norman’s dinner.
• Nashville Scene promoted the Chauhan Masala & Ale House brunch and more Nashville 90/90 events coming later this spring.
• NBC Nashville aired an interview with Chef Maneet and Chef Brian before the Chauahan Masala & Ale House brunch.
• Tasty Chomps Orlando Food & Travel Guide interviewed Chef Norman in advance of the Norman’s dinner.
• Broken Palate wrote about both the Sereia and Norman’s events.
• Food, News, and Views podcast connected with Chef Miguel and Chef Norman ahead of the Sereia dinner.

Thank you to all of the chefs and guests that made February a memorable month in our 90/90 Celebration!

The 2025 celebration of Jacques’ 90th birthday is off to a smashing start, with several fantastic events in January. And, we’d be remiss if we didn’t also tell you about one of our favorite moments from the end of 2024: Jacques’ 89th birthday dinner! Here’s what’s been going on since Jacques turned 89:

December 18, 2024 at One Market in San Francisco, CA

Jacques’ actual 89th birthday was marked with a sold-out gathering of San Francisco food-lovers. One Market’s Chef/Owner Mark Dommen was joined in the kitchen by the team from Sonoma County’s Cyrus Restaurant, Chef/Owner Douglas Keane and Pastry Chef Josh Gaulin. Together, they prepared an elegant menu of Jacques-inspired dishes. Like most 90/90 Dinners, Jacques himself could not be in attendance, but the celebration was made memorable by the exquisite food and drink, the gracious service, and the chefs’ inspirational support of the JPF’s mission.

January 15, 2025 at Margot Cafe & Bar in Nashville, TN

An intimate group of passionate supporters of Jacques and longtime Margot Cafe regulars joined Chef/Owner Margot McCormack and Executive Chef Hadley Long for a meal of French bistro dishes. By all accounts from the chefs and attendees, the Chocolate Soufflé with Grand Marnier Crème Anglaise stole the show – we know Jacques would approve!

January 22, 2025 at EDWINS Leadership and Restaurant Institute in Cleveland, OH

As a JPF Grantee, EDWINS was a particularly special host restaurant for a 90/90 Dinner. Chef Brandon E. Chrostowski, a dear friend of the JPF and the founder and CEO of the groundbreaking EDWINS nonprofit, prepared a menu of classical French cuisine. The celebration was a beautiful tribute to Jacques’ teachings and the EDWINS Leadership & Restaurant Institute’s commitment to transforming lives through the power of culinary education. The JPF was honored to partner with EDWINS Leadership and Restaurant Institute in developing further support for their mission.

January 25, 2025 at Sra. Martinez in Coral Gables, FL

The first brunch event of our 90/90 Celebration was held at this brand new restaurant from celebrated Chef Michelle Bernstein. The gorgeous dining room was a perfect venue for toasting to 90 years of joie de vivre, and diners enjoyed an incredible menu of Jacques-inspired dishes.

January 28, 2025 at Husk in Charleston, SC

Chef Ray England of Husk Charleston gathered his colleagues from Husk Nashville and Husk Savannah, Ben Norton and Jacob Hammer, to showcase French classics reimagined with a Southern twist. The sold-out event featured family-style service for maximum conviviality and beautifully paired beverages for many toasts to Jacques.

January 29, 2025 at Counter- in Charlotte, NC

When Lunar New Year meets Jacques Pépin and the wild mind of Chef Sam Hart, the results are an extraordinary seven-course tasting menu! Guests at the Chef’s Counter- were treated to an eclectic experience that paid tribute to Chinese cuisine, classic Jacques recipes, and even the Chef’s own grandmother who collaborated with Jacques years ago.

In the Press

Here are a few nice things that the press had to say about these 90/90 Dinners:

• Axios Charlotte featured the Couter- event
• Resident Magazine promoted the Sra. Martinez brunch
• Holy City Sinner shared the Husk dinner

Last month, the Jacques Pépin Foundation family spent a busy and productive week in Boston. Jacques, Claudine, and Rollie attended several impactful events, nurturing culinary education at many levels and inspiring people to cook.

Jacques began his week on Monday with a fantastic fundraiser at the Boston area’s PBS station, WGBH, hosted by Callie Crossley. He was in conversation with Jody Adams, Boston culinary all-star and longtime friend of Jacques and the JPF. Adams is a core chef in Boston University Metropolitan College’s Certificate Program in the Culinary Arts, founded by Jacques himself. Naturally, the conversation centered around the value of culinary education and Jacques’ contribution to the field. It was wonderful for Jacques to converse with Callie and Jody, all while raising funds for public media. Rollie, meanwhile, taught an “Introduction to French Cuisine” cooking class to BU MET students.

Later that night, Claudine and Rollie hosted a reception celebrating 50 years of the Boston University food studies program. They oversaw the installation of a bronze plaque created by the JPF with Jacques’ visionary message, “we are all equal in the eyes of the stove.” It was an inspirational day of celebration and culinary education.

On Tuesday, Jacques, Claudine and Rollie were on hand for an exceptional 90/90 event at Jody Adams’ La Padrona restaurant. The food, service, ambience, and conviviality were all excellent, and the event generated significant revenue for the JPF‘s granting program in 2024. Chef Adams recognized her entire staff at the end of the meal, emphasizing the egalitarian team spirit of the hospitality industry.

On Wednesday, Jacques, Claudine and Rollie again attended a 90/90 event at Jeremy Sewell’s Row 34 restaurant. This tribute was hosted by some of Boston’s most renowned chefs, including Ken Oringer, Ming Tsai, Michael Schlow, and David Punch. The enthusiasm to fundraise for the JPF and recognize Jacques’ incredible accomplishments over the last several decades – all in support of culinary education — was heartwarming.

Boston has always been a welcoming and generous place for the Pépin-Wesen family and the JPF. The hard work of the chefs and culinary educators there is an inspiration to us all!