Unique celebrations brought the Jacques Pépin Foundation’s 90/90 festivities to new heights in August 2025. Two distinctive approaches to the format of a 90/90 celebration showcased the Foundation’s mission and honored both fine dining and community empowerment.

August 1-31, 2025 at Cúrate Bar de Tapas in Asheville, NC

The entire month of August was a celebration of Jacques Pépin’s culinary legacy at Cúrate Bar de Tapas. Chef Katie Button, along with co-founder Felix Meana and Executive Chef Ángel Palacios, created a month-long tribute that seamlessly wove Spanish culinary tradition with Jacques’ classical French technique. All month long, diners at the James Beard Award-winning restaurant enjoyed specially crafted tapas and dessert options inspired by Jacques’ culinary excellence, with $5 from each dish sold supporting the foundation’s free culinary and life skills training programs. The beauty of this celebration lay in its accessibility; guests could simply dine at Cúrate during their regular service hours, making every meal throughout August a meaningful contribution to culinary education.

August 14, 2025 at Community Kitchen Pittsburgh with Catalyst Kitchens Network

The Jacques Pépin Foundation’s mission came full circle at the Catalyst Kitchens National Summit gala, held at the Community College of Allegheny County Culinary School with Community Kitchen Pittsburgh. This remarkable evening brought together Pittsburgh’s finest chefs alongside chef instructors from several JPF grantee programs, including Community Kitchen Pittsburgh. The six-course menu read like a love letter to Jacques’ influence on American cuisine, with dishes such as stuffed oxheart with fermented tomato and herbs and a classic beef bourguignon. All proceeds benefited the Community Kitchen Pittsburgh’s culinary training and job placement programs, and representatives from several of the JPF’s Principal Grantees were present to participate in the Summit and the special celebration.

90/90 Press

The Pittsburgh City Paper and Pittsburgh Post Gazette were kind enough to share the collaboration between the JPF, Community Kitchen Pittsburgh, and Catalyst Kitchens in their August restaurant news round up, and we were delighted to be joined by so many enthusiastic Pittsburgh food lovers and inspirational Community Kitchen changemakers at the event.

Our calendar may have slowed down for the dog days of summer, but our August celebrations were full of meaning and impact that we know will carry on all year long.