WCR Women Who Inspire Awards winners announced

Women Chefs and Restaurateurs (WCR) honored the recipients of its 10th annual Women Who Inspire Awards at a gala in conjunction with its National Conference at the Ritz-Carlton in Washington, D.C. The awards honor women culinary professionals who the kitchen, dining room, beverage profession, baking and pastry arts, community affairs, farming and food production and for a lifetime of culinary excellence.

WCR named Peggy Ryan, culinary instructor at Kendall College in Chicago, its 2009 Educator of the Year. The annual Educator of the Year Award honors a woman whose dedication to teaching is making a difference to the culinary community. Ryan was honored during the 2009 National Conference President's Brunch in Washington, D.C.

(l to r) Kendall chef-instructor and Educator of the Year recipient Peggy Ryan, Chef Magazine publisher Daniel von Rabenau and Kendall College School of Culinary Arts dean Christopher Koetke (Photo credit: Eric Futran)

The other winners are:

WCR Barbara Tropp President’s Award, sponsored by Johnson & Wales University
• Judy Wicks, president, White Dog Enterprises Inc., Philadelphia

WCR Community Service Award, sponsored by ProChile
• Linda Vogler, culinary arts coordinator, D.C. Central Kitchen

(l to r) Linda Vogler, culinary arts director of D.C. Central Kitchen; and Alejandro Buvinic, trade commissioner of ProChile, Washington, D.C. (Photo credit: Reflections Photography Inc.)

WCR Golden Bowl Award
• Kate Jansen, pastry chef/owner, Willow restaurant, Arlington, Va.

WCR Golden Fork Award, sponsored by The Culinary Institute of America
• Ellen Gray, general manager/owner, Equinox restaurant, Washington, D.C.

WCR Golden Goblet Service Award
• Shelley Lindgren, wine director/co-owner, A16 and SPQR restaurants, San Francisco

WCR Golden Plow Award, sponsored by Bon Appétit Management Co.
• Moie Crawford, farmer/co-owner, New Morning Farm, Hustontown, Pa.

WCR Golden Whisk Award, sponsored by The Institute of Culinary Education
• Ris Lacoste, chef/owner, Restaurant Ris, Washington, D.C.