Celebrating Women’s History Month At the CIA
The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) celebrated this year’s Women’s History Month with an event and film screening on Friday, March 1. Students, faculty, and outside guests gathered to honor A Fine Line, a film about women in the culinary industry.
A Fine Line dives into the male-dominating industry through the lens of the hard-working females that are a part of it. Through interviews of world-renown female chefs, such as Lidia Bastianich, and a small-town restaurant owner, Valerie James, the film explores why just 7% of head chefs and restaurant owners are women.
The evening started with a mouth-watering food and wine reception, with hors d’oeuvres served by local female chefs from the Mid-Hudson Valley. The delicious wine came from Markham Vineyards in Napa Valley, CA and MacRostie Winery in Sonoma, CA. These wineries are celebrated as champions of Diversity, Inclusion and Women Leadership Initiatives.
“The food is unreal, from those meatballs to the cheddar biscuits, I am so full” said Gabrielle Lambeth, an attendee. “I think I still have room for a few more glasses of wine before we begin though!”
In the film it was revealed that the main subject of the film, Valerie James, is the mother of the filmmaker, Joanna James. After the standing ovation the film received, Lidia Bastianich joined Valerie and Joanna James, and other female chefs from the evening for a Q & A about their careers.
“I don’t go to the Culinary Institute, but I have always been interested in the culinary industry, and I have worked at restaurants since I was a teenager,” said Eliza Hartford. “It was inspiring to hear the different ways the women got into the industry, and realizing you can do anything if you put in the work.”
“I think across all industries, not just the culinary industry,” says Joanna James, “there’s a huge leadership disparity of women. We need to help build a confidence in each other, and support each other, mentor each other.”
To learn more about James and A Fine Line go to www.AFineLineMovie.com.
