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.

Nora Pouillon, chef and owner of Restaurant Nora in Washington, D.C., was presented with the Genesis Award, which recognizes Pouillon’s achievement in creating America’s first certified organic restaurant. WCR also 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.