Along with a prolificcareer as a cookbook author and star of numerous television culinary programs,Child also made a profound impact with an organization she founded in 1981, theAmerican Institute of Wine & Food (AIWF). Child co-founded the group withvintners Robert Mondavi and Richard Graff, among others, to provide a forum forthe enjoyment of gastronomy, the study of the relationship between food andculture.
Abiding by a mission to“enhance quality of life through education about what we eat and drink,” AIWFcurrently boasts 27 chapters with 4,000 members in the United States. TheMilwaukee Chapter of AIWF, which has more than 100 members, is under thewatchful direction of a board of directors, with Fred Austermann serving aschairman and his spouse, Kay Austermann, serving as secretary and treasurer.
The duo loves to cookand regards the chapter meetings, usually held at local restaurants, as “anopportunity to enjoy wonderful food and drink,” Kay says, “along with thefellowship that comes from dining around a dinner table with other folks wholove to eat.”
The Austermanns say theMilwaukee Chapter of AIWF is diverse, comprised of people from all walks oflife who share an interest in food, wine, education and social outings. Membersreceive special pricing on nationwide AIWF events and programs, discounts onmagazine subscriptions and KitchenAid appliances and opportunities to rubelbows with renowned chefs, authors, restaurateurs, wine and food producers,and other culinary professionals and enthusiasts.
Another perk of joiningAIWF is that it provides members with a popular forum in which to helpthousands of children build a sound food and nutrition foundation. “Days ofTaste,” one of AIWF’s signature interactive programs, aims to help childrendevelop a healthy food vocabulary, understand that locally grown ingredientsare the freshest and gain the experience to contrast flavors and develop tastememories. Each chapter develops its “own unique program, but they all share thecommon thread of encouraging children to appreciate the taste of good, fresh, localfood,” AIWF states.
On Monday, April 19,AIWF will be hosting its annual dinner and silent auction at the UniversityClub of Milwaukee. Proceeds from a dinner and wine pairing created byUniversity Club executive chef Douglas Pallo go toward funding a field-tripprogram for selected Milwaukee inner-city elementary schools. The students willvisit a rural farm, an award-winning urban farm and the MATC teaching kitchento meet culinary arts students and enjoy a lunch.
Along with “Days ofTaste,” AIWF’s Milwaukee Chapter also generates funds for local baking andculinary arts scholarships. A glimpse at a typical menu from an AIWFeventthink deep-water Norway lobster poached in truffle butter and fig-stuffedleg of duck confitis proof that joining the Institute can be both sociallyfulfilling and mouth-wateringly delicious.
For more information, visitwww.aiwf.org.
