Louisville, KY — Les Dames d’Escoffier International in partnership with YETI is proud to announce the recipient of the first Woman of Purpose Award: Tallu Schuyler Quinn, founder of The Nashville Food Project. Quinn was chosen from 21 extremely impressive nominations.
The Nashville Food Project (TNFP) is a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing people together to grow, cook and share nourishing food with the goals of cultivating community and alleviating hunger. In just 10 years, Quinn took TNFP from modest beginnings in a church kitchen with a few volunteers and a truck delivering sandwiches and bottled water to homeless camps to become one of the most important food relief organizations in Nashville. In 2020, TNFP served 200,000 community meals, kept 220,000 pounds of food from landfills, and maintained a multi-acre community farm, growing food to share with thousands of Nashvillians.
“Tallu’s bold vision combined with her passion empowered her to create an organization that has deeply impacted thousands of people in the Nashville community,” said LDEI President Judith Hollis Jones. “Tallu inspires a new level of awe when it comes to dreaming and achieving so much good, all through food.”
A Nashville native, Quinn did not originally aspire to such lofty goals. After earning a B.F.A. in Papermaking and Bookbinding from the Appalachian Center for Craft in Smithville, TN, she went on to receive a Masters of Divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary at Columbia University in New York. After seminary, Quinn moved to Nicaragua to work with poor farmers on food security projects. A subsequent stint at an urban grocery store in Boston opened her eyes to food injustices and food waste, and the groundwork was laid for TNFP.
Quinn joined Les Dames d’Escoffier International in 2016 and has served on multiple committees, helping the Nashville chapter raise tens of thousands of dollars for scholarships and grants.
“I am honored and humbled to receive this recognition,” said Quinn. “Our work at the Food Project is very much a collaborative, community effort, so I am deeply grateful for all those who have joined me in believing with the fiercest hope that people and situations can change.”
“YETI is proud to partner with Les Dames d’Escoffier International in support of the inaugural Woman of Purpose Award to recognize the amazing and impactful work these women are doing within the food and beverage industry,” said LeighAnn Bakunas, Director of Food & Beverage Community Marketing at YETI. “Their advocacy for food justice and public health is incredible. Our commitment to supporting those who live, forage and sustain in the WILD has always been an integral part of YETI’s mission. Supporting the Woman of Purpose Award to recognize the amazing and impactful work these women are doing is an honor for all of us at YETI.”
The Woman of Purpose Award was created to honor outstanding members of Les Dames d’Escoffier International who are making an impact on their communities through the realms of sustainability, food justice and public health.
LDEI is an international organization of women leaders who create a supportive culture in their communities to achieve excellence in the food, beverage and hospitality fields. To do this, 2,400 members in 46 chapters worldwide provide leadership, educational opportunities and philanthropy within their communities. For more information, visit LDEI.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Linked-in and Twitter.
About YETI Holdings, Inc.
Headquartered in Austin, Texas, YETI is a global designer, retailer, and distributor of innovative outdoor products. From coolers and drinkware to backpacks and bags, YETI products are built to meet the unique and varying needs of diverse outdoor pursuits, whether in the remote wilderness, at the beach, or anywhere life takes our customers. By consistently delivering high-performing, exceptional products, we have built a strong following of brand loyalists throughout the world, ranging from serious outdoor enthusiasts to individuals who simply value products of uncompromising quality and design. We have an unwavering commitment to outdoor and recreation communities, and we are relentless in our pursuit of building superior products for people to confidently enjoy life outdoors and beyond. For more information, please visit www.YETI.com.