Ursula G King

“My dedication to food systems as a professional ecologist began 19 years ago, but many years after my consciousness of food and foodways being one of joy and concern emerged as I worked alongside my father and siblings in our large kitchen garden and my mother in our kitchen with produced breakfasts, lunches, and dinners daily for our large family of nine children. All hands-on deck was the necessity in our ‘tribe’ and my love of helping prepare and serve food, and even clean up after our large family tabled meals still brings a smile to my face every moment I recall. It has informed and permeated my life and brought me to a career rich in exploring regenerative and communal food.

I have dedicated the latest part of my adult career to regenerating our food systems and building community in a way that captures the value of producing and eating and sharing food in a way that sustains and nourishes all living things. As a member of Les Dames d’Escoffier, Nashville Chapter I will work alongside other members to bring educational opportunities to the community to continue this work of inviting people to think deeply about their relationship to food and the complexities involved in our relationship and access to ‘honest’ food I am also interested in joining into the work of serving others, as the Chapter needs and in hosting philanthropic events at my home. Often, we gather beautifully in commercial space but I believe that the addition of offering events at homes, where most food is prepared and eaten around the world, provides an additional intimate way to be in relationship with our community around the rituals and issues of food and water as daily elements essential to life.”