The Cincinnati Bailliage celebrated its fourth annual dine-around event at the Freestore
Foodbank on April 9, 2025. This vital community resource had its humble beginnings in the early 1970s when Frank Gerson pursued his dream of eliminating hunger in the Tristate area by providing people in need with food from his pickup truck. Today the Foodbank operates out of a 225,000 square foot state-of-the art facility on the banks of the Ohio River. It has provided 47 million dollars worth of meals to over 250,000 people in the Cincinnati area who deal with food insecurity. Staff and volunteers provide transportation assistance, financial management, and financial aid for rent and utility payments for local residents.
During its growing relationship with the Freestore Foodbank, the Cincinnati Bailliage has supported its landmark culinary program known as Cincinnati Cooks!. This is a free 10-week training course that teaches students the essentials of working in a commercial kitchen. The program offers training in food safety, food inventory and storage, basic nutrition, and knife skills provided by volunteer chefs as well as culinary professionals. Upon graduation, students are eligible for an eight-week advanced program known as Second Course. This program gives students the skills needed to become employed in fine dining restaurants or to enroll for a degree at the Midwest Culinary Institute at Cincinnati State or other culinary degree program.
Carmen Parks, Peg Valentine, and Jeane Elliott 
Second Course student Peek Gaddis serving appetizer to Megan Dalhausen 
Chicken Salad Stuffed Peppadew Peppers Appetizer 
Echanson Provincial Mary Horn and Dame de la Chaîne Paula Ivers 
Second Course student Rene Curry with Tuna Appetizer 
Dame de la Chaîne Paula Ivers and Chevalier Bill Ivers 
Patti Pierce, Megan Dalhausen, and Joe Pierce 
Chef Instructor Yvonne Glover with Mushroom and Goat Cheese Appetizer 
Jeannette Burroughs, Jeff Burroughs, Connor Brown, and Travis Brown 
Dame de la Chaîne Marilyn Buckley and Vice Chargé de Missions Don Buckley studying the wine selection 
Hank Kerschen and Emily Dumont 
Jeanne Elliott and Jill Settlemyre enjoying Dijon Parmesan Puffs served by Second Course student Peek Gaddis 
Kathleen Comisar, Larry Mosteller, and Kelly Meyer 
Dame de la Chaîne Hannah Parrott and Micheal Tucci 
Michael Monnin, Edgar Smith, and Tanya Smith 
Patti Myers, Vivian Chen, Alan Flaherty, and Irwin Weinberg 
Vice Chancelier-Argentier Honoraire Susan Verschoor and John Verschoor 
Bailli George Elliott presenting the Cincinnati Bailliage donation to Freestore representatives Toni Lavatori, Chef Rôtisseur Alan Neace, Maureen Gregory, Liz Borntrager, and Cincinnati Cooks Program Manager, Danny Bungenstock 
Cincinnati Cooks Program Manager, Danny Bungenstock, Maureen Gregory, Director of Donor Engagement, Chef Alan Neace, Donor Engagement Officer Liz Borntrager, and George Elliott 
Second Course student Stephanie Ware at the Tostada Station 
The Cheese Station 
The Bread and Spread Station 
Second Course Student Peek Gaddis at the Grill Station 
The Grill Station 
Second Course Student Nona Brown at the Pizza Oven Station with Chef Instructor Marcus Hazel 
Second Course Student Destiny Webb at the Fire and Ice Seafood Station 
Oysters Rockefeller 
Second Course Student Michelle King at the Fire and Ice Seafood Station 
Shrimp and Crab legs at the Fire and Ice Seafood Station 
The Dessert Station 
Chef Rôtisseur and Freestore Executive Chef Alan Neace introducing Second Course Chef Trainer Marcus Hazel and the Second Course Student Chefs 
The Second Course Student Chefs
Sixty-five Cincinnati Chaîne members and guests brought bottles of their finest wines to display in the spacious glass foyer of the facility and to enjoy with a wide array of passed appetizers. Chef Rôtisseur Alan Neace greeted members and introduced the Freestore representatives in attendance including Program Director Danny Bungenstock, Director of Workforce Tony Lavatori, Director of Donor Engagement Maureen Gregory, Donor Engagement Officer Liz Borntrager, and Second Course Trainer Chef Marcus Hazel. Bailli George Elliott presented Mr. Neace with a check for $10,000 on behalf of the Cincinnati Bailliage. This money was raised from member donations as well as the proceeds from the Biallage’s annual silent auction of wine left over from monthly dinners.
Students and staff were hard at work preparing the evening’s offerings in the expansive modern kitchen facility. Seven stations throughout the kitchen tempted event participants with amazing food selections. Options included a Cheese and Charcuterie station, Breads and Spreads, a Grill Station serving sliced mustard beef tenderloin and vegetable skewers, Cincy Flatbreads, a Fire and Ice Seafood station with a dazzling display of shrimp and crab legs, and a Dessert Station offering a wide array of carefully crafted sweets.
At the conclusion of the evening, Bailli Elliott thanked Chef Neace for his hard work in planning the event, and for his exemplary work with the culinary students. The Second Course staff and students were introduced to an enthusiastic round of applause for another “over the top” event. How fortunate we are to have this group of people so dedicated to the welfare of our tristate residents!
Graig Smith, Vice Chargé de Press