Indie Chef Official Partnership | Libbey
December 2022
Libbey supports Indie Chefs at 2022 events
When passion for food meets support for chefs, you can bet Libbey will be there.
Indie Chefs Community was founded in 2017 with a mission to build stronger and more equitable chef communities in markets across the U.S. – and Libbey is proud to be a partner of this outstanding organization.
As part of its mission, Indie Chefs has embarked on a 10-city culinary tour called the Road to COMMUNE. The mission is to set the stage for a “rebirth” of the culinary community, creating a safe environment for chefs to network, bond and inspire one another.
The tour will culminate in March 2023 at COMMUNE, a two-week culinary festival that celebrates equity, gives back to the community and addresses systemic issues in the hospitality industry, led by acclaimed chefs.
Throughout 2022, Libbey joined Indie Chefs at the first set of Road to COMMUNE events from Maine to California (and many cities in between), bringing together independent chefs in the culinary industry for weekends of collaboration, learning, and inspiration. We also provided glassware, dinnerware, and platters that set the stage for the chefs’ amazing culinary creations.
Road to COMMUNE events are a ballet of food and flavor, with some of the country’s most talented chefs working as a team to craft elaborate 12-course meals that are as uplifting as they are delicious.
Here, Jules Stoddart, pastry chef and Libbey brand ambassador, shares her experience with the Indie Chefs community and her partnership with Libbey:
How were you introduced to Indie Chefs?
My first event was in 2019 when I worked with Nathan Lemley at Parkside in Austin, Texas. I had applied to participate and with the recommendation of Nathan, I got selected to participate for a weekend in Houston.
How has working with Indie Chefs advanced your culinary career?
I heard at a conference that there is a difference between a good manager and a good leader, and I think about this often. When I participate in an Indie Chef event, I am always surrounded by some of the best chefs in the country. I take this opportunity to observe, learn and bring back ideas to implement into the projects that I am involved in.
Not only have I been able to connect with great chefs, but also great companies like Libbey and the people who run those operations. Chefs often get so buried in our day-to-day operations that we do not always have time to explore product companies that are available to us.
When I am sourcing products, I am not just looking for the quality of the product, but also the quality of the people of the company. Libbey is doing the right kind of work with the right kind of people. They are advocates for creatives on a large scale and can support our industry in ways that are beneficial to all of us.
How important is relationship building and continued learning to you?
Relationship building and continued learning is a natural partnership, and we are never done learning. When it comes to our work there is always someone that has different styles of cooking, flavor pallet and leadership style.
Some think the only thing that we must continue to learn in the kitchen is how we cook, but as a manager I have found that I gain a wealth of knowledge with my peers when we speak about best practices in leading our kitchens.
This is the best part of what we do – sharing our experiences with each other. I am constantly learning from every encounter whether it be in the kitchen or outside the kitchen.
What are some of the biggest lessons you have learned in participating in Indie Chefs events?
I have learned that everyone has a food experience that we can learn from as chefs. I have been able to participate in Indie Chefs pre-pandemic, mid-pandemic and post-pandemic. It has been such an uplifting experience to be able to see how chefs have created a community to help support each other through it all.
I am thankful to have been able to see so many types of food and share in community with people who I may never have met if not for Indie Chefs.
Follow Jules Stoddart on Instagram at @hardwarepastries. Learn more about Indie Chefs by following them on Instagram at @indiechefscommunity or visiting the Indie Chefs website.
