Illustration by Charlotte Croy Hudson
All of our restaurants and bars will be championing women-run or owned brands this IWD with special menus. We're proud to work with local favorites Hopewell Brewing Co. (co-founder Samantha Lee), Right Bee Cider (co-founder Katie Morgan), North Shore Distillery (co-founder Sonja Kassebaum), Metroplitan Brewing (co-founder Tracy Hurst) and Koval Distillery (co-founder Sonat Birnecker), plus Mexico-based Pueblo Viejo(owner Carmen Villarreal), and Italian Grappa Nonino (owned by sisters Cristina, Antonella and Elisabetta Nonino).
Cherry Circle Room will be highlighting female winemakers, including Angela Osborne of A Tribute to Grace, Anne and Catherine Parent of Domaine Anne Parent, Maggie Harrison of Antica Terra, Eva Fricke of her eponymous winery, Dominique Moreau of Marie Courtin, Esther Pinuaga of Bodegas Pinuaga, Nancy Irelan of Red Tail Ridge, and Diana Snowden Seysses of Snowden Vineyards.
Longman & Eagle will even have a special IWD whisky flight (available in the restaurant and OSB), featuring three female-led distilleries: Allison Parc and Brenne French Single Malt Whisky, Angela & Maggie Moore of Virginia Distillery Co., and Pam Heilmann & Andrea Wilson of Michter's.
On the culinary side, we're showcasing three women-owned farms: Three Sisters Gardens' Tracey Vowell and Kathe Roybal (from Kankakee!), Michigan's Werp Farms, co-owned by Tina Werp, and Nettle Meadow Farm (Warrensburg, NY), which is owned by Sheila Flanagan and Lorraine Lambiase.
Proceeds from the featured items will benefit Girls in the Game, a non-profit (started in Chicago) empowering young women to discover their strength and lead with confidence through fun and active sports, health and leadership programs.
Land and Sea Dept. is lucky to have lots of women running many of the shows we've got going on. Femme identifying people run many of our restaurants and bars. Handle our finances. Oversee our events. Innovate on the line. Pastry. Social Media. They hold it it down serving, bartending, running, hosting, barista-ing. Chances are, if you like something we're doing, a woman had her hand in it. Thank goddess.
We asked a few of our women in charge to share some advice, words of wisdom, or things to watch out for. Here's what they had to say:
Kerri Petric
Assistant General Manager - Drawing Room, Game Room, Milk Room
“The future of women in hospitality is immensely bright, and I work for the best company that exhibits this fact. Keep working together, supporting, learning from each other, and we will be unstoppable!”
Angela Diaz
Executive Pastry Chef - Cherry Circle Room, Drawing Room, Game Room, Milk Room
"My advice is be yourself. It's hard in the kitchen sometimes because you want to fit into this (once) male-dominated kitchen environment, but at the end of the day you will accomplish more and earn more respect when you do you. And in the hardest of times, when you feel like you want to compare yourself to your fellow male co-worker, be stronger and keep a level and equal mindset.
Be feminine and show pride in it, in whatever way that means to you. GIRL power is YOU power."
Elana Green
Executive Director, Land and Sea Dept.
“Let go of what doesn’t make you better. That’s not to say that you won’t have bad days or errors. I’ve made mistakes, and I learned from them. But channeling your energy towards the positive will yield a much better end result. I’m constantly looking at how we can do things better, make our jobs and business better, and these traits both fuel and feed my career.”
Ginny Cook
Director of Events, Land and Sea Dept.
"I'd advise against getting to the point that you feel 'above' doing anything. As long as you are willing and able to do the same work as the people around you, you will always be respected and supported. No one loves to haul trash, but seeing your boss do it makes you 100% more willing to do it yourself."
Mia Luna
General Manager, Lost Lake
“Working with so many womxn at Lost Lake the last few years has been a DREAM. Watching them champion each other, and offer unwavering support for each other has drastically changed my perspective on my own worth and capabilities both in and out of work. They are simultaneously fearless and strong, yet vulnerable and empathic. Find people like this to work with, to hire, and to befriend — you’ll be in good company when you make it to the top."
