Culture Award

This award will recognize excellence among individuals and organizations contributing to the vitality, representation and the influence of French culture in the Pacific Northwest.

Guidelines

Culture Award Guidelines can be found here.

2018 Nominees

Jury 2018

Chairs

Tom McGuigan - Boeing

Ben Orillon - French American School of Puget Sound

Jury Members

Kathleen Brunner - Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati

Ronald Holden - Independent Writer and Photographer

Laure Lacascade - Valve Software

Chiyo Ishikawa - Seattle Art Museum

Anne Deieux - Cornish College of the Arts

Made in France, Sylvie Joseph-Julien, Director:

Made in France (formally named Atelier d’Ichère) is a nonprofit organization that promotes French language and Francophone culture through oral storytelling and educational activities. Created in 2008 by Sylvie Joseph-Julien, Made in France/Atelier d’Ichere conducts inspirational and educational activities in historical landmarks such as the Louvre and Eiffel Tower. Made in France was originally created in France and developed in the Seattle area in 2012. Made in France’s volunteers have been publishing le Mag’fr@ancophone since 2016, a magazine written in French which aims to create links between the PNW Francophone community and several French speaking countries. Made in France is involved with the French community through artistic and cultural projects in French, partnerships with French immersion schools, organizations, and public schools, organized tours and events of landmarks and museums, and involvement in FACC projects and committees. Every year, Made in France focuses on a specific artistic and cultural project; in 2018, the theme was a 10-year celebration with Fashion & Haute Couture events, art walks and fashion shows throughout the year. Made in France creates an impact on the local community through its various activities and projects, including French programs that promote French language learning for youth and adults at all levels, art and culture programs such as tours and art history classes and workshops, and charitable programs for Morocco and Haiti’s children and women around the world with different organization.

Gilles Nicault, Director of Winemaking and Viticulture, Long Shadows Vintners:

Gilles Nicault is the Director of Winemaking and Viticulture at Long Shadows Vintners. The French-born winemaker moved to Washington State in 1994 to bring his French roots and four years of winemaking education to its wine industry. When he arrived in 1994, Washington State had 75 wineries; today there are 900+ wineries. Gilles started with Staton Hills Winery and worked at Woodward Canyon from 1996 to 2003 then continued as a Director of Winemaking and Viticulture at Long Shadows Vintners. Gilles is tightly involved in all the facets of Long Shadows Vintners and even produces his own family wine. His French roots and love for gastronomy have allowed Gilles to host events and winemaker dinners where he embraces the "farm to table" concept. Gilles’ joie de vivre and passion for crafting distinctive wines has also led him to co-create the first Washington Chapter of Brotherhood of the Knights of the Vine and become its Vice Commander. The richness of the Pacific Northwest produce, meat and Seafood and its diversity in wine is evolving into the Washington gastronomy, with the food and the wine of the same region naturally complimenting together. The diverse industries in Washington State are reunited around the gastronomy to help having a thriving community involved with many charitable events bringing financial help and awareness to important causes. Gilles lives in Walla Walla with his wife Marie-Eve Gilla, a French winemaker as well, and their two children Olivier and Suzanne.

Dieter Schafer, Founder, Hospitality & Wine Education:

Francophile and francophone Dieter Schafer possesses nearly 50 years of hospitality industry and teaching experience. Dieter lived in France for five years and visits France annually, and has lived in the Pacific Northwest since 1995. For over twenty years Dieter has actively participated at the FACC PNW’s events including Beaujolais Nouveau, Bastille Day, Bal des Pompiers dinners, and conducts French wine tastings and presents lectures on French wine at French fest. As a former board member of Alliance Francaise, Dieter helped organize cultural events including large-scale fundraisers. Since 2003, Dieter has taught wine courses at South Seattle College - including the very popular Annual Wine Tour de France class, occasionally with French winemakers living in PNW. With the goal to promote awareness of French wine and food, Dieter continues to educate the public and restaurant professionals on a variety of French products and how to enjoy those products through his numerous events and appreciation classes.

Jerome Tisserand, Principal Dancer, Pacific Northwest Ballet:

Originally from Lyon, France, Jerome Tisserand trained at the Paris Opera Ballet School and at the School of American Ballet before joining Miami City Ballet as an apprentice in 2006, and eventually joining the Pacific Northwest Ballet (PNB) as a member of the corps de ballet in 2007. In 2012 Jerome was promoted to soloist and in 2014 he became the principal dancer, the highest and most prestigious position for a dancer in a ballet company. Since his promotion to the highest rank of principal, Jerome has become an audience favorite displaying exquisite technique, elegance, and style, also unique to the French training, one of the most regarded in the world. As the only Principal Dancer from France at the prestigious Pacific Northwest Ballet, Jerome has brought pride and glory to the local French community and has been a great ambassador of the French culture here in the Northwest. Jerome has not only brought a French audience to the ballet in Seattle, he has also contributed to a greater awareness of the richness and excellence of French dancers all over the world. Jerome exemplifies the value of French cultural ambassadors; his presence at PNB has not only increased the appreciation of French dancers, it also reinforces the Pacific Northwest region and Seattle as a vibrant and world-class dance community.

Marie-Eve Gilla, Managing Partner, Forgeron Cellars:

Marie-Eve Gilla is the Managing Partner of Forgeron Cellars, a boutique winery specializing in the craft of fine wines with tasting rooms in Walla Walla and in Woodinville. Marie-Eve’s representation of French culture goes beyond her role as a winery manager; she represents French culture through her wines and way of life at many events such as high profile auctions, winemaker dinners at high profile resorts, and casual events such as Taste WA. In addition to showcasing the French style by crafting local wines that are restraint, balanced, retain vibrancy and are food friendly, she speaks about French winemaking and viticulture at various seminars to educate American growers and winemakers. Forgeron Cellars actively impacts the Pacific Northwest by sharing its culture of gastronomy, wine education, food and wine pairing. Marie-Eve makes educating others a priority. She serves as a mentor to share her knowledge and culture with new winemakers, especially women.

Maison des États Unis de Nantes, Mariette Cassourret, President:

As sister cities, Seattle and Nantes have enjoyed a long history of cooperation and friendship. The Maison des Etats Unis de Nantes was created 38 years ago with the mission to strengthen the economic, cultural and political ties between the two cities with the support of the American Présence Post in Rennes, the American Embassy in Paris, The French American Chamber of Commerce, the French Consulate in Seattle, and our city governments. The association facilitates links between several sectors including tourism, blue economy, organic products, the food industry, wine, and transportation. With a mission to boost business and tourism between the two regions, the association aims to develop educational, sport, and artistic exchanges between schools, universities, researchers, and businesses to create a dynamic that will propel the relationship between Seattle and Nantes. The Maison, its 650 members, and the American community living in Nantes (over 1,000 people) are united by these common links and meaningful exchanges that strengthen the relationship between France and the US.

Farm to Table Tours, Inc., Michael Cavitt, CEO/Co-founder:

Farm to Table Tours, Inc is a Washington startup focusing initially on the development of small, curated tours in France. It was founded by Michael Cavitt, the organization’s CEO alongside Sonya Warner, the COO. Its mission is to connect travelers to food and producers in a specific department or region of France. Farm to Table Tours, Inc. offer three tours in the 2018-2019 year. Each tour begins at a food and agricultural event and then spends five days in the locality diving deep in the food, meeting producers, visiting production facilities, and sightseeing. Daily outings during the tour will include admittance to a major French food and cultural event, intimate instructional sessions with small growers or producers of French produce or craft, and cultural sightseeing. Their goal is for customers to gain a deeper appreciation of French food, culture, and heritage during their travels. These activities provide participants an opportunity to connect with, interact with, and become acquainted with local producers of food and agricultural products. The French tours offered by Farm to Table Tours, Inc. cultivate passion by giving customers one-on-one connections to small and family-owned French businesses and a sharing of ideas.

Thierry Rautureau, The Chef In The Hat, Chef and Owner, Luc & Loulay:

Thierry Rautureau, “The Chef In The Hat,” is a prominent local and national figure who has been operating restaurants in Seattle since 1987. Today Thierry operates two restaurants Luc & Loulay Kitchen & Bar as well as TKRA consulting, a culinary consulting company. Thierry’s mission is to promote French cooking and French culture at its best, while providing guests with culinary experiences showcasing the French basis of cooking using fresh, local, seasonal, and sustainable ingredients. The Chef In The Hat team strives to accommodate its guests’ needs and provide a special experience. The Chef In The Hat has received local and national recognition over the last 30 plus years that he has been a restaurateur in Seattle and has been featured in numerous national and local TV shows such as Top Chef Masters, Top Chefs, Good Morning America, New day Northwest and many more. He is a Chevalier de l'Ordre du Merite Agricole and a winner of The James Beard award for Best Chef in the Pacific Northwest. Thierry is affiliated with many non-profit organizations in Seattle including as a board member at the Alliance Française, at Food Lifeline (hunger relief organizations), at Visit Seattle, and at Seattle Restaurant Week, and as an Ambassador for the Apprenticeship Program at FareStart. The Chef In The Hat has also helped raise funds for many nonprofit organizations including Food Lifeline, FareStart, l' Alliance Française, Visit Seattle, Children's Hospital, JDRF, Cancer research, many schools, and children programs. The Chef In The Hat also provides food to various events including the annual dinner of the Alliance Française and the Yearly Bastille Day Celebration at Luc, and acts as a co-host on a local radio show “Seattle Kitchen” with Tom Douglas for the last 15years. Thierry has had the chance to work and teach many of his past and present employees, many of which have established their own business or restaurant. Thierry has employed hundreds of people and worked with dozens of farmers and suppliers. He is married to Kathy and father of Ryan & Adrian.