Alice Waters’ Edible Schoolyard: Innovation in the global food system 

Following the incredible success of Chez Panisse, chef, author, and activist Alice Waters founded the Edible Schoolyard Project (ESY) in 1995 — combining her perspectives as a trained Montessori teacher, fervent political activist, gifted chef, and champion of sustainable agriculture.  

This special Library program will feature changemakers behind the mission/work to “edibly educate”  the next generation of regenerative growers of local, organic food.  

Culinary Director of the Alice Waters Institute, Jennifer Sherman, in conversation with Chef Tamar Adler and the Edible Schoolyard’s Executive Director, Ashley Rouse,  will share the tools to change the way we grow, cook and eat.  

About Edible Schoolyard: 

The Edible Schoolyard Project is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the transformation of public education by using organic school gardens, kitchens, and cafeterias to teach both academic subjects and the values of nourishment, stewardship, and community. 

Edible Education provides hands-on experiences that connect students to food, nature, and each other; and it systematically addresses the crises of climate change, public health, and social inequality. At its heart is a dynamic and joyful learning experience for every child. 

About the Presenters: 

Tamar Adler is the James Beard and IACP Award–winning author of An Everlasting Meal; Something Old, Something New; and An Everlasting Meal Cookbook. She is a contributing editor at Vogue, has been a New York Times Magazine columnist, and the host of the Luminary podcast, Food Actually. She has cooked at Chez Panisse, and lives in Hudson, New York. 

Jennifer Sherman is the Culinary Director of the Alice Waters Institute for Edible Education and Regenerative Agriculture. She spent most of her culinary career working with Alice Waters at Chez Panisse as a cook, co-chef, and General Manager as well as supporting Alice’s global projects and programs in Edible Education. Jennifer spent 10 years developing sustainable food product lines at scale for Rock Field, Japan, Ltd. She was the Culinary Director at The Ecology Center in San Juan Capistrano, a 30-acre educational farm and culinary program, and currently serves on the board of Chez Panisse. 

Ashley Rouse is the Executive Director of the Edible Schoolyard Project and has been a local food advocate and farm to school leader for a little over 16 years. She previously was the director of Project Learning Garden and Project Giving Gardens for Captain Planet Foundation. Prior to Captain Planet Foundation, she was the Out of School Time sector director for HealthMPowers, where she created a “farm to out of school time” program in partnership with Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta.  She taught 7th grade life science and K-5th engineering, and founded a rooftop garden with students at Maynard Jackson High School that quickly grew into a garden-to-cafeteria pilot working in partnership with Sodexo. During her role as the Farm to School director for Atlanta Public Schools she created partnerships with local ranchers and farmers sourcing local meat and produce to serve in all of the district schools. Ashley joined ESY in December of 2022 and is a 2022 Vital Village Community Food Systems fellow, in her spare time she serves on the SGSO Network and Sewn Arts boards, enjoys practicing yoga and meditation and gardening.