Women Chefs & Restaurateurs Members " Unite For A Bite " On Aug. 19

Women Chefs & Restaurateurs (WCR) announces its third-annual "Unite for a Bite," a national campaign designed to support women in the culinary arts, on August 19, 2010.

This year, in response to the BP oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico on April 20, part of proceeds from participating member restaurants and partners will benefit the New Orleans-based Gulf Restoration Network, founded in 1995 to unite and empower people to protect and restore the natural resources of the Gulf region for future generations.

During "Unite for a Bite," diners are invited to visit participating restaurants, which will donate 5% or more of their food and beverage sales that day or evening to WCR. The initiative, spearheaded by WCR President Jamie Leeds, chef/owner of Hank's Oyster Bar and CommonWealth Gastropub in metro Washington, D.C., supports WCR's mission to promote and enhance the education, advancement and connection of women.

Following this year's "Unite for a Bite," WCR will work with Susan Spicer, a longtime WCR member and chef/owner of award-winning Bayona in the French Quarter and the recently opened Mondo in New Orleans' Lakeview neighborhood, who sits on Gulf Restoration Network's board of directors. Spicer will assist in directing raised funds to benefit foodservice operations nationwide that are impacted by declines in tourism and fresh seafood as a result of the oil disaster.

"While foodservice and hospitality industries in states along the Gulf of Mexico are certainly impacted by the largest oil spill in U.S. history, what many people don't realize is that restaurants throughout the nation have suffered from lack of a sufficient quantity of fresh seafood from that region," says Leeds. "Through 'Unite for a Bite' and working with Chef Spicer and the Gulf Restoration Network, WCR hopes to alleviate some of the economic hardship that restaurants that rely on a healthy Gulf region are experiencing."

WCR member restaurants and partners participating in "Unite for a Bite" on August 19 include:
- American Roland Food Corp, New York
- Argia's Italian Restaurant (Aimee Suyehiro), Falls Church, Va.
- Bacchanalia (Anne Quatrano), Atlanta
- Boat House Waterfront Dining (Justin Braun), Tiverton, R.I.
- Club 223 (Jennifer Betit), Hallowell, Maine
- CommonWealth Gastropub (Jamie Leeds), Washington, D.C.
- Diane Gordon Catering (Diane Gordon), New York
- Hank's Oyster Bar (Jeff Stine), Washington, D.C.
- Hank's Oyster Bar Old Town (Jamie Leeds), Alexandria, Va.
- Hemenway's Seafood Grill & Oyster Bar (Tobey Sanborn), Providence, R.I.
- Laurey's Catering & Gourmet to Go (Laurey Masterton), Asheville, N.C.
- New Rivers (Bruce Tillinghast), Providence, R.I.
- Pizzeria Paradiso (Ruth Gresser), Washington, D.C.
- PS 7 (Gina Chersevani), Washington, D.C.
- R bistro (Regina Mehallick), Indianapolis
- Sunset Grill (Amy Visco Schmicker), Sanibel, Fla.
- Tallulah on Thames (Kelly Ann Mauriu), Providence, R.I.

For more information on "Unite for a Bite," visit www.womenchefs.org. For more information on Gulf Restoration Network, visit www.healthygulf.org.

About Women Chefs & Restaurateurs (WCR)
Founded in 1993 by eight prominent women chefs and restaurateurs, WCR's mission is to promote and enhance the education, advancement and connection of women in the culinary industry. WCR offers a variety of networking, professional and support services to more than 2,000 members representing all industry sectors. To learn more about the opportunities offered by WCR, visit www.womenchefs.org.