A self-taught chef, Dammeier presently oversees seven companies and a foundation:  Pasta and Co. deli/bakeries, Mishima Reserve Luxury Wagyu Beef, The Butcher’s Table steakhouse, Maximus/Minimus, Bennett’s restaurant, The Cellar, Beecher’s Handmade Cheese, and the Beecher's Foundation.  Mishima Reserve is the largest producer of Wagyu beef cattle in the United States.

 

Before launching into his real cause – changing the way America eats – Dammeier explained his approach to building a brand.

 

There are seven attributes to a successful brand, in his view, the first of which is trust.  “Trust is the ultimate in what you are trying to achieve,” Dammeier said.  “We sell food to build trust.  Making cheese behind glass is full frontal about trust, transparency, and honesty.”

 

The seventh of Dammeier’s brand attributes is charity.  One percent of all sales go to causes related to the overall mission to change the way America eats.  For example, he said, they are planting 2.5 million mangrove trees in Madagascar.  This will offset double the amount of carbon their Wagyu cattle produce while supporting local families.

 

Not only are all of Dammeier’s organizations in the food business, but they are also aligned with the same higher purpose – changing the way we eat.  They serve this mission by giving customers healthy, natural, tasty food – and they brought the goods to the Rotary meeting with samples of beef and cheese.

 

The Beecher’s Foundation ties this together through food education programs.  In 12 years it has reached 140,000 kids in Seattle and New York City, Dammeier said.  Their Sound Food Uprising Workshop shows people what’s in packaged food, how to read ingredient lists, why processed food is so common in the United States, and how to cook without recipes.

 

The idea, which post-workshop surveys show is working very well, is to change the way families eat.  Rather than tell people what to buy, the approach is to give people information and let them decide.  That will drive the change needed, he said.

 

Now, the foundation is starting a workshop for adults, too.  To boost the foundation’s reach, Dammeier invited Rotarians to attend a complimentary VIP workshop, introduce the foundation to their own organizations, and “most importantly, vote for better food with your dollars.”

 

Dammeier said, “our product is change…We are focusing on the areas with the worst inequities in access to healthy food.  In King County, there is a 15-year difference in lifespan based on where you live.  We show people the power they have.  You can cook food as cheaply as you can buy it.”

 

“We want to improve long-term health outcomes, increase time families spend together, all derived from putting good food in their bodies,” he added.

 

Asked what’s next, Dammeier said they are putting in a tank at Beecher’s in Pike Place Market to capture the whey.  It takes ten pounds of milk to makes one pound of cheese, leaving nine pounds of whey, which presently goes down the drain.  They are considering how to use it, such as making a liqueur – think Beecher’s Irish Whey Cream. 

 

In her concluding remarks, President Cindy Runger quoted author Michael Pollan, “Food is not just fuel.  Food is about families, food is about community; food is about identity; we nourish all those things when we eat well.”

 

President Cindy also called out the people who put on the Wednesday programs, which she noted takes “an unbelievable amount of work.”  She asked the Rotarians to acknowledge the work of Sergeant-at-Arms Ken Grant; Vice President of Programs Rob LoBosco; LinkedIn teaser-provider Jaime Mendez; and Seattle Rotary staff, Caroline Bobanick and Mariah Kimpton.

 

In the short program, Liza Sankar-Gorton gave tips on using social media effectively, and Dave McFadden encouraged members to promote awareness of Seattle 4 through social media.   Liza, who works for GreenRubino, encouraged members to “engage with the page.”  Invite your friends to like the Seattle 4 Facebook page.  And when you share Rotary content, she added, be sure to add context for your particular audience.

 

Lou Lundquist and Burr Stewart led the singing of God Bless America, including the original prologue verse.  Todd Summerfelt gave the inspiration for the day.  Joe Phillips introduced new member Kelly O’Brien.  Carla Fowler introduced Kurt Dammeier.