MURIEL BOWSER
MAYOR
Feb
ruary 21, 2024
The Honorable Phil Mendelson
Chairman
Council of
the District of Columbia
John A. Wilson Building
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 504
Washington, DC 20004
Dear Chairman M endelson:
In accordance with section
2 of the Confirmation Act of 1978, effective March 3, 1979 (D.C. Law 2-
142;
D.C. Official Code § 1-523.01), and section 5 of the Office of and Commission on Nightlife and
Culture Establishment Act of 2018, effective December 13, 2018 (D.C. Law 22-191; D.C.
Official
Code § 3-664), I am pleased to nominate the following individual:
Ms. Ris Lacoste
37th Street NW
Washington, DC 20007
(Ward 3 )
for
reappointment as the representative of an organization that advocates for preventing sexual
harassment
and assault member of the Commission on Nightlife and Culture, for a term to end March
15, 2025.
Enclosed, you will find biographical information detailing the experience of the above-m entioned
nominee, together with a proposed resolution to assist the Council during the confirmation process.
I would appreciate the Council’s earliest consideration of this nomination for confirmation. Please
do not hesitate to contact me, or Steven Walker, Director, Mayor’s Office of Talent and
Appointments, should the Council require additional information.
Sincerely,
Muriel B owser
Mayor ; iltl!!:::::
3 at the request of the Mayor
4
5
6 A PROPOSED RESOLUTION
7
8
9
10 IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
11
12
13
14
15 To confirm the reappointment ofRis Lacoste to the Commission on Nightlife and Culture.
16
17
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, that this
18 resolution may be cited as the "Commission on Nightlife and Culture Ris Lacoste Confirmation
19 Resolution of 2024".
20 Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia confirms the reappointment of:
21
22 Ms. Ris Lacoste
23 3 7th Street NW
24 Washington, DC 20007
25 (Ward 3)
26
27 as the representative of an organization that advocates for preventing sexual harassment and
28 assault member of the Commission on Nightlife and Culture, pursuant to section 5 of the Office
29 of and Commission on Nightlife and Culture Establishment Act of 2018, effective December 13,
30 2018 (D.C. Law 22-191; D.C. Official Code§ 3-664), for a term to end March 15, 2025.
31 Sec. 3. The Council of the District of Columbia shall transmit a copy of this resolution,
32 upon its adoption, to the nominee and to the Office of the Mayor.
33 Sec. 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately. RIS LACOSTE
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
ROCK CREEK AT MAZZA/BETHESDA Washington DC/Bethesda MD
• Corporate Chef, opening of new 160 seat mindful cuisine
restaurant
1789 RESTAURANT, F. SCOTT’S, THE TOMBS Washington DC
• Executive Chef, 180 seat seasonal American fine dining restaurant
January 2007 -
Present
August 1995 -
December 2005
KINKEAD’S AMERICAN BRASSERIE Washington DC
• Chef, 250 seat American seafood fine dining restaurant
• Menu development, staffing, execution, insurance coordinator,
POS systems coordinator
• Opened restaurant
September 1993 -
July 1995
VIDALIA Washington DC
• Reservationist, office systems development consultant
• Opened restaurant
June -
August 1993
EYE STREET CAFÉ Washington DC
• Consulting Chef for Abi-Najm family of Lebanese Taverna
• Menu development, staffing, execution of Mediterranean café
• Opened restaurant
January -
June 1993
TWENTY-ONE FEDERAL Washington DC
• Sous Chef, 160 seat regional American fine dining restaurant
• Menu development, staffing, execution, insurance coordinator,
purchasing agent
• Opened and closed restaurant
December 1987 -
January 1993
21 FEDERAL Nantucket MA
• Sous Chef, 130 seat regional American fine dining restaurant
• Menu development, staffing, execution, purchasing agent, line cook
• Opened restaurant
May 1985 -
December 1987
THE HARVEST RESTAURANT Cambridge MA
• Steward, purchasing agent, butcher, line cook, pantry cook
• 150 seat regional American fine dining restaurant
September 1982-
May 1985
EDUCATION LA VARENNE Écôle de Cuisine Paris, France
Grand Diplôme d’Études Culinaires, Receptionist, Translator
April 1981 -
August 1982
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA at Berkeley Berkeley CA
Bachelor of Arts Degree in French
September 1977-
January 1980
UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER Rochester, NY
Pre-med curriculum
September 1974-
May 1976
AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS
Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMW)
“Chef of the Year” Nominee
July 2005
DC Central Kitchen Fight Night Iron Chef Champion November 2005
November 2004
Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington
“Restaurant of the Year” - 1789 Restaurant
July 2000
Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMW)
“Chef of the Year”
July 1999
The James Beard Association “Best Chef – Mid-Atlantic” Nominee May 1999
Washingtonian Magazine “Restaurateur of the Year” January 1992
Dirona Award 1789 Restaurant 1995 - 2005
American Institute of Wine and Food (AIWF)
Chapter Leadership Award
2000
Zagat Dining Guide Top 20 Restaurants 1997 - 2005
Zagat Dining Guide America’sTop Restaurants 1998
Washingtonian Magazine « 3 stars « January 2005
Washingtonian Magazine Top 100 Restaurants 1996 - 2005
Washington Post Best 50 Restaurants 1996 - 2005
Washington Post “3 stars” September 2005
AFFILIATIONS AND MEMBERSHIPS • Hospitality High School of Washington DC
Member, Board of Trustees
2000 - Present
• American Institute of Wine and Food (AIWF)
Member, National Board
Chairman, Nominations Committee
2000 - 2005
2001, 2002,
2005
• American Institute of Wine and Food, National Capital Area Chapter
(AIWFNCAC)
Member, Board of Directors
Honorary Member, Board of Directors
Chairman, Board of Directors
Newsletter Coordinator
1991 - 2002
2002 - Present
1996 - 2002
1996 - 2001
• Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMW)
Member, Board of Directors
• DC Central Kitchen (DCCK)
Member, Board of Directors
January 2006
- Present
May 2007 –
Present
• Women’s Forum of Washington DC (WFWDC) , Member 1999 - Present
• Women Chefs and Restaurateurs (WCR) , Member 1999 - Present
• James Beard Foundation , Member 1995 - Present
• Les Dames d’Escoffier, Member September
1996 - Present
• Ovarian Cancer Alliance
Chef coordinator for Gala Fundraiser
2005 - 2006
• St Jude Children’s Hospital
Chef Coordinator for Gala Fundraiser
1998 - Present
• Taste of the Nation, Golden Carrot Awards, Zoofari, Food and
Friends, Share Our Strength, Second Genesis, Tuberous Sclerosis, DC
Rape Crisis Center, DC Central Kitchen, Summer Opera Theatre
Company, regular contributor
1987 - Present
TEACHING/COOKING SCHOOL EXPERIENCE
• L’Academie de Cuisine, Gaithersburg MD
Teacher, mentor
1995 - Present
• Careers Through Culinary Arts Program, New York NY (CCAP)
Judge, mentor
1998 - Present
• Fresh Farm Markets, Washington DC
Cooking demonstrator
2001 - Present
• Sur La Table, Arlington VA
Guest chef cooking class instructor
1994 - Present
PUBLICATIONS AND TELEVISION
• Fine Cooking Magazine
“The Sweet and Savory Sides of Winter Squash”, Issue #35, Nov. 1999
“Do-Ahead Beef Wellingtons”, Issue #42, January 2001
“Elegant Spring Dinner”, Issue #50, May 2002
The Best of Fine Cooking, Comfort Food, 2004
The Best of Fine Cooking, Dinner with Friends, 2004
“Home for the Holidays”, Issue #75, Winter 2006
“Green Beans On the Side”, Issue #82, December 2006
“The Secrets of Fluffy Flavorful Rice Pilaf”, Issue #84, March 2007
“Plan Ahead for a Delicious Thanksgiving”, Issue #88, November 2007
• Food Service Monthly , Contributor 2006
• American Institute of Wine and Food (AIWF)
Quarterly Newsletter coordinator and regular contributor
1996 - 2001
• Featured in: The New York Times, Washingtonian Magazine,
Conde Nast Traveler, Southern Living, Food Arts, Gourmet Magazine,
Hemispheres, USA Today, The Examiner, The Washington Post, The
Washington Post Magazine, The Washington Times, The Boston Globe, The
Standard Times, Restaurant Business, The Wall Street Journal,
The Hill, Washington Flyer, Wines, Nantucket Magazine
1994 - Present
• “Cooking for Julia”, Documentary honouring Julia Child at her 90
th
Birthday
Celebration at 1789 Restaurant, August 2002 as seen on WETA in August and
November 2004
• “Local Flavor”, WETA 2000
• Appearances on Wolf Kitchen Demonstrations, Iron Chef
“Secrets of the Kitchen Stadium,” Philadelphia Kitchens,
local cable television, Fox News, CBS News
Executive Office of the Mayor - Office of Talent and Appointments
John A. Wilson Building | 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, Suite 600 | Washington, DC 20004
Ris Lacoste
Ris Lacoste is one of the most respected and dedicated
c
hefs working in Washington DC today. She has earned
her reputation built upon high- quality ingredients, bold
innovative technique, and food that is both familiar and
simply delicious. She is also an advocate for the
prevention of domestic violence and sexual assault.
A James Beard nominated chef , Ris Lacoste is chef and
owner of her West End D .C. bistro, RIS. After
schooling in Paris, Lacoste returned stateside and
started a long, rewarding relationship with Chef Bob
Kinkead. The restaurants Harvest, 21 Federal, Twenty- One Federal in Washington DC,
Kinkead’s American Brasserie, and 1789 Restaurant all brought her to the door step of her own
restaurant. Her innovative regional American fare drew national and local attention and earned her numerous awards. The restaurant RIS is proud to be recommended in the Michelin Guide DC as one of DC’s top restaurants.
Ms. Lacoste is also well known for her commitment to community involvement. She actively
participates in fundraising efforts in the District. She currently sits on the advisory board of the Smithsonian’s Museum of American History, The Kitchen Cabinet; is a member of the State Department’s Culinary Diplomatic Corps; is on the Executive Committee of the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington; and is a member of the Women’s Forum of Washington DC, Women Chefs and Restaurateurs, and Les Dames d’Escoffier. She is also a
member of the board of Fresh Farm Markets as well as a member of Camp CEO with the Girl Scouts National Capital Council. She recently was honored as one of the Class of 2015 DC’s Most Powerful Women from Washingtonian Magazine and is a member of Leadership Greater Washington’s Class of 2017. She was a long time board member of DC Central Kitchen as well as the Hospitality Charter High School of Washington DC. She was an active member of the
National Board of Directors for the American Institute of Wine and Food and served as Chairman of its National Capital Area Chapter. She is an annual participant in the Chefs Take a Stand to End Domestic Violence Gala.
A Ward 3 resident, Ms. Lacoste studied culinary arts at L’École de Cuisine La Varenne in Paris . GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Executive Office of Mayor Muriel Bowser
Office of the General Counsel to the Mayor
______________________________________________________________________________
The John A. Wilson Building • 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW • Suite 300 • Washington, D.C. 20004 • Office (202) 724 -7681
To: Tommy Wells, Steve Walker
From: Betsy Cavendish
Date: October 5, 2023
Subject: Legal sufficiency review of Resolutions nominating Bernard White II, Maggie
O’Neill, Ris Lacoste, and Vinoda Basnayake as members of the Commission on
Nightlife and Culture
This is to Certify that this office has reviewed the above- referenced resolutions and
found them to be legally unobjectionable. If you have any questions in this regard, please do not
hesitate to call Erika Satterlee, Deputy General Counsel, Executive Office of the Mayor, at 202 -
724-1303, or me at 202- 724-7681.
______________________________ Elizabeth A. (Betsy) Cavendish