Jack Watson: Another title that he's been given by the New York Times, which I love, is the "boy wonder of Washington". [[chuckles from crowd]]
Alice Waters. Alice Waters is the founder and owner of the legendary Chez Panisse restaurant and cafe, as well as the Edible Schoolyard Project. She's recognized throughout the United States and around the world as a champion of the — I love this phrase too — the 'Slow Food' movement.
Chez Panisse, and indeed all of Alice's enterprises, are dedicated to changing the way people think about food. About the way they prepare it, about the way they are supplied to do the food preparation, about the way they cook it.
The effectiveness of Alice's efforts in the United States and, indeed, throughout the world, are measured in part by the exponential increase in the number of restaurants, farmers markets, and main-stream grocery stores, that now feature locally, organic-grown produce. She is in the truest sense of the word, a pioneer.
She's written several books, I wanna mention two: "Chez Panisse Cooking" with Paul Bertolli, and "The Art of Simple Food".
Alice is one of the most innovative, most articulate, most passionate advocates and activeness - activists - about the way we think of food in the whole world, and the portrait gallery is honored this evening to have you here for this conversation, and here for the unveiling of her portrait.
[[applause]]
[[sigh]] [[throat-clearing]]
José Andrés: So, Alice, we have to have a conversation. [[crowd chuckles]] Alice Waters: Oh dear.
José Andrés: But. I don't want to have a conversation, because what I wanna know is even more about what I don't know about you — and I think all of you, probably, the reason you're here.
We know amazing things about this woman. You can go to Wikipedia, or Google her, or buy her books, or— there's a lovely territory of what this woman has accomplished. And—