Cher Confreres:        

It will be an honor to serve as your president (bailli délégué national) for the next three years. Along with my core management team of Executive Vice President (Chancelier National) Sandi Miller and Secretary Treasurer (Argentier National) Hal Small, I have been working hard to put together a “dream team” of national officers to serve the various functions of running your organization.

We all owe a large thanks to those officers who have worked so hard during the past three years – namely, our retiring top management team of Bailli Délégué National Joe Caruso, Argentier National Michael Parmet, and Conseiller Gastronomique National Roger Tracy.

The Chaîne des Rôtisseurs is flourishing in the United States and around the globe. As the worlds oldest and most prestigious food and wine society, it is always a challenge to remain relevant in our ever changing times, and we have met the challenge. The 150-plus chapters across the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii and the Caribbean islands are growing their memberships and staging spectacular dinners and events. Reports from the Paris office indicate that the same is occurring throughout the seventy-plus countries worldwide in which there are Chaîne chapters.

And while we are having good fun, we continue to do good work. The Chaîne Foundation distributes substantial funds to deserving culinary students, and our National and International Young Chefs (Jeunes Commis) and Young Sommeliers competitions identify the best of the best in their professions and reward these individuals with recognition and career enhancement.

One of our immediate goals is to initiate an Ambassador Corps in which we hope you will participate. Under the direction of Chancelier National Sandi Miller, the Corps will put you in touch with confreres across the globe. Inform the national office of when and where you will be traveling, and we will initiate contact with the local bailliage on your behalf. I have been doing this on a personal basis for years and have enjoyed the friendship and camaraderie of Chaîne members in other countries. You know how welcoming you would be to foreign confreres visiting your home turf; we have found the same to be true wherever we have traveled. It has enhanced our vacations, as there is nothing like local knowledge and introductions for great meals, wine tastings, and – as our poor, beleaguered dollar shrinks – finding out where the deals are.

Vive la Chaîne!

George H. Brown, Jr.
Bailli Délégué National