We at Kitchen Conservatory lost two longtime friends recently, Frank Riordan and Connie Westerman. Our lives have been enriched by knowing these two passionate cooks. Both attended many cooking classes at Kitchen Conservatory for years and they flourished as home cooks who loved good food. They were inspirational and will be sorely missed by everyone who had the pleasure of knowing them.

Connie Westerman was a truly gracious lady with a St. Louis Italian heritage. She easily made connections and friends at all of the cooking classes that she attended. She was a voracious reader who rarely missed a session of our book club, Novel Cuisine. Since she read so many books, she was the source for many of the titles we read, especially the upcoming Blood, Bones, and Butter. One of her favorites was The Lost Raviolis of Hoboken, New Jersey, in which the author searches for her grandmother’s ravioli recipe. The memoir inspired Connie to recreate her family’s forgotten ravioli recipe. Connie sometimes brought her husband and sons to cooking classes (in the hopes they would be as excited about cooking as she was). Her unexpected death was a shock to all of us and we send our heartfelt condolences to her family.

Please join us on Sunday, May 15 at 1 pm. It’s our regular culinary bookclub meeting, but we will start by remembering Connie and we invite all who knew her to join us.
Frank Riordan was a scientist by training but a French baker by passion. For years, he not only devotedly attended Jean-Pierre Auge’s monthly French cooking classes, but he also carefully typed his recipes. And he baked his delicious and crusty and authentic French baguettes for the class to enjoy! The Post-Dispatch celebrated his French bread recipe. Frank was born on the first Armistice Day: November 11, 1918. Ninety years to the day later, we celebrated his birthday at a Jean-Pierre cooking class with French champagne. His passion for French food included a longtime friendship with the Troisgros family and their three-star restaurant in Roanne, France. His connection enabled his neighbor, Judy Rogers, to stay with the Troisgros family and start her culinary career that led to her Zuni Cafe in San Francisco.

Please join us on Saturday, July 9 at noon at Kitchen Conservatory for a remembrance of Frank Riordan. Yes, we will break the French bread from Frank’s freezer, plus enjoy other favorite French foods.