Doris (Ris) Lacoste is a chef in Washington D.C.

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Lacoste studied at Anne Willan's La Varenne Ecole de Cuisine in Paris.[1] On her return to her native New England, she joined Chef Bob Kinkead at the Harvest Restaurant in Cambridge, MA - Harvard Square.[2] After that, Lacoste assisted Kinkead with opening 21 Federal in Nantucket and later in downtown Washington, D.C.[2] In 1992, they were named Restaurateurs of the Year by Washingtonian magazine.[1] After 21 Federal closed in 1993, Lacoste and Kinkead opened Kinkead's - An American Brasserie, which was a D.C. dining institution over two decades.[3]

In 1995, Lacoste left Kinkead's to become Executive Chef for Clyde's Restaurant Group's 1789 in Georgetown.[2] During her time as Executive Chef, she earned the title of Chef of the Year and 1789 received the honor of Restaurant of the Year at The Capital Restaurant & Hospitality Awards.[4] 1789 was recognized as one of the nation's finest restaurants under Lacoste.[1] Her innovative, regional American cuisine earned her awards from The Washington Post and Wine Spectator magazine, and she was a finalist for a James Beard Award in 1999.[5][6] In 2002, a dinner she created in celebration of Julia Child's 90th birthday was filmed and became a top-rated documentary on Washington's public television outlet, WETA in the summer of 2004.[7]

Lacoste left 1789 at the end of 2005 and opened Ris in December 2009, in the West End neighborhood of Washington, located in the Ritz-Carlton.[4] A Washington Post reviewer noted that Lacoste promised a neighborhood restaurant that would be both rustic and elegant, and continues to make good on her word.[8]

Lacoste is also very active in the community, participating in annual fundraising efforts for the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, and D.C. Central Kitchen, to name a few.[9] She sits on the board of the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington and is a trustee for the non-profit organization Hospitality High School of Washington D.C.[10]

References

External links

• Ris Lacoste's Website
• RIS DC