Michelle Obama Hosts 2011 National Design Awards Luncheon: The Details & The Menu

First Lady welcomes students and design geniuses for annual luncheon spotlighting her own best design, the Kitchen Garden...
How do you get honored at the White House? Plenty of hard work, and plenty of "blood, sweat and tears," First Lady Michelle Obama told high school students invited to a celebratory luncheon on Tuesday for the 2011 winners and finalists of the Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum's National Design Awards. (Above: Mrs. Obama welcomes guests as Wayne Clough, Secretary of the Smithsonian looks on; he was also seated at her table)

Given annually to honor extraordinary achievement in ten categories of design, the awards are the Oscars of the design world. 160 guests filled the East Room for the First Lady's 12:45 luncheon, and the young guests rubbed elbows with fashion master Tim Gunn, co-host of Lifetime’s Project Runway and chief creative officer of Liz Claiborne Inc, and Fashion Design Award recipient Gilles Mendel, of J. Mendel design house. Mendel was seated at the First Lady's table, as was Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Matthew Carter, a master typedesigner, who, among many other achievements, created typefonts for Microsoft and Apple computers.

"These men and women have breathed new life into our homes and our workplaces, the clothes we wear, the products we use every day, and even the most basic ways we process information," Mrs. Obama said of the winners, whom she hailed as "some of the most accomplished designers in the world." (Above: Gunn takes his seat)

The First Lady was clad in hyper-modern long earrings and a sheath dress of brown fabric that sparkled in the light. The luncheon menu highlighted Mrs. Obama's own signature design, the Kitchen Garden, with a first course dubbed "South Lawn Garden Greens." The main course also featured homegrown bounty; Sun Gold Tomatoes grown in the garden accompanied Crab-filled Saffron Ravioli, as did Yellow Corn and Lemon Verbena, also grown in the 1,500 square foot garden.



As Mrs. Obama praised the extraordinary achievement of the winners, she thanked those who had participated in a Teen Design Fair sponsored by the Smithsonian, held before the luncheon at the National Portrait Gallery. Gunn keynoted the event for more than 400 high schoolers. The First Lady told the students that the success of the honorees didn't happen overnight.

"While we ooh and ahh at their handiwork, we may take for granted all the blood, sweat, and tears that went into the process of creation," Mrs. Obama said. "We will never see all of those late nights spent tinkering and perfecting. We’ll never experience the long hours hunched over a drafting board or staring blankly at a computer screen." (Above: Mrs. Obama during her remarks)

She urged the students to dream big and work hard, just like the honorees, adding that one day the students, too, might be honored at the White House.

"If you work hard enough, if you believe in yourself, you can earn an award just like this in a few decades or--I don't know, a few of you, maybe a few years," Mrs. Obama said, to laughter. "I want you all to know that I really do mean this. This is what I fundamentally believe about all of you young people."

Guests were seated at round tables for ten, which were laden with floral arrangements of bright pink and purple blooms. Each guest received a very personal gift from the First Lady: Accompanying the program placed on each chair was a seed packet for a vegetable variety grown in Mrs. Obama's Kitchen Garden. More on the greeny gifts is here. (Above: One of the seed packets, for China Rose Winter Radish)

2011 National Design Awards Luncheon Menu

Salad

South Lawn Garden Greens
Jeeves Passion Fruit Gelee

Main
Compressed Watermelon
Feta Cheese and Roasted Figs
Pistachio Vinaigrette

Crab-filled Saffron Ravioli
Roasted Sun Gold Tomatoes
Yellow Corn and Lemon Verbena

Dessert
Peach Marjolaine with Blackberries
Grapefruit Sorbet

Wine
Illumination Sauvignon Blanc "Napa" 2010 (Napa Valley, CA)

In addition to Mendel, Clough, and Carter, seated at Mrs. Obama's table were Bill Moggridge, Director of Cooper-Hewitt and his wife Karen Moggridge; Diane Castillo, a student at Columbia Heights Education Campus; Mendel's guest, Cherie Ellis Cone; Carter's guest, Mary A. Stephenson; and Laysha Ward, President of the Target Foundation and Target Community Relations, one of the sponsors of the awards. This year marks Mrs. Obama's third year as honorary patron of the awards; she hosted luncheons for the National Design Awards in 2010 and in 2009. The transcript of Mrs. Obama's remarks is here.

Place settings and floral arrangements...
The President George W. Bush formal china was used for the luncheon. The table decor was both muted and vibrant, with round tables of ten covered in blue-green silk with a floral pattern. There were two different floral centerpieces. One version had tall flower arrangements, with four candles, and the second version had a smaller bouquet in a golden bucket. The flowers were purple and pink orchids, peach and pink roses, purple and pink dahlias, surrounded by ferns and ivy. (Above: A table before the luncheon, with a low centerpiece)

The 2011 National Design Awards winners list is here. The National Design Awards were first launched at the White House in 2000 as an official project of the White House Millennium Council. First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton served as the Honorary Patron in the inaugural year, and First Lady Laura Bush continued the tradition. The annual awards recognize extraordinary contributions to design in ten categories: Lifetime Achievement, Design Mind, Corporate and Institutional Achievement, Architecture Design, Communication Design, Fashion Design, Interaction Design, Interior Design, Landscape Architecture and Product Design. (Above: A detail of one of the floral arrangements)

(Above: The tables before the luncheon)

*Photos and additional reporting by Helena Bottemiller for Obama Foodorama. Top photo by lawrence Jackson/White House; Gunn photo by AP.

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Michelle Obama Presents National Design Awards Luncheon Guests With Gifts From Kitchen Garden

Top designers, student guests receive personal gift from First Lady...
First Lady Michelle Obama welcomed the 2011 winners and finalists of the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum's National Design Awards for a celebratory luncheon in the East Room today. Dubbed the Oscars of the design world, the awards honor extraordinary achievement in ten categories of design, from Fashion through Landscape Architecture (a full post about the event is here). A special gift awaited each guest, who included local high school students as well as America's creative geniuses: Placed on each chair was a program, accompanied by a paper packet of seeds from Mrs. Obama's Kitchen Garden. (Above: a seed packet of Tennis Ball Lettuce)

The seed packets were a vibrant purple, and each contained a single variety of a vegetable grown in Mrs. Obama's 1,500 square-foot South Lawn garden, including Tennis Ball Lettuce, China Rose Winter Radish, Long Island Cheese Winter Squash, and Red Calico Lima Beans. "Compliments of the White House Kitchen Garden," reads the text on the front.

The back of each seed packet gives a brief explanation of the origin of the vegetable, and describes how to plant it.

The text on the Tennis Ball seed packet, above, reads: "The lettuce variety Tennis-ball was a very popular one in the vegetable garden at Monticello. Jefferson noted that "it does not require so much care and attention" as other types. Plant the seed in rich, well-drained soil early in the spring for an early summer crop, or else, plant in late summer for a fall harvest."

A White House aide said no information was available on who created the design for the seed packets.

Mrs. Obama and President Obama have frequently given gifts from her Kitchen Garden. Most recently, Mrs. Obama presented seed from the Kitchen Garden to the women veterans of Jubilee House. The First Lady helped renovate the Fayetteville, North Carolina house in July, for a special episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. The show airs later this month. (Above: A seed packet for Red Calico Lima Beans)

During President Obama's State Visit to Her Royal Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in June, he presented His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales with an elaborate Kitchen Garden gift that included seeds, seedlings, and plants from Mrs. Obama's garden, as well as from President Thomas Jefferson's historically accurate garden at Monticello, and President George Washington's garden at Mount Vernon. The gift was packed in a handcrafted box created from the wood of a Magnolia tree that once stood on the White House grounds. It took special handling to get the live gift across international borders.

Place settings and floral arrangements...
The Kitchen Garden-inspired menu for the luncheon is here. The President George W. Bush formal china was used. The table decor was both muted and vibrant, with round tables of ten covered in blue-green silk with a floral pattern. There were two different floral centerpieces. One version had tall flower arrangements, with four candles, and the second version had a smaller bouquet in a golden bucket. The flowers were purple and pink orchids, peach and pink roses, purple and pink dahlias, surrounded by ferns and ivy. (Above: Placesettings, and chairs with the seed packet and program combination)

The First Lady's table...
Seated at the First Lady's table were Gilles Mendel, of J. Mendel fashion house, winner of the Fashion Award; his guest, Cherie Ellis Cone; Lifetime Achievement recipient Matthew Carter and his guest Mary A. Stephenson; Bill Moggridge, Director of Cooper-Hewitt and his wife Karen Moggridge; Wayne Clough, Secretary of the Smithsonian; Diane Castillo, a student at Columbia Heights Education Campus; and Laysha Ward, President of the Target Foundation and Target Community Relations, one of the sponsors of the Awards. (Above: The tables before the luncheon)

This is Mrs. Obama's third year as honorary patron of the Awards; she hosted similar luncheons in 2010 and in 2009. The 2011 National Design Awards winners list is here.

The National Design Awards were first launched at the White House in 2000 as an official project of the White House Millennium Council. First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton served as the Honorary Patron in the inaugural year, and First Lady Laura Bush continued the tradition. The annual awards recognize extraordinary contributions to design in ten categories: Lifetime Achievement, Design Mind, Corporate and Institutional Achievement, Architecture Design, Communication Design, Fashion Design, Interaction Design, Interior Design, Landscape Architecture and Product Design.

A video of Mrs. Obama's remarks:



*Photos and additional reporting by Helena Bottemiller for Obama Foodorama

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Transcript & Video: First Lady's Remarks At 2011 Cooper-Hewitt National Design Awards Luncheon

First Lady Michelle Obama welcomed the 2011 winners and finalists of the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Awards for a celebratory luncheon in the East Room today. Among the about eighty guests were fashion master Tim Gunn, co-host of Lifetime’s Project Runway and chief creative officer of Liz Claiborne Inc, and Fashion Design Award recipient Gilles Mendel, of J. Mendel design house, who was seated at the First Lady's table.

Also seated with Mrs. Obama were Cherie Ellis Cone; Lifetime Achievement recipient Matthew Carter and his guest Mary A. Stephenson; Bill Moggridge, Director of Cooper-Hewitt and his wife Karen Moggridge; Wayne Clough, Secretary of the Smithsonian; Diane Castillo, a student at Columbia Heights Education Campus; and Laysha Ward, President of the Target Foundation and Target Community Relations, which sponsors the awards. (Above: Mrs. Obama during her remarks)

The 2011 National Design Awards winners list is here.

This is Mrs. Obama's third year as honorary patron of the awards; she hosted similar luncheons in 2010 and in 2009.

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the First Lady
___________________________________________________

For Immediate Release
September 13, 2011

REMARKS BY THE FIRST LADY

AT COOPER-HEWITT DESIGN AWARDS LUNCHEON

East Room

1:07 P.M. EDT

MRS. OBAMA: Well, good afternoon, everyone, and welcome to the White House. Never get tired of saying that -- right? (Laughter.) I am pleased to be here with all of you as we recognize this year’s recipients of the National Design Awards.

As the great American designer Milton Glaser has said, “Good design is good citizenship.” And today we will celebrate both: designers who have reached the tops of their fields not just by chasing glory for themselves, but instead by making life glorious for the rest of us.

These men and women have breathed new life into our homes and our workplaces, the clothes we wear, the products we use every day, and even the most basic ways we process information. A trip to the park is just a bit more refreshing. A book or a chart more readable. A commute to work more palatable -- unless you were stuck on the train today. (Laughter.) There are a few who didn’t make it.

But while we ooh and ahh at their handiwork, we may take for granted all the blood, sweat, and tears that went into the process of creation. We will never see all of those late nights spent tinkering and perfecting. We’ll never experience the long hours hunched over a drafting board or staring blankly at a computer screen. So, honorees, today is about honoring not just your designs, but also the years of hard work that brought you here today.

And that’s something that I want to emphasize for all of the young people who are here with us today. I want you young folks, and as you look around the room, understand that you see some of the sharpest minds alive, some of the most accomplished designers in the world. But understand that none of these people came here ready-made -- all right? They’re here today because they hatched an idea or they followed a dream -- and more importantly, they worked every day, they worked hard every day, to get here.

So to the young people here, I want you to realize that you can share a meal with some of our nation’s greatest talent, you can walk on the same floors as Presidents and as heads of state. And if you work hard enough, if you believe in yourself, you can earn an award just like this in a few decades or -- (laughter) -- I don't know, a few of you, maybe a few years. (Laughter.) Never know; time marches on. They may be pushing you out sooner than you think. (Laughter.) I know a few of them already told me about their plans.

And I want you all to know that I really do mean this. This is what I fundamentally believe about all of you young people. You can be right here. That's why it is important for us to have you here, right now, so that you know that this place belongs to you, too.

One of my highest priorities as First Lady is to make sure that the doors of this house, the White House, are open not only to the best and brightest of today, but to our next generation, as well. And I know that many of our guests here today share that mission of investing in our young people.

And that’s why Cooper-Hewitt and the Smithsonian hosted a wonderful Teen Design Fair earlier today, opening doors for 400 D.C. public high school students to learn about career paths, and to show off their work and get some advice from some of today’s honorees and finalists.

And I want to thank you all -- all of the honorees, the finalists, everyone who took the time to spend with these young people -- I want you all to know that they're doing this because they believe in you, too. There are a lot of people out there who think you guys can do whatever you want to, and they're willing to take the time -- on one of the days that we're here to honor them -- to give something back to you all.

So part of your challenge is that when you get here, you have to do the same thing for somebody else. All right? That's my only deal. (Laughter.)

It’s why many of our honorees and finalists not only have given back today but they're doing it every day in the communities where they come from. And it’s why the man that I am about to introduce is working so hard with his team at the Smithsonian to make sure that all Americans, especially our young people, have access to all the museums and artifacts and scientific specimens and archives -- whether that’s in person or whether it's by smartphone -- that's how you guys do things, right, on phones nowadays. (Laughter.) You're keeping up with that. We're going to be able to work with you.

So the Smithsonian is revitalizing their Office of Education. They’re starting educational programs at schools for math and science, and for history and the arts. They’re on Facebook. The Smithsonian is twittering. Whoa. (Laughter.) They’re even on YouTube. They are trying to find you all. They're doing a great job. And they’re doing it because, as the man I'm about to introduce has said -- and this is his quote -- “Instead of a set of collections that hardly anybody sees, and a group of curators who are behind the walls, we can become a huge educational resource for the nation that we haven't been before.”

And it is that type of vision that helps a day like today become reality. And that’s the same type of leadership that helps a marvelous institution like the Smithsonian adapt to the new millennium. And that is why I am so pleased to introduce the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution -- and a dear friend who has been doing wonderful things with this White House -- Dr. Wayne Clough. (Applause.)

END 1:14 P.M. EDT
##

*AP photo; White House video

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