Recipe for Success Foundation surprised Chef Monica Pope with its first Blue Plate Special Award. The Award was presented at the foundation's annual Blue Plate Special Cafe Harvest Lunch and Market fundraiser/luncheon.

Pope, who is the founding chair of the RFS Chef's Advisory Board, was recognized for her passionate commitment to Recipe for Success Foundation and its goals to combat childhood obesity by changing the way children eat. The Blue Plate Special Award was created to distinguish national leaders and change agents working in the fight against childhood obesity. The new annual recognition will be given each fall and the call for 2011 award nominations will be distributed in March.

As early as 2000, Pope worked side by side with RFS founder, Gracie Cavnar to plan the foundation's programming and recruited the first 21 chefs to participate in RFS Chefs in Schools™.   She rolled into a fourth grade classroom to teach the very first RFS cooking lesson in September 2006 and has returned to MacGregor Elementary School to teach each month since then. 

The Blue Plate Special Award announcement and presentation by 10 students from MacGregor and Rodriguez Elementary schools generated a standing ovation from the 350 luncheon guests and came as a complete surprise to Pope, who said "When I decided to start cooking 13 years ago, I said I wanted to change the way people eat, and now Recipe for Success has given me the opportunity to do exactly that. I am honored to have the chance to help this important effort."