The International Foodservice Editorial Council (IFEC) announced two recipients for its 2023 Betty Bastion Outstanding Service Award: Katie Ayoub, president, Katie Ayoub & Associates and managing editor of Flavor & The Menu and Jason Stemm, Principal, The Stemm Group. The council’s highest honor, informally called the “Betty,” is presented annually to an IFEC member who has made significant contributions to the well-being of IFEC and the field of foodservice communications through outstanding leadership, service and professionalism. This year both Ayoub and Stemm were elected to receive this honor, each representing a side of the IFEC membership as editor and publicist. Ayoub and Stemm received the award during IFEC’s annual conference in Louisville, KY in November.
An active participant in IFEC for 19 years, Ayoub has been on or chaired half a dozen committees, served on the board, and was secretary in 2017. Over the years she has been instrumental in the development of the website and has chaired the NRA Reception and Professional Development Committees.
“She has put an enormous amount of time and energy into volunteering, all contributing to making IFEC the dynamic organization it is today” commented a colleague who nominated Katie “But along with all that, Katie has been an incredibly supportive foodservice editor, elevating the profession and always there for all of us on the editorial side, lending a voice of calm and intelligence.”
Katie Ayoub, president of Katie Ayoub & Associates, boasts over 20 years of expertise as a flavor trends specialist, content creator, and food & beverage consultant. Currently serving as the managing editor of Flavor & The Menu magazine and content director of the Flavor Experience, Ayoub is a sought-after speaker and moderator at national industry events.
Her notable career in foodservice publishing includes key roles like editor-in-chief of Sizzle, contributing editor to The National Culinary Review, and managing editor of Chef magazine. As a board director of Les Dames d ‘Escoffier Chicago, Ayoub, a Northwestern University alum, resides in a Chicago suburb.
Jason Stemm has been an IFEC member since 2001, serving on the board from 2010-2012 and 2020–2023. He served as IFEC president in 2011 and will be starting a new board term in 2024 in the role of vice president. Stemm has been a very active member of numerous committees serving as chair multiple times for Chef Showcase, Conference Agenda Task Force, Community Service, Programs and Speakers, Scholarship, and Meet the Press. He is always willing to pitch in and has been a valued leader. An IFEC member who nominated him commented “he consistently offers sage advice and asks questions that provoke thoughtful discussion during board meetings.”
In 2021, he founded The Stemm Group, where he draws from his decades of experience in food and beverage marketing to deliver strategic counsel for clients that range from centuries old artisan producers to tech startups. Stemm has had a front row seat to the evolution of the industry, embracing change and pushing boundaries.
Prior to starting his own agency, Stemm worked in the boutique and mid-sized agency world working with brands and commodity organizations to develop insight-driven integrated marketing programs. During that time, he led multiple award-winning campaigns, including one focused on reaching chefs that in 2019 won over 15 industry awards, including three PRSA Silver Anvils.
Stemm is a graduate of New York University and the proud father of a theatre kid who loves to cook and is an adventurous eater. He still resides in New York City where they can enjoy their global grazing without leaving Queens.
The Betty is named for IFEC’s first executive director, Betty Bastion Varese, who retired in 1991 and continues as an honorary member. Founded in 1956, IFEC is a 150-member professional association that brings foodservice B2B editors, public relations and marketing communications professionals together to exchange ideas and resources and explore regional trends. Editor members write for foodservice B2B publications, while PR/marketing members represent foodservice suppliers, restaurants, non-commercial operations, trade groups and more. Through education and networking activities, tuition assistance for members’ continuing education and scholarships for students preparing for foodservice communications careers, the association strives to encourage high professional and aesthetic standards among those working in and with the foodservice media and the entry of high-caliber individuals into the field.
IFEC also announced the winner of its esteemed TerrIFECer award for 2023: Avery Meetre, vice president, LRA PR.
The TerrIFECer recognizes individuals who have made extraordinary impacts on the organization in relatively short times as members. Meetre joined IFEC in the fall of 2016, engaging in committee work the following year. She co-chaired and chaired the Washington DC regional reception, played a crucial role in the Marketing Committee, and contributed significantly to the association's strategic planning initiative. Meetre joined the board of directors in 2020, served as vice president in 2021, and was elected as president in 2022. She rejoined the board in January 2023, filling a vacated position and serving on the Executive Committee as immediate past president. Meetre received the award during IFEC’s annual conference in Louisville, KY, in early November.
Commenting on Meetre's rapid engagement, a fellow IFEC member noted, "While most new IFEC members take a few years to adjust and feel comfortable before getting more involved with the organization, Avery jumped in without hesitation from day one." Another member praised her leadership, stating, "She always brings thoughtful insights and a listening ear to both larger board meetings and smaller executive committee meetings."
TerrIFECer recipient Avery Meetre has developed an eclectic career as a communications, digital marketing, and event strategist with a background in travel, consumer lifestyle, and mission-driven hospitality brands.
At LRA PR, Meetre consistently manages prominent accounts, developing and executing effective public relations and marketing campaigns for clients that have included Hilton Hotels & Resorts throughout the northeast region, solar-powered brewery Atlas Brew Works, and Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington, as well as its annual RAMMY Awards Gala and biannual Metropolitan Restaurant Week. In early 2019, she became LRA PR’s vice president, overseeing employee engagement and talent development for the agency in addition to full client account management.
She takes pride in continually honing her communication and interpersonal skills in a collaborative team environment, and individually through her work on the International Foodservice Editorial Council’s board of directors and executive committee as the organization’s 2022 president. She also volunteers her time as an Epilepsy Awareness Ambassador for the Epilepsy Foundation and as a member of Les Dames d'Escoffier DC.
Meetre's accolades include IFEC's 2023 TerrIFECer rising star award, FSR Magazine naming her to its 2022 40-under-40 "Rising Stars" list, Modern Luxury DC Magazine including her on The List, a guide to prominent DC-based leaders in the September 2020 issue, and Washington Life naming Avery to its 2019 Young and the Guest List, a guide to Washington’s most influential 40-and-under leaders.
