Women Chefs and Restaurateurs host 'Flour Power' in Minneapolis

Women Chefs and Restaurateurs (WCR) is considering Minneapolis for its 2018 national conference. In anticipation of that decision, the group will host its first local event at the Food Building on Monday, Sept. 12.

Flour Power will feature a panel discussion on the burgeoning artisanal grain and heirloom wheat movement and a gourmet dinner menu created by Minnesota chef Sarah Master.

Master, a former Minneapolis chef and finalist on the former TV series 'The Taste,' currently heads up the Mr. Roberts Resort restaurant in Northern Minnesota. The lineup on Monday will include items like pork belly rillettes, smoked salmon nicoise and crawfish and cream cheese phyllo rolls. Pastry chef Laurie Lin of Cocoa & Fig, meanwhile, will be baking desserts, chocolate French macarons and mini flourless chocolate cakes among them.

WCR board members, which include Kim Bartmann -- the group's vice president and owner of Barbette and Red Stag Supperclub locally, among other restaurants -- will be present.

"I'm very excited about this amazing panel and conversation to happen, but it's also our first formal WCR event happening here," Bartmann said.

The night will begin with cocktail hour at 4:30 and the panel discussion will last from 5:30 to 6:30 before hors d'oeuvres are passed and dinner is served.

The panel, which will be moderated by local author Stephanie Meyer, includes Jenny Breen, who currently teaches two cooking courses at the University of Minnesota, Rustica Bakery founder Steve Horton and Laura Hansen of General Mills, who has focused on getting more whole grain into bakery and cereal products.