Westport Wholesome Wave Founder Named Humanitarian of the Year

Michel Nischan, a founder of Wholesome Wave in Westport was named humanitarian of the year at the annual James Beard Foundation gala.

The gala is considered the Oscars of the food world, according to the New York Times. It was held for the first time in Chicago.

Wholesome Wave was founded in 2007 and aims to connect under served consumers with affordable, healthy and local food.

Nischan is a chef. His family sometimes struggled to make ends meet and he would help on his grandfather’s farm in exchange for food, he said in a recent interview with Edible Manhattan. Sometimes his family would rely on federal food stamps to help put food on the table.

He learned how to butcher meat, which paid off when he started his career as chef. Eventually he came to advocate for local agricultural sustainability and increasing access to wholesome and affordable food.

The award is Nischan’s third from the foundation.

Wholesome Wave also helps bolster local and regional economies by helping small and mid-sized farms generate revenue, according to the organization’s website.

Wholesome Wave estimates that nearly 30 million Americans lack healthy, affordable food options.

Image via Wholesome Wave Facebook