K. Dun Gifford
K. Dun Gifford founded non-profit Oldways in 1990 to promote healthy eating and drinking, with programs that help consumers improve their food and drink choices, encourage traditional sustainable food choices, and promote enjoyment of the pleasures of the table. As Oldways’ original president, Dun guided the organization through its initial two decades with creativity, enthusiasm, and political vision, until his death in May 2010.
Oldways is well known globally for its leading role in developing models for healthy eating, reflecting and respecting cultures around the world – Mediterranean, Asian, Latin American, Vegetarian and Vegan, and African Heritage. Oldways is also well known for helping consumers find whole grains through the Whole Grain Stamp, which is on more than 13,000 products in 63 countries.
Dun graduated from Harvard College and Harvard Law School, served in the U.S. Navy, was Legislative Assistant to Senator Edward M. Kennedy, and a national campaign coordinator for Robert F. Kennedy. He served as national chair of the American Institute of Wine & Food, owned and managed a number of restaurants in Boston and Cambridge, and founded a food business (Kilvert & Forbes) with John F. Kerry, later a U.S. Senator and Secretary of State. With his business partner at Oldways, Sara Baer-Sinnott, Gifford was co-author of The Oldways Table, described by one reviewer as a “comprehensible and extensive food reference packed with alluring recipes, helpful instructions, nutritional information and exceptionally amusing stories and essays about food and life.”
Memories of Dun
Upon receiving the 2018 Recipient of the K. Dun Gifford “Local Hero” Award, Rebecca Alssid shared her memory of Dun.
He moved to Boston in 1970 and became involved with commercial real estate and with the restaurant business. One such restaurant was the Harvest Square, an establishment that introduced some of our best young New England chefs and became a model for the beginnings of excellent cuisine in Boston.
He then became very interested in Wine and Food after having done a project on food research in Italy and China not only on the quality of food but the impact of the culture on healthy and sustainable food products.
In 1990 he created Oldways, a non-profit organization whose mission was and is to promote healthier eating. Along with Nancy Harmon Jenkins who introduced The Mediterranean Diet into our culture, Dun and others had he vision to inspire good health through cultural food traditions, by introducing people to attend conferences, educational programs and trips that promote models for balanced and sustainable diets.
He also co-authored a cookbook by Sara Baer-Sinnot, The Oldways Table: Essays and Recipes from the Culinary Think-Tank. Dun died in 2010, but his good work continues.
I am delighted and honored to receive an award in Dun Gifford’s name.
K Dun Gifford was born in 1939.
I first met him in the early 1990s. Julia Child introduced me to Dun. Over the years, he would attend cooking demonstrations or conferences at BU.
He had very interesting careers following graduation from law school. He worked in Washington in the Office of Housing and Development on Urban Renewal and Inner city developments for a few years.
Afterwards he served as a legislative assistant to Ted Kennedy and when Bobby Kennedy was seeking his presidential bid he was one of his prime assistants.